How relevant is current research on rural development for Africa’s development?

1. How relevant is current research on rural development for Africa’s development? Smallholder farmers’ perspectives: Presented by Dr Langelihle Simela 24 November 2010

2. Introduction • Source of the perspective: • Activities in NERPO • Personal opinion • Livestock farmers (predominately cattle) • Matters that are covered: • Identification of research needs and conducting research • Application of research findings

3. The perspectives • Smallholder farmers raise their challenges and constraints • These should then be packaged into research; development needs by relevant persons: • Farmers organisations • Extension

4. Challenges and constraints • Usually multiple and require a multi-disciplinary approach to address them: • E.g. Feed back from cattle farmers from Mnisi community on primary animal health care needs: Project objectives: Investigate the primary animal health care delivery methods that are preferred by the communal land based farmers in Mnisi community • Farmers’ challenges & priorities • More grazing • Shortage of water - more water points • Ticks

5. Mnisi example • Other issues: • Poor social cohesion • Lack of leadership • Heavily dependent on state support (grants); solution for every problem was perceive to be ‘government’ • i.e: Solving the animal health issues will not fully address the challenges with livestock production • Research tends to follow a certain discipline at the exclusion of others (and often key needs of farmers) and hence addressing/application of the findings of research could be a challenge

6. Relevance of research • Science- based solutions to a problem apply to both commercial and smallholder farmers • The challenge is the adaptation of findings to suit the smallholder farmers, e.g.: • Problem: smallholder farmers having problems with poor cow productivity • Perceived solution: use more productive breed • Real solution: use a breed that can be productive under the smallholder farmers’ management conditions

7. Adaption of research: • Most end up in thesis, scientific articles and research station report • Very little coordination and collaboration between research institutions (duplication, repetition). • Virtual no packaging of information into a useable form • No mechanisms for uptake and feed back • And hence research is not relevant to the developing sector

8. Conclusion • In South Africa: • Research output is good but too little adaptive research • Not informed by needs of supposed end users • Limited mechanisms to transfer the generated knowledge to intended end user • Use of multi-disciplanary approach could improve