Concepts and experiences with demand driven advisory services: Review of recent literature with examples from Tanzania

Abstract

The current institutional framework for agricultural services in East and Southern Africa was designed for a state-sponsored supply-driven approach. These institutions demand large field staff levels and are associated with high costs often financed by World Bank loans. These institutions are moreover ill-suited to respond to the demands from clients that are now emerging through development interventions and policies. Farmers are marginally involved with planning the content and means of service provision. Top-down approaches also fail to target agricultural services to women and vulnerable groups. Demand-driven advisory services have evolved over recent years and involve changing the role of extension agents from advisors to facilitators; increasing control by farmers through cost sharing; increasing the use of contracted services; and emphasizing knowledge provision rather then narrow technical advice. The DIIS Working Paper discusses four conceptual aspects of this changing approach to extension. First the working paper discusses the shift in international thinking about extension. This includes an analysis of the key principles of the conventional Training and Visit Extension methodology and the new emerging Client-driven Advisory Services model. Secondly, the management implications of the shift in paradigm are discussed, emphasizing the change in relationship between farmers and external actors. Thirdly, the working paper is concerned with the approach to farmer learning. The fourth aspect discussed is the technology development processes associated with the extension models. The working paper finally reviews a range of experiences in Tanzania with new forms of extension.