DIGITAL EXTENSION IN ZIMBABWE: SHARING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IN LOCAL VOICES “ PODCASTING”

1. DIGITAL EXTENSION IN ZIMBABWE: SHARING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IN LOCAL VOICES “PODCASTING” Agriculture Coordinating Working Group 26 April 2012 Lawrence Gudza lawrence.gudza@practicalactionzw.org

2. “The gift of material goods makes people dependent, but the gift of knowledge makes them free” E.F. Schumacher “The gift of material goods makes people dependent, but the gift of knowledge makes them free …. “ – E.F. Schumacher

3. Challenges Facing Communities Despite existence of extension services, no noticeable and significant positive livelihood transformation in Zimbabwe. • Extension officers follow their organisation mandates and not the communities’ • Design, formatting, packaging and dissemination • Use of brochures, posters, languages • Literacy can become a challenge to understand messages • Roads and communications infrastructure poor or non existent • Brain drain within the formal extension structures as experienced ones seek greener pastures • Lack of adequate resources for effective formal extension services

4. Problem Background – Challenges to effective extension services The challenges of development is not necessarily a lack of knowledge, but some of the following: • Coordination: – of activity on the ground • Availability: - of useful knowledge where needed • Awareness: - about and where knowledge is • Relevance: - where available, relevance of that knowledge • Language: - often, inappropriate • Formats: - literacy rates often ignored • Channels: - appropriateness

5. Challenges Facing Communities • There can be a total of 7 + extensionists in one community Organisation B Organisation A Organisation G Organisation C Organisation D Organisation F Organisation E COMMUNITIES • Little to no evaluation done to verify effectiveness of practices

6. Digital Extension Model PARTNERS Collaborators • KNOWLEDGE REPOSITORY • Local scientific and indigenous knowledge • Livestock • Health • Environment and DRR • Social Services, etc. Feedback Extensionists / Lead Farmers/Paravets COMMUNITIES

7. Digital Extension Collaboration Model Veterinary Services Other Government partners AGRITEX Livestock Development EMA Other Knowledge Nodes Implementing Partners ORAP Christian Care OXFAM Child Line FAO LEAD CRS MSF SNV KNOWLEDGE NODE Other Development Partners LGDA MoritiOaSechaba Hlekweni Dabane Trust COMMUNITIES

8. Digital Extension addressing Challenges • Digital Extension offers the following advantages: • Extension agents collaborate on the design, formats and distribution channels of their products • Localised Knowledge Nodes • Knowledge content is in local voices and language • Lead farmers tap into a wealth of indigenous knowledge • Content ownership shifts from experts to communities • Appropriate content becomes accessible 24/7 • Technology has no bad days and is consistent

9. Community Knowledge Sessions

10. Community Knowledge Sessions

11. Local Content in Local Languages

12. DIGITAL EXTENSION N ZIMBABWE Project: - PODCASTING • Pilot 2008 – Mbiredistrict Mashonaland Central • Project Roll Out – Guruve and Bindura districts – Mashonaland Central • Scaling Up - Gwandadistrict– Matabeleland South • Scaling Up – Bulilima, Mangwe, Gwanda and Mwenezi • Potential Explosion– Chimanimani, Chipinge and Buhera South • Local Partners: All government extension departments: AGRITEX, Health, EMA, • Social Svs, Youth, ZINWA, Farmers’ groups • All local development agents (NGOs, CBOs, PVOs & RDCs) • Community Knowledge Needs: - Diverse: Water, Health, Crops, Livestock, WASHE Environment, Markets • Established the first Knowledge hub in Guruve • Established second Knowledge hub in Gwanda, Matabeleland South • Established third Knowledge hub at FACT, Mutare

13. Digital Extension in Zimbabwe • Upwards of 100+ Knowledge products now accessible on demand • Women now able to: (1) diagnose livestock diseases, (2) treat livestock, and (3) management: e.g. castrations, de-horning, immunisationsetc • Women now at the forefront of knowledge dissemination e.g., PRP ii, 60% women and 40% men. Impacts:Impacts_Digital Extension.pptx

14. Impact of Digital Extension in Zimbabwe • Women now able to: (1) diagnose livestock diseases, (2) treat livestock, and (3) management: e.g. castrations, de-horning, immunisations, etc.

15. Impact of Digital Extension in Zimbabwe

16. Where we are at: Testing Channels and Formats Feedback / learning Content Format Share delivery New sources of content captured including indigenous knowledge Alternative formats are tried and tested for their impact Innovative disemination through partnership, websites etc. innovate

17. Community Knowledge Sessions

18. Cost, Numbers, Impact Cost: Cost_Podcast Cost Comparison.pptx Numbers reached: Numbers_Digital Extension.pptx Podcasting Impact: Impacts_Digital Extension.pptx

19. Digital Extension (Podcasting) A Case for Digital Extension - (podcasting) Thank you for Sharing