Assessing and strengthening Malawi’s pluralistic agricultural extension system: Evidence and lessons from a three-year research studyIn July 2016, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and partners launched a three-year evidence-based policy support project to analyze demand for and supply of agricultural extension services in Malawi and help design activities to strengthen service providers’ capacity to address farmers’ demands for information. For this project, IFPRI partnered with Wadonda Consult and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) to conduct the household survey and qualitative interviews. Funding came from the Government of Flanders, the U.S. Agency for International Development through the Strengthening Agricultural and Nutrition Extension (SANE), the German Agency for International Cooperation [GIZ]), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM). The project collected two rounds of nationally representative panel data of 2,880 households (2016 and 2018), two rounds of focus group discussions (FGDs), census of extension service providers in 15 districts, and a series of in-depth interviews. This note summarizes the main findings from 10 reports completed to analyze and draw conclusions from the stories behind these datasets. |
Common terms and phrases
active adoption AEDOs Agricul agricultural advice Agricultural Extension Agricultural Extension Services agricultural practices agriculture and nutrition areas awareness capacity climate-smart agricultural committees consistently contribute coordinator coverage crop diversification dietary diversity effect efforts extension modalities Extension Services Provision farm FGDs Figure food security full report gender greater HH survey household panel IFPRI Discussion Paper IFPRI household impact implementation improved income incorporation indicators knowledge last 12 months lead farmer approach learning limited listening look major Malawi messaging methods models monitoring ness Note organizations outcomes Panel Data Analysis participation past Percentage perception performance Power productivity projects providers radio programming Ragasa ratings receipt receiving receiving agriculture relevant remains results showed Role scaling sion Source strengthened strong structures survey Technol technologies being promoted tion ture understanding various village women