Sustainability

CKW roll out to new communities is usually sandwiched by Progress out of Poverty Index (PPI) surveys, which help identify the most economically vulnerable communities for engagement. After roll out, PPI helps track CKW impact based on key indicators such as nutritional status of households.

Maintaining feedback loops between community members and CKWs helps to guide implementation and to identify necessary areas of adjustment. The Uganda CKW programme underwent such an adjustment when it was restructured in 2014 (from about 1,100 agents working in 35 districts to only 300 agents covering 3 districts) to enhance efficiency. To compensate for the workforce reduction, each CKW now trains 50 lead farmers who in turn are asked to serve 10 other farmers in the community. The new programme is called CKW 3.0, indicating its emphasis on three value chains (coffee, maize, and banana) across 3 districts.

Evidence of impact

CKWs have made significant impacts wherever they are found. For example, Uganda reported that CKWs had improved RAS outreach to 289,000 farmers across 22,000 villages in over 35 districts (about 40% of the country) by 2014. In Colombia, CKWs have organised some 563,000 rural coffee farmers into effective coffee producing value chains. The Indonesian CKW programme, Ruma, reportedly reach over a million clients. (8)