CHAPTER 2: Rethinking the framework for analysis and reflection on agricultural advisory services
CHAPTER 2: Rethinking the framework for analysis and reflection on agricultural advisory services I.
Defining agricultural advisory services
Different terms have been used in the past to refer to advisory services in a broad sense. During colonisation and in the 1960–70s, peasant farmers were “supervised”. Later, the term “extension services” appeared, and now we say “advisory services” and “advisory support”. The term “coaching” is also used nowadays in reference to a more bottom-up approach that aims to foster cross-disciplinary learning by encouraging farmers to think for themselves and to learn through discussions with other farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector. That’s a far cry from the old notion of supervision. What’s more, the English terms “extension” and “advisory” (in French: vulgarisation and conseil, respectively) are not always used in exactly the same way as their French equivalents. The French word “vulgarisation” has also been used in many different ways. The word historically referred to the dissemination of technical messages, and that is how it is commonly used in France. The FAO, however, uses the term to refer to more complex activities. “Agricultural advisors” (Benin, Guinea) are referred to sometimes as “extension or supervisory agents” (Burkina Faso) and sometimes as “agents in charge of advisory support” (Niger), although the roles are nearly identical. The managerial advisory services of the 1990s, which focused on “accounting and management”, differ from the managerial advisory services offered today, which have a much broader approach and are often referred to as “advisory services for family farms” (conseil à l’exploitation familiale) or “technical/economic advisory services”. The boundary between advisory, information and training services sometimes appears to be a fine one. Many schemes and approaches in the field actually combine advisory, training and information services simultaneously or successively within a single advisory-services scheme or approach. Distinction must also be made between advisory services for producers, advisory services for FOs19 and advisory services for joint innovation, which may target a wide range of stakeholders (farmers, processors and shopkeepers). Those different types of advisory services may also create synergies and be mutually beneficial for each other. The very concept of advisory services is therefore rather complex. We define agricultural advisory services as a set of approaches and schemes to support farms (crop, livestock and fish production; processing and marketing of products) and FOs in areas such as production management (choice of techniques, organisation of work, etc.), financial management of farms and group entities (FOs, cooperatives), management of resources within a particular territory (natural resources, financial resources, labour), and acquisition and honing of knowledge and savoirfaire.
19
FOs have a special status which allows them to both provide and receive advisory services.
28 | TECHNICAL REPORTS – No. 55 – MAY 2022
