A Synthesis of Actors and Issues

The purpose of this synthesis report is to provide the required background information and analysis that will - together with other ongoing validation activities–enable GFRAS, the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services, to develop its five-year-strategy and work plan, in order to fulfil its mission and objectives. GFRAS was created to provide a space for advocacy and leadership on pluralistic, demand-driven rural advisory services within the global development agenda that promote sustainable rural growth and help the poor. GFRAS’ four objectives are to (1) provide a voice for advisory services within global policy dialogues, (2) support the development and synthesis of evidence-based approaches and policies for improving the effectiveness of rural advisory services (RAS); (3) facilitate interaction and networking for individual, organisational, and institutional capacity strengthening in RAS; and (4) promote the creation of an enabling environment for improved investment in RAS.

Mapping Long-term Options for GFRAS:

In July 2010, the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) requested ETC Foundation to undertake the assignment “Mapping Long-term Options for GFRAS”. The purpose of this assignment was to review a number of existing global networks, initiatives and forums in order to provide GFRAS with criteria and options for developing its long-term set-up, including structure, governance and funding mechanisms.

As required by the ToR, ETC compiled an initial list of 17 possible networks1 that could be included in the review. This list was discussed with GFRAS considering aspects such as usefulness as a model for GFRAS, availability of relevant (internet-based) information and accessibility to key resource persons within the short period of the review. Eight networks which provided the diversity required for the review were selected. The list included networks of global and regional orientation, within and outside the agriculture sector, hosted and non-hosted, with a range of stakeholders and diverse funding arrangements.

This report presents the findings of this review. It begins with a brief outline of the study approach and continues to describe in detail the eight networks reviewed. Key considerations, criteria and options for GFRAS are extracted based on the information gathered through the review. The final chapter formulates a number of general conclusions.

This paper presents an overview of current opportunities and challenges facing efforts to increase the impact of rural and agricultural extension. The starting point for this analysis is in recognition that the days when agricultural extension was synonymous with the work of public sector agencies are over. The ‘‘extension services’’ described here may just as likely consist of an input vendor advising a farmer about what seed to plant, a television station broadcasting a weather forecast, a supermarket advising traders about what standards are required for the vegetables they purchase or a farmer organization lobbying for research that re ects the demands of its members for new technologies. Mobilizing the potential of extension is about enhancing this broad and complex flow of information and advice in the agrifood sector.

The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) has supported the development of this draft Extension Evaluation Guide. In order to enhance the contribution rural advisory services can make to rural livelihoods it is essential to monitor and evaluate achievements within complex rural settings, and to engage in a lesson learning process with a wide range of stakeholders and
organisations. The Guide is intended to primarily be used by six sets of evaluation stakeholders:

• Those commissioning and managing evaluations
• Professional evaluators and staff responsible for monitoring systems
• Those involved in knowledge and results based management within a range of organisations involved with extension
• Staff of public extension agencies, farmers associations, and other organisations directly or indirectly engaged in providing extension services
• Professionals involved in training and educating evaluators
• Researchers looking for ways to synergise their efforts with evaluation initiatives

The process of preparing this Guide began in 2010 with the production of a Review of Literature on Evaluation Methods Relevant to Extension and a Meta-evaluation of Extension Case Studies. These materials, combined with extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders, were then used to as background for the development of this Guide. During 2011 this draft version will be field tested, finalised and translated into French and Spanish. If you are interested in field-testing this Guide, please contact info@g-fras.org, as GFRAS would very much appreciate receiving feedback on the usefulness of this Guide.

The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) has commissioned work to develop guidance for the evaluation of extension (projects, programmes, tools and initiatives). The purpose of the overall project is to identify methods for better evaluation of extension through the development of a Guidance Kit for extension evaluation.

This review of literature on evaluation methods, in combination with a metaevaluation1 of extension evaluation2 case studies, is intended to be a resource for developing the Guidance Kit. It is envisaged that this paper will be of interest to those involved in managing and implementing evaluations of rural advisory services as well as to extension and evaluation specialists.

The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) has commissioned the Natural Resources Institute to develop a toolkit for the evaluation of extension (projects, programmes, tools and initiatives). This commission has a number of components:

• A meta-evaluation of 15-20 evaluation case studies(presented here)
• A meta-review of the literature relevant to extension evaluation methods
• A workshop with practitioners and experienced evaluators to discuss the findings of a) and b) and to identify an initial set of tools
• A proposal for testing the proposed tools in a second phase of the project
• A brief of the toolkit for policymakers.

The overall purpose of this project is to identify methods for better evaluation of extension through the development of a toolkit for extension evaluation. The meta-evaluation and meta-review will also provide an in-depth basis for the selection of the approaches, methods and tools in the toolkit.

GFRAS Brief #1

A brochure introducing GFRAS