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New directions for Inclusive Pluralistic Service Systems

Report of FAO expert consultation












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    Book (stand-alone)
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    Towards inclusive Pluralistic Service Systems
    Insights for innovative thinking
    2017
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    A growing variety of public and private rural advisory services are available today, leading to increasingly pluralistic service systems (PSS) – in which advisory services are provided by different actors and funded from different sources.  PSS have emerged in many countries as a response to a decline in public sector extension and the increasing demand for tailored, diverse and market-oriented services. Private companies, non-governmental organizations and producer organizations, today play mor e active roles alongside traditional public sector providers. The diversity of service providers in PSS has the potential to make services more inclusive, responsive to demand, context-specific and based on multiple knowledge sources. This is particularly relevant, as farmers are highly diverse, differing in resources, gender, market access, crops and livestock systems, and therefore require different types of information and services to achieve sustainable productivity growth and better livelih oods. Based on extensive literature review, the paper provides an overview of the current state of knowledge on “inclusive pluralistic service systems”, examining the need for demand-driven service provision, the diverse providers and approaches to service delivery, and the policy considerations and institutional challenges constraining the operation of inclusive PSS.
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    Corporate general interest
    Advancing rural advisory services in Arab countries to promote market orientation and inclusive transformation
    A regional study
    2023
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    Small-scale family farmers are the backbone of rural communities in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. Despite their extensive participation in the agricultural sector, these types of farmers and their farms are disproportionately affected by poverty, ultimately constituting about 70 percent of the poorliving in the region. Apart from adverse agroclimatic conditions, smallscale farmers experience several challenges that stem from their limited assets, land fragmentation and weak capacities, with negative impacts on their productivity, profitability and income. Specific constraints include low volume and quality of produce, high transaction costs, high costs of inputs, low prices and weak access to market information and postharvest facilities – all of which adds up to a limited ability to reach and compete in markets. Small-scale farmers need services that enable them to make informed decisions and facilitate their access to quality inputs, post-harvest facilities and more profitable markets. They also need to reinforce their capacities to act collectively and develop effective organizations that can articulate their demands, amplify their voice, and facilitate their access to services and markets. As a result of persisting gender-based social norms, women typically face more challenges than men in terms of owning assets, accessing quality inputs and services, reaching markets and achieving fair prices.
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    Improving agricultural extension. A reference manual. 1997
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    A Shift In Global Perspective: Institutionalizing Farmer Field Schools 2015
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    The Farmer Field School (FFS) approach has been very successful and witnessed a strong expansion in many areas beyond crop production. Notwithstanding this success, the adoption of FFS in national extension often remains problematic and FFS activities have often been implemented in the margin of national institutions with strong reliance on donor funding. The creation of an enabling environment for institutional support is essential for expanding the effort, improving quality, and strengthening impact and continuity of the FFSs. This paper aims to analyse opportunities, challenges and implications of institutionalizing FFS at the national level.
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    Estrategias, reformas e inversiones en los sistemas de extensión rural y asistencia técnica en América del Sur 2016
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    En los últimos 25 años se han producido cambios significativos en la vida rural de América Latina, en sus dimensiones política, económica, social, laboral, demográfica, cultural y ambiental, a partir de lo que se denominó los Programas de Ajuste Estructural y de las decisiones políticas y económicas que tomó cada país en particular. El presente documento sintetiza los estudios llevados a cabo en los ocho países de América del Sur y tiene la pretensión de compendiar los valiosos aportes de ca da uno de ellos. El documento Estrategias de reformas institucionales en inversiones para los Sistemas de Extensión y Transferencia de Tecnología Agraria en Centroamérica y República Dominicana (FAO, 2014) sintetiza los resultados de Centroamérica y la República Dominicana.