Paul Van Mele

Africa Rice Center

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Espérance Zossou

Université d'Abomey-Calavi

Jonas Wanvoeke

Université d'Abomey-Calavi

Jeffery W. Bentley

Fundación PROINPA

Jean‐François Vayssières

Fonctionnement agroécologique et performances des systèmes de culture horticoles

Florent Okry

Université d'Agriculture de Kétou

David Dolly

University of the West

C. Persad

L. Palengleng

G. Wesseler

G. V. Pollard

Caribbean Health Research Council

Cooperative Institutions

Université d'Abomey-Calavi

Wageningen University & Research

Africa Rice Center

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Université d'Agriculture de Kétou

Ghent University

Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Cornell University

Ghent University Hospital

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Multi-stakeholder platforms to stimulate innovation system learning: experiences of sustainable and integrated development of inland valleys in Benin and Mali

Daniel Dalohoun M'Piè Bengaly Joël Huat Paul Van Mele Marie José Dugué

MSPs build cohesion between the actors; focus individual interests towards a common goal and facilitate innovative actions. Many organizations are excited to provide technical, financial and institutional supports. For a sustainable impact however, MSP needs to be strengthened through the participation of the local authorities. Figure 1: The Process of Multi-Stakeholder Platform Approach Project Design Partnership Interactions Key Actors Identification Implementatio n of MSP

Identification

Cohesion (chemistry)

Stakeholder Engagement

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Integrated pest management/integrated crop management for vegetables and other crops in Trinidad and Tobago: status, potential and problems.

Deanne V. Ramroop A. St. Hill Wayne Ganpat Sundar Narinesingh Suzanne Pierre

Crop Management

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Forging New Partnerships: Lessons from the Dissemination of Agricultural Training Videos in Benin

The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension (2013)

Florent Okry Paul Van Mele Felix Houinsou

AbstractPurpose: This article evaluates the dissemination and use of rice training videos by radio stations, farmers, farmer associations and extension services in Benin. It pays attention to positive deviants and process innovation within a ‘hands-off experiment’.Design/methodology/approach: Using questionnaires and checklists we interviewed leaders of radio stations, extension services of nine municipalities and organized focus discussions with 13 farmer associations. Interviews focused on the processes of video dissemination/acquirement and the use and usefulness of the video.Findings: The commercial radio of Glazoué developed persuasive adverts and sold most of the 240 VCDs to farmers and extension services, whereas the community radios distributed most VCDs free of charge. About 20% of all the VCDs were sold, suggesting that farmers are eager to invest in acquiring knowledge. Extension services acquired the rice videos in various ways, indicating the need to inject videos via multiple pathways into the agricultural innovation system. Watching the farmer-to-farmer videos during staff meetings gave extension agents more confidence to interact with farmers.Practical implications: Videos do not need to be distributed to all farmer associations in the same village, as dissemination may take place between different associations. Farmers appreciate watching videos with their families if they are available in their local language. When suitable language versions are not available, group viewing is more appropriate.Originality/value: The farmer-to-farmer rice videos have created a momentum in Benin and across Africa, especially in the current context of rapid changes in the agricultural systems. The newly established non-governmental organization Access Agriculture aims at further supporting video-mediated learning in developing countries.Key Words: Video-mediated learningRural radioAgricultural advisory servicesFarmer organizationRiceAfrica AcknowledgementsWe thank the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) and Agro-Insight for funding this research. We also thank all our informants and translators for their support and dedication during the fieldwork.

Agricultural extension

10.1080/1389224x.2013.783495

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Land Use and Biodiversity in Unprotected Landscapes: The Case of Noncultivated Plant Use and Management by Rural Communities in Benin and Togo

Society & Natural Resources (2012)

Jonne Rodenburg Judith Both I.M.A. Heitkönig C.S.A. van Koppen Brice Sinsin

To contribute to the development of strategies for sustainable agricultural land use and biodiversity conservation in landscapes without formal protection status, we investigated the local use and management of noncultivated plants as important ecosystem functions of inland valleys in south Benin and Togo, and local perceptions on changes in plant biodiversity and causes for these changes. Local users of noncultivated plants perceived agriculture and construction as major factors contributing to the reduction of (noncultivated) plant biodiversity. However, they also collect many useful species from agricultural fields and the village. A small community forest reserve and a 2-ha community garden were the only organized forms of conservation management. Observed ad hoc conservation initiatives were selective harvesting of plant parts, preserving trees during land clearing, and allowing useful weed species in the field. Future development and conservation efforts in unprotected landscapes with multiple ecosystem functions should acknowledge knowledge, interests, and needs of local communities.

Clearing

10.1080/08941920.2012.674628

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Current farmers' practices in pest management and pest control practices promoted by extension in Grenada.

Phillip Gough M. T. K. Kairo Angela Little Paul Van Mele G. Wesseler

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The Use of Weaver Ants in the Management of Fruit Flies in Africa

Springer eBooks (2016)

J. F. Vayssières Joachim Offenberg Antonio Sinzogan Appolinaire Adandonon Rosine Wargui

10.1007/978-3-319-43226-7_18

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ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE SEED SECTOR OF RICE IN GUINEA: STAKEHOLDERS, PERCEPTION AND INSTITUTIONAL LINKAGES

Experimental Agriculture (2011)

Florent Okry Paul Van Mele Edwin Nuijten P.C. Struik Roch Mongbo

SUMMARY This paper analyses the organization of the rice seed sector in Guinea with the overall objectives to assess how organizational settings affect seed supply to small-scale farmers and to suggest institutional changes that would favour seed service and uptake of varieties. Data were collected in Guinea, West Africa, using focus group discussions with extension workers, farmers, representatives of farmers’ associations, agro-input dealers, researchers and non-governmental organization (NGO) staff, and surveys of 91 rice farming households and 41 local seed dealers. Findings suggest that the current institutional settings and perceptions of stakeholders from the formal seed sector inhibit smallholder farmers’ access to seed. Seed interventions in the past two decades have mainly relied on the national extension system, the research institute, NGOs, farmers’ associations and contract seed producers to ensure seed delivery. Although local seed dealers play a central role in providing seed to farmers, governmental organizations operating in a linear model of formal seed sector development have so far ignored their role. We discuss the need to find common ground and alternative models of seed sector development. In particular we suggest the involvement of local seed dealers in seed development activities to better link the formal and the informal seed systems and improve smallholder farmers’ access to seed from the formal sector.

Contract farming

10.1017/s001447971000089x

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Innovations in rural extension: case studies from Bangladesh

CABI eBooks (2005)

Paul Van Mele A. Salahuddin N.P. Magor

Abstract From 1999 to 2004 the PETRRA (Poverty Elimination Through Rice Research Assistance) project explored the development of innovative extension mechanisms through a learning by doing process with multiple service providers. Partnerships linked government, non-government and private sectors as appropriate. Topics addressed by the project include seed production, marketing and distribution systems, crop and soil fertility management, postharvest technologies, mobile pumps, aromatic rice, and integrated duck-rice farming, The methods used include women-led group extension, whole family approach, participatory video, Going Public, and picture songs. This book examines these approaches to extension and assesses their potential for replicability and scaling-up. It includes four thematic sections covering: gender in agricultural extension; learning with rural communities; enterprise webs; and pro-poor seed systems. Each thematic section is introduced by an overview chapter, followed by a number of empirical cases. The concluding section puts all experiences in a broader context, draws on transaction cost theory, and targets donors, policy makers and academics. The book has 21 chapters and includes a list of acronyms and abbreviations, a glossary of special terms, a map of Bangladesh, and a subject index.

Agricultural extension

Glossary

10.1079/9780851990286.0000

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Citations (74)

Present-day traditional ovicaprine herding as a reconstructional aid for understanding herding at Roman Sagalassos

Ingrid Beuls Bea De Cupere Paul Van Mele Marleen Vermoere Marc Waelkens

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Farmers, Biodiversity and Plant Protection: Developing a Learning Environment for Sustainable Tree Cropping Systems

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability (2004)

Paul Van Mele Ho Van Chien

More diverse, perennial cropping systems often have better natural mechanisms for keeping pests at bay. But while scientists emphasise the broad benefits of conservation in terms of effective ecosystem functioning, farmers are more interested in biodiversity for the provision of food or of services such as shade or windbreaks. Because of their limited knowledge of the role of biodiversity in plant protection, farmers sometimes unconsciously disturb natural regulatory mechanisms. Some citrus farmers in Vietnam introduced sapodilla as an intercrop to diversify their source of income, and because this fruit tree requires little care. However, this apparently worthwhile attempt to combine two valuable crops has misfired. The ecological conditions that traditionally sustained natural pest control in citrus have been disturbed, thus trapping farmers in the pesticide treadmill. The weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina stopped protecting citrus from stinkbugs and leaf-feeding caterpillars after facing competition from the black ant Dolichoderus thoracicus, which favours sapodilla trees as a nesting habitat. To avoid similar scenarios in the future, methods for linking scientific research on ecosystem functions with farmers' own knowledge, experience and priorities are presented. Examples are given of ways in which farmers in perennial cropping systems learn, and how scientists can facilitate this learning process.

10.1080/14735903.2004.9684568

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Citations (28)