digital Green: a participatory framework for agricultural extension

Overview: Sequencing

Introducing a village to new practices does not occur over a single night screening. The screening of content should follow a sequence that prompts interest and leads to adoption. Several sequences were attempted with focus audiences. The following approach works well when entering a new village:

Entertaining clippings, such as a women group singing folk songs, to attract an audience
Testimonials and interviews with progressive farmers that disclose the concepts and experiences associated with the practices
3-5 minute highlights of a broad spectrum of the practices that will be promoted
Comparative demonstrations with progressive farmers that visibly (perhaps, to a humorous extent) show the benefits of the practices
Familiar farmers from the local vicinity (preferably, the same village) attempting the practices
Experts detailing concepts and step-by-step instructions for the practices

As farmers increase in exposure to the practices being promoted, greater concentration can be placed on the content of types later in the sequence.

Small groups that will regular participate in the recording and screening of DG content may be founded within formal structures of local farmer cooperatives and federations or can be initiated by the DG system itself. For instance, communities may be approached in the following manner: (1) organize a village gathering in a central location to showcase highlights of the services that will be provided, (2) identify interested farmers, (3) record extension staff introducing a particular practice to these farmers on the field, (4) informally screen content of peer farmers and experts demonstrating practices to various areas of a village, (5) establish small groups of interested farmers with a regular schedule of content screenings, and (6) motivate community participation by generating a local competition to learn, adopt, and innovate better agricultural processes.

An example of the connections made as farmers are recorded, shown, and adopt practices shown on the Digital Green network.

The curriculum of concepts and methods follows the progression described in Overview: Farmers, however, some reordering may be required to match the interests and dynamics of local conditions and the farming season. For example, farmers may be keen to attempt a practice that will provide fast results before investing in the longer-term sustainable agricultural processes. Local extension staff can initially assist in structuring the content and farmers will increasingly be involved in choosing appropriate content as they realize what is available. Recorded farmers are especially interested in being shown on TV soon after they have tried a new practice.

Screenings should be sensitive to the age, gender, political, and socioeconomic attributes of those recorded in relation to those in the audience. Farmers belong to a diverse rural population that is fragmented by societal differences. Extension workers in collaboration with local farmers can illuminate these complexities. Women often are initially hesitant to attend night screening until they see that the content also features female participants. Men and women tend to share farming responsibilities; however, their roles in the field are defined by social norms. Women often also have other interests, such as alternative income generating activities, which also is reflected in screenings. During screenings, moderators and farmers select content to suit the audience. Pairing moderators allows one to focus on leading group discussions while the other interacts individually with farmers to select the appropriate content to be shown. Early adopters of new practices tend to be small and marginal farmers who anxiously seeking to maintain their livelihoods. Known and respected farmers are showcased to inspire others in a community to participate; however, larger farmers are often unwilling to alter their conventional operations. Such larger farmers may choose to risk successive failures for the chance of a bumper crop. In choosing model farmers for recording, it is important that the greater village community can identify with the participant. Focusing too greatly on farmers with high levels of socioeconomic and political status or farmers on the other extreme of destitution and reclusiveness may be prohibitive to gaining traction in the greater village community. Though the hierarchical structures of political and socioeconomic status may be well established, some villages lack societal cohesion. Such scenarios pose challenges to systematic dissemination; however, the DG system can be used as a framework for building community organization.

digital Green Team