Session 6.3 farmer to farmer extension in kenya and uganda

WORLD CONGRESS ON AGROFORESTRY 201410-14 FEBRUARY 2014, DELHI, INDIATrees for Life: Accelerating the Impact of Agroforestry

Why volunteer? Insights from a farmer to farmer extension

program in Kenya and Uganda Evelyne Kiptot 1,*, Monica Karuhanga 2, Jane Kugonza 3, Ronald Wambire 3,

Steven Franzel1 1

1World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, 2Makerere University, 3World Agroforestry Centre, Kampala, Uganda

The science of scaling up and the trajectory beyond subsistence

OutlineIntroductionFarmer to farmer extensionVolunteer farmer-trainer approach in the

EADD projectObjectivesMethodologyFindingsConclusions and recommendations


IntroductionThe decline in public extension services has

led to development of alternative low cost extension approaches that are participatory, demand driven and farmer centred

They place farmers at the centre of knowledge generation and sharing

They deliver technologies, empower farmers to innovate and also facilitate collective action for service provision

These extension approaches that are farmer led are commonly referred to as farmer to farmer extension (FFE)


Farmer to farmer extension the provision of training by farmers, to

farmers, often through the creation of a structure of farmer-trainers

They vary from place to place in mode of operation, selection criteria and incentives

FFE works on the assumption that farmers have the ability to spread innovations because of comprehensive local knowledge, use of local language and are known by their community members hence have their trust


The volunteer farmer trainer approach One such approach that is being used by the EADD to

disseminate dairy feed technologies is known as the volunteer farmer trainer (VFT) approach.

ICRAF’s role is to facilitate the spread and use of improved feeds and feeding systems among members of targeted dairy cooperatives through innovative extension approaches such as the volunteer farmer-trainer approach.


Who are volunteer farmer trainers? They are volunteer farmers selected on the

basis of being good communicators, interest, being an active dairy farmer and be willing to give part of his/her land for demonstration purposes.

The selection is a participatory process involving farmers in DMGs, their representatives and the management committee of the chilling plant in each project site.

They are trained in feeds and feeding methods by extension officers, researchers and service providers

Rely on extension staff for training and for addressing problems that they cannot handle.

Are given seed for setting up demonstration plots of various feed technologies on their farms.


Bulking and selling milkFinancing, Extension services (AI, Technical support, inputs)


Justification of the studyThe project started in 2008 with its main

objective being to double the incomes of 179,000 dairy farmers in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda through improved dairy production and marketing

While the project has been able to achieve its targets, the sustainability of this achievement is likely to depend on the continued commitment of VFTs.

A key challenge is how to keep VFTs motivated, hence sustainability of extension activities

The big question: why do farmers volunteer as trainers and what keeps them motivated?


ObjectivesTo get perspectives of VFTs

about factors that motivated them to become trainers and to continue volunteering

It is expected that such information will assist the project partners to design and implement strategies that will improve the effectiveness of this approach and also ensure its sustainability.


Methods of data collectionQualitative and

Quantitative methods of data collection were used

Focus group discussions were held in each of the sites with 5-20 trainers

A structured questionnaire was administered to 99 and 190 individual VFTs in Kenya and Uganda respectively


Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of VFTs

Variable VFT KenyaMean

VFT Uganda Mean

Age (yrs) 46.8 47.5

Longest distance (km) 6.7 9.3

Dairy experience (yrs)

11.3 8.7

Education )yrs) 10.7 9.8

Times train/month/dry

2.5 3.0

Times train/month/wet season

2.3 2.2

No . of villages covered outside their own

4.8 5.5The science of scaling up and the trajectory beyond subsistence

Reasons for volunteeringKenya

(% of VFTS N=99)

Uganda (% of VFTsN=190)

To become trainers

To continue

To become trainers

To continue

Gain knowledge and skills

93 87 96 94

Altruism 85 81 89 84

Social benefits 76 72 88 88

Project benefits 71 73 90 80

Income (Financial benefits)

64 88 70 76

Increased demand for training

- 81 - 75


Pairwise ranking of social benefitsSocial benefits

Kenya Uganda

Rank Rank

Exposure 1 1

Gaining confidence

2 2

Increased social networks

3 3

Improved social status

4 4


Financial benefits In Kenya 50% of VFTs

receive income from selling seed/seedlings and providing services.

Hay fodder (15%), calliandra seedlings (12%), chaff cutter services (14%), silage making (13%)

In Uganda, only 8% reported receiving income from selling pasture seed


Conclusion and RecommendationsGenerally, VFTs are motivated by personal and community

interests which are driven by intrinsic and extrinsic factorsThe importance of the motivation however varies from VFT

to VFTThe interests are key to sustaining voluntary farmer to farmer

extension programsThey need to be encouraged and supported to invest in

personal development, build social and financial capital from activities related to fodder innovations

Linking VFTs to seed companies so that they can produce seed on contract basis in order to generate income and also ensure a reliable supply of seed to the community.

Organizing training and exchange visits from time to time to improve their knowledge and skills

Social benefits can be enhanced by involving them in exchange tours and giving them recognition


Thank you!!!
