South African Extension

1. South African Extension Provincial consultative workshops on the development of national policy on extension for agriculture, forestry and fisheries – October 2012

2. Structure of presentation • The Context • Attempts to re-orientate extension and advisory services • The status quo in agricultural extension • Land reform • Forestry • Fisheries

3. The context

4. The context • Predominantly viewed as being characterised by duality. • Well-established large-scale farmers who farm almost exclusively for the market. • Smaller-scale farmers who farm primarily for home consumption. • In reality there is a wide spectrum of producers along a contuum

5. The context • Prior to 1994 the perception of duality was reflected in parallel systems of extension. • By 1994 there were 14 different extension services in the country, together with a network of agricultural colleges and university agricultural faculties which mirrored the apartheid divide.

6. The context • The challenge for the new government is to build a extension service that engages the full range of producers. • Deregulation of SA agriculture changed the landscape of SA agriculture – subsidies, single channel marketing, +av farm size, fewer bigger players etc.

7. Attempts to reorient extension • In 1998 the NDA highlighted five problems impacting on extension provision to smallholders: • The low qualification of agricultural extension practitioners serving the homelands. • The difficulty of delivering service to these farmers, due partly to the wide diversity of systems, needs and contexts they presented.

8. Attempts to reorient extension • In 1998 the NDA highlighted five problems impacting on extension provision to smallholders: • Poor communication within the extension service. • Lack of accountability to farmers. • Lack of vision and focus about the purpose and client.

9. Attempts to reorient extension • In 2005, the NDA drafted Norms and Standards for Extension. • demand-driven, responding to farmers’ needs; • relevant to the resource constraints and market environment; • pluralistic, flexible and co-ordinated, involving a wide range of extension service providers. • Focus on small-scale disadvantaged farmers. Accompanied by the National Agricultural Education and Training Strategy

10. Attempts to reorient extension • Extension recovery plan - half a billion rand from Treasury during the 2008/9 to 2010/11 • Ensure visibility and accountability of extension. • Promote professionalism and improve the image of extension. • Recruit extension personnel. • Reskill and re-orientate extension workers. • Provide ICT infrastructure and other resources.

11. Attempts to reorient extension • Evaluation • Universal agreement on the need for a public extension and advisory service. • Need for extension policy that covers public, private and NGO sector extension and advisory services

12. Attempts to reorient extension • Post-Polokwane – renewed focus on small-holder agriculture. • In 2009, reorganisation responsibility for agriculture, forestry and fisheries at national government level

13. Status quo • Mounting evidence that extension has not had the impact intended • vast numbers of people requiring assistance • relatively few and inadequately trained and resourced extension workers • Misguided - commercialisationof so-called ‘subsistence’ and ‘emerging’ farmers

14. Status quo • Numerous agencies that provide research, extension, information sharing and economic development support to their paying and other members • Commodity-bases organisationsand private consulting companies,NGOs

15. Status quo • There is inconsistency of policy or activity regarding extension and the interventions are uncoordinated – thereby reducing the impact of these interventions • Reinforces need for broad-based policy on extension and advisory services

16. Land reform • Seeks to redistribute 30% of agricultural land through restitution, redistribution and tenure reform measures. • Disappointing results.

17. Land reform • SLAG, LRAD, and then LARP was launched in 2008 – but poor alignment with CASP and other so no implementation. • Misalignment of competencies – turning lever in different directions.

18. Forestry policy • Prior to 1994 focus of SA and TVBC governments was on direct management of State forests: • Commercial plantations • Woodlots • Indigenous forests • Advisory services limited to annual arbor day, later arbor week, and “greening” of rural and urban areas

19. Forestry policy • Vision for forestry extension in the 1998 Forestry White Paper, followed by a National Forestry Action Plan (NFAP) • Government to move out of direct management and focus on • Forestry Policy, • Regulation, and • Advisory Services (Development)

20. Forestry – since 1994 • Progress made with establishing the forest policy and regulations functions, but forestry development function has remained weak

21. Forestry – since 1994 • The transfer of State Forests incomplete, and the majority of the budget is still consumed by direct management • Category B plantations and woodlots to community rights holders • Indigenous State Forests-to conservation agencies

22. Forestry: Target groups and support needs Commercial Forestry • Existing small growers (20-30 000) • New afforestation community projects • DAFF plantations transferred to community • Restitution projects on forestry plantations (40% of commercial plantations under claim) Technical, financial and managerial support

23. Forestry: Target groups and support needs Agroforestry, PFM, CBNRM • Rural communities in and around forests and woodlands • Rural/ urban communities CBNRM, SMMEs, agroforestry, woodlots

24. Fisheries • Marine sector – quota (expanding to smaller-scale fishers) and non-quota sub-sectors (artisanal and subsistence fishers) • Freshwater sector – early stages of development of aquaculture and broadening of the inclusion of communities?

25. Fisheries • Small scale fisheries policy was gazetted in 2012. • National Development Plan in direct contradiction with fisheries policy.

26. High Public sector Use by Farmer Private sector Low Low High Level of self-reliance Public-Private Sector Dynamics

27. High Public sector Use by Farmer Private sector Low Low High Level of self-reliance Public-Private Sector Dynamics

28. High Public sector Use by Farmer Private sector Low Low High Level of self-reliance Public-Private Sector Dynamics

29. High Public sector Use by Farmer Private sector Low Low High Level of self-reliance Public-Private Sector Dynamics