Bsstechdiffusion-focars85

Participatory Technology Development

Bharat S. Sontakki ([email protected])

Session Outline  Concepts and Importance of PTD  Evolution of PTD  Key Features  PTD Process  Comparison with Other Concepts  Degrees of Stakeholder Participation  Benefits and Obstacles  Institutionalization of PTD  Case Reviews

“The word ‘participation’ is kaleidoscopic; it changes its colour and shape at the will of the hands in which it is held. And, just like the momentary image in the kaleidoscope, it can be very fragile and elusive, changing from one moment to another”. Shirley A. White (1994)

Technology Development Process  Research problem perception/identification  Problem analysis (causes and solutions)  Prioritization of options  Project selection and resource allocation,  Planning and implementation of research activities,  Monitoring and review of the results  Field testing  Recommendation and follow up

Technology Development & Transfer Continuum

Stakeholders in Agricultural Research

Farmers Credit Institutions

Government

Research

Inputs Agencies

Institution s

Extension Agencies

Storage, Processing & Industries

Market

Post-Green Revolution Agricultural R&D Gonsalves et. al. ( 2005) 

Pro-poor targeting

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Conservation and sustainable use of natural resources

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Development of less-favored areas

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Equity for women & other marginalized socio-economic groups

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Trade globalization and supply chains

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Migration and rural-urban dynamics

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Agriculture and human health

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Multi-stakeholder partnerships

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Local capacity development

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Institutional learning and change

PTD holds promise ….

What is PTD? A creative process of joint experimentation and research by farmers and development agents in discovering ways of improving farmers' livelihoods. A process of creative interaction within rural communities in which indigenous and scientific knowledge are combined in order to find solutions to farmers’ problems and to take fullest possible advantage of local opportunities. A strategic action and a purposeful process by which scientists sponsored technology is tested, suitably modified and refined by farmers in their fields leading to its, viability and acceptability in their farming situations.

Definitions of PTD  A method in which the major emphasis is on production research, planned and carried out by and with the farmers on their own fields (Harwood, 1979).  A systematic approach of evolving or adapting technology among the people of a community (Tan, 1985).  A process where "the farmer acts as a subject who investigates, measures, and studies in collaboration with researchers" (Ashby et al., 1987).  A practical process for bringing together the knowledge and research capacities of the local farming communities with that of the commercial and scientific institutions in an interactive way (Haverkort et al., 1988).

In its purest form, PTD is a process in which  problems for which solutions have been sought are identified and prioritized by farmers,  alternative solutions to be tested are defined by farmers  design of experiment is decided by farmers,  the implementation is done by farmers,  monitoring is decided and executed by farmers and  evaluation is done by farmers

Importance of PTD  Vital to achieve impact which benefits poor people  PTD enables development of appropriate, demand driven technologies that readily fit into the agro-climatic and socioeconomic conditions of farmers 

Farmers’ knowledge and creativity are harnessed to design technology

 It helps in speedy transfer of technologies and adoption by the farming communities  PTD ensures user participation in technology development and diffusion  PTD is more client accountable Growing number of documented examples in recent years reveal that PTD is now accepted as a research approach to agriculture and natural resource management (NRM). It has been recognized that research is effective in improving farmers' livelihoods if farmers play a vital role in the process.

Salient Features of PTD 

Client-based as it focuses on client-led experimentation

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Relevant problem solving measures are tested

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Based on local knowledge and resource base of clients

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Decentralized research/technology development

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Devolution of more responsibility to clients for adaptive testing

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Accountability and cost sharing

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Sustainable productivity focused

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Considerable gap exists between theory and practice as the concept is relatively new and practice is complex

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Requires constant analysis and application

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A prescribed methodology does not exist

Evolution of PTD FSR

Farming System Research (Mellor, 1966; Collison, 1972; Norman, 1974)

ITK

Indigenous Technical Knowledge (IDS, 1979; Brokesha et al. 1980)

OFT

On-farm Trials (Tripp, 1982)

FBTF

Farmer Back to Farmer (Rhodes and Booth, 1982)

FFL

Farmer First and Last (Chambers and Gildyal, 1985)

FPR

Farmers Participatory Research (Farrington and Martin, 1988)

OFCOR On Farm Client Oriented Research (Merill-Sands and Kaimowitz, 1990) IBA

Interactive Bottom-up Approach (Bunders et al. 1990)

RRA

Rapid Rural Appraisal (IIED, 1991)

PRA

Participatory Rural Appraisal (IIED, 1991)

PTD

Participatory Technology Development (Reintjes et al. 1992)

Objectives of PTD

 Develop appropriate agricultural technologies suited to the farm holdings  Improve functional efficiency of formal research  Empower clients to develop and use agricultural technologies  Empower stakeholders, especially the marginalized ones, on their own decision making so that their capacity to make effective demands on research and extension organizations is strengthened

Steps in PTD Process Steps

Activities

1. Getting started in field

 Building relationship/rapport  Preliminary situation analysis  Awareness mobilization

2. Understanding problems and potentials

 Analyzing driving/restraining forces  Identifying scientific and local knowledge farmers

3. Looking for readiness to try

 Identifying priorities  Screening options, choosing selection criteria  Developing ‘agreed’ research agenda

4. Designing Experiments

 Review existing practice  Planning & designing experiments  Designing evaluations protocols

5. Trying out

 Implementation of farmer experiments  Measurement/observation of research  Developing structure for dissemination of experiences

Steps in PTD Process Steps

Activities

6. Evaluation of the experiments

 Analyzing the results

7. Sharing results with others

 Farmer extension-conduct of field days  Communication of principles and results of PTD process  Training in skills and use of experimental methods

8. Sustaining the PTD process

 Creation of favorable conditions for continuing experiments  Developing self management capacity of farmers

9. Scaling up/ Phasing out

 Farmer consolidation  Gradual withdrawal of the organization  Dissemination to more farmers

Comparison of PTD with other known concepts 

Extension

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Demonstration

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Farmer managed trials

Comparisons • Research stations Vs Farm holdings • Scientists’ research Vs Farmers’ research

Research Station vs. Farm Holdings Criteria Resources Seed Capital Irrigation Labour Price

Research Station Abundant, Assured High quality Not a constraint Own control Not a constraint Not a critical factor

Technical Skills

Always available

Farm Holdings Limited, Uncertain ? Limiting factor Under others’ control Limiting factor High input cost & Low output price Limited availability

Scientists’ Research vs. Farmers’ Research Scientists’ Research

Farmers’ Research

Use capital intensive inputs Use local and less expensive inputs Long-term perspective Short-term perspective Complicated design and Simple farmer decided analysis design Standard procedures Flexible and ad-hoc Focus on commodity / Integrated approach subject Controlled conditions Natural and real-life Depends on methodological Farmers’ experience, rigour wisdom and logic

Assumptions to Rationalize PTD  All the three systems in technology transfer (Research, Extension & Farmers) will be able to articulate their perception of problems  Problem identification by the farmers leads to their personal involvement in the solution of problems  The process of identifying problems and solutions is in itself a most vital and relevant act of technology development, particularly when solutions are implemented by the farmers

A number of conditions are to be fulfilled to make an activity suitable as ‘entry point’ for PTD  Attract the attention of the poor farmers and respond more to their interest than to those of resource-rich farmers.  Be relatively simple, should not require many inputs or knowledge from outside to be carried out.  Limit the technology.  Use small scale experiments  Bring positive results to those who participate  Produce good possibilities to follow activities  Result should be clearly visible and significant  Develop a multiplier effect

Types of Participatory Technology Development

Typology of Participation

 Contractual Participation  Consultative Participation  Collaborative Participation  Collegiate Participation

The Choice of Degree of Participation  type of research  risk involved  suitability for farmers’ circumstances and preferences Likelihood of Participation

Need for Participation High

High

Low

Low

Low

High

Low

High

Diversity of preferences

Delay of benefits

Diversity of environments

Uncertainty of benefits

Technological complexity

Social complexity

Benefits of PTD  Encourages farmer experimentation  ITK of farmers can be gainfully tapped  Farmers’ knowledge and creativity are harnessed to develop appropriate technology  Farmers are motivated when their views are respected  Technologies are more rigorously tested under users’ conditions  Technologies to suite diverse agro-ecological & socioeconomic situations  Technologies are more likely to be adopted  Technologies are in users hands more rapidly  Complements station-based research

Obstacles in PTD - Scientists’ Points of View 

Results could be spoiled by mismanagement of factors outside the researchers’ control

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Failure of technologies in farmers’ fields may be construed as inadequacies of scientists

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Risk of exposing farmers to too many uncertainties,

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Lack of skills and experience in participatory research

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Lack of time, motivation and communication skills to approach farmers

Obstacles in PTD - Farmers’ Points of View 

Research would take too much time

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Too great a risk in their production system

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Fear that they may be punished, if the technology fails

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Lack of intention to experiment an option, which they consider risky, insignificant, or having delayed benefits

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Lack of communication link with scientists

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A general feeling that their problems are unimportant to scientists

Prerequisites for Institutionalizing PTD  Institution policy  Methodologies in the research project cycle  Farmer representation and participant selection  Clear links between problem identification & corresponding

project activity  Well-defined activity follow-up  Continued and integrated feedback

 Improved awareness, knowledge and skills through

training, constant practice and analysis

Prerequisites for Institutionalizing PTD  Strong and committed leadership and staff support  Interdisciplinary team work  Better systems of monitoring, evaluation and

accountability sharing  Changes in the reward system  Decentralized decision-making on administrative

and financial matters

Case Reviews on PTD  On-farm Research Methodology (CIMMYT)  Farmer-back-to-Farmer Approach (CIP)  Women and Rice Farming Network (IRRI)  Women & People’s Participation in Development (FAO)  On Farm Client Oriented Approaches - OFCOR (ISNAR)  Farmer Participatory Research Work (CIAT)  Institution Village Linkage Programme (IVLP)  Strategic Research Extension Plan (NATP)  Consortium Approach (NAIP)

Participatory Plant Breeding  The incorporation of participatory methods into plant breeding began in the mid-1980s  Farmers were involved in the evaluation of pre-release materials  The gap between users’ and breeders’ criteria for acceptability of new plant types identified through participatory research  The effects of this are marked - some breeders perceive participatory methods as very effective in opening up new frontiers in breeding (Iglesias and Hernandez, 1994; Cessarelli, et al 1995; Hordon, 1995; Kornegay, et al 1996; Zimmerman, 1996)

Participatory Plant Breeding Thrusts  Assessing participatory breeding methods  User differentiation  Decentralization  Support Services

APNL Biotechnology Project Thrusts  Based on IBA  Involvement of farmers of different socioeconomic strata  Participatory identification of critical parameters for evaluation

IVLP – Technology Assessment and Refinement Thrusts  Participatory analysis and adaptation of technology in farmers’ conditions  Participatory assessment of technologies on farmers’ fields  Involvement of farmers in technology refinement

SREP – ITD Component of NATP Thrusts  Participatory analysis of agro-eco situations for identification and prioritization of problems  SWOT analysis of farming situations  Participatory planning of strategies and activities  Farmer involvement through group mobilization – FOs, SHGs, CGs, etc.

Consortium Approach of NAIP NAIP Charter To facilitate the accelerated and sustainable transformation of Indian agriculture for poverty alleviation and income generation by collaborative development and application of agriculture technologies by the public research organizations in partnership with farmer’s groups, PRIs, private sector and other stakeholders.  Small number of large projects  Integration of all stakeholders across the entire value chain  Focus on disadvantaged areas for sustainable rural livelihood security

PTD in ATMA Model ATMA SREP

RES.ISSUES

P.R.T.

TASK FORCE TECH. BANK

RAP OFT FIGs

RESULTS

and to sum up ...  Involving stakeholders in agricultural research is a strategic management issue  PTD has immense potential to complement formal research and thereby to develop appropriate needbased technology  It is essential to develop a few pilot cases of PTD to standardize methodology  Institutionalization of PTD necessitates functional and structural changes in the NARS