RASSEA presented in the Seminar of the 3rd PAPPI General Assembly Congress: Introduction, competencies needed for extension and RASSEA Strategic Plan
RASSEA presented in the Seminar of the 3rd PAPPI General Assembly Congress: Introduction, competencies needed for extension and RASSEA Strategic Plan
The National Seminar of PAPPI (Indonesian Association of Development Extension Expert), was held on 24th June 2021 in line with the 3rd PAPPI General Assembly Congress. In this occasion, Dr Siti Amanah, Chair of the RASSEA (Rural Advisory Services in Southeast Asia) presented an introduction about RASSEA, future competencies for extension and its strategic plan. RASSEA has been developing a strategic relation with PAPPI along its development phase as one of stakeholder organization in the national level who has a common concern in development extension.
Global Context of Extension and Rural Advisory Services
Poverty and hunger remain the most global issue how to permanently end. The World Bank reported that in 2019 more than 10 percent of the world’s population (735.9 million people) were in extreme poverty with an income of less than $1.9 per day. According to UNESCO, at least 14 million children suffer from severe malnutrition and 2 million children die each year from severe malnutrition; Every day, there are 1000 children under the age of 5 years experiencing diarrhea, dysentery and cholera due to water contaminated and inadequate sanitation. Poverty in rural areas is happened to small holder farmers and landless farmers. To reduce the poverty and hunger, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommend to improving agricultural productivity and incomes and promoting better nutritional practices at all levels.
Global, Regional and Sub Regional Networks for Rural Advisory Services
To response to the above situation, GFRAS (Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services) has established in 2009 as an extension organization at the global level with a network platform to seek endeavor to improve the performance of [human] development extension. There are 18 regional and sub-regional extension forums around the world linked to GFRAS. RASSEA is the Sub Regional Network (SRN) forum for Asia Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS) Network. The concept underlying GFRAS is the Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) that describes the interrelation of various actors who are connected in a multi-actor network to generate, disseminate, and apply knowledge in the form of products, processes, organizations used in social, economic and policy institutions. The central of AIS is the innovation developed relevant to the supply and demand from actors involved in the system.
To contribute to improving the quality of life of farmers/cultivators/fishers/communities, an interlink nested of South East Asia Extension Forum (RASSEA) is established as a space for multi-stakeholders to work together to ensure the availability of professional extension services. Whereas Southeast Asia is an attractive region with relatively high productivity as youth population made of 30% of population, economic growth, socio-cultural aspects, and development policies. RASSEA has potential to support the achievement of SDG1 (eliminate poverty) and SDG2 (no hunger) through learning and capacity development, policy advocacy, collaboration, and knowledge management.
RASSEA has prepared a strategic plan for 2021-2030 which is divided into four stages: consolidation and strengthening, development, maintenance, and maturation along with development, strengthening internally, externally, and financially. Values of trustworthiness, respect, inclusiveness, pluralism, and cooperation in implementing programs and activities. RASSEA welcomes contribution from the private extension providers, government, civil society organization, donor, international agencies, universities, and investor to work together towards the betterment performance of extension and advisory services.
Source: Amanah, Euriga, Eugenia (2021)
The New Extensionist as new framework for Capacity Development in Agriculture Innovation System
Extension must be able to collectively play a broad role. This includes developing networks, organizing producers, facilitating access to credit, agricultural infrastructure, post-harvest services, developing platforms for innovation, promoting gender equality, facilitating knowledge and information management, supporting climate change adaptation actions, and dissemination of new knowledge through training and demonstrations. plots. To be able to carry out this role, new capacities are needed at the individual, organizational, and system levels (enabling environment). With new capacities at various levels, extension services can perform as expected. The operationalization of the New Extensionist is outlined in Extension Learning Kits (NELK). There are 13 modules in NELK that can be modified and developed by the user. NELK has been translated into various languages.
Furthermore, investments in human development through educational approaches, including training and collective action programs in extension can improve the quality of life of individuals, families and society at large. For example, a study on investment from the business world, the government, and farmers in improving the quality of cocoa beans show that training in the technical and non-technical aspects of cocoa commodities, as well as group institutional assistance, can improve the ability of more modern farming and women’s confidence (Amanah et al., 2020). Through advocacy and leadership, multi-stakeholders can convergently voice the needs of farmers, women, youth, and the community for the information, innovation, training and support needed to increase productivity and welfare.
Sources: 1. Amanah S, Euriga E, Eugenia L, 2021. RASSEA Strategic Plan 2021-2030. Bogor: IPB Press. 2. Amanah, S. 2021.Meningkatkan Performa Penyuluhan untuk Mengurangi Kelaparan dan Kemiskinan secara Berkelanjutan: Perspektif Internasional (Enhancing Extension Performance to Eliminate Hunger and Poverty Sustainably: International Perspective). Paper presented in National Seminar and the 3rd PAPPI General Assembly Congress. 24 June 2021. 3. Amanah, S., Suprehatin, Iskandar E., Mutiara R., Eugenia, L., 2020. Investing in Lead Farmers and Farmer Groups with Public-Private Producer Partnerships. AHCI Case Study Report. 4. ASEAN.org 2017.ASEAN Potency and Challenge. ASEAN.org. 5. https://rassea.org/ 6. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/poverty-rate-by-country 7. https://olc.worldbank.org/system/files/AIS%20Sourcebook.pdf 8. https://www.g-fras.org/en/activities/the-new-extensionist.html
