AGRICULTURE EXTENSION, TRAINING AND RESEARCH

PROJECT IS INTENDED TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY ON SMALL,PRIVATELY-OWNED FARMS & COOPERATIVES AND ESTABLISH A SELF-SUFFICIENT NATIONAL EXTENSION SERVICE. DURING THE INITIAL PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION,CONTRACT PERSONNEL WILL VISIT THE BAY & SHEBELLI DISTRICTS TO DESCRIBE THE PROPOSED PROGRAMS TO CONCERNED GROUPS & AUTHORITIES,IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PARTICIPATING FARMERS & COOPS FOR A CROP TRIAL PROGRAM,AND RESEARCH THE AGR SERVICES PROVIDED TO FARMERS IN OTHER REGIONS. DURING THE 2ND PHASE,AID AGR TECHNICIANS WILL WORK WITH 25-30 SOMALI EXTENSIONISTS,AGR GRADUATES,AND,POSSIBLY,EXPERIENCED FARMERS,TO ESTABLISH & CONDUCT FARMER TRAINING PROGRAMS BOTH ON-FARM & AT FARMER TRNG CENTERS AT GERALE,BARDAO & OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE BAY AREA. A PRIMARY COMPONENT OF THIS TRNG WILL BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 41 HECTARE PLOTS IN 15 VILLAGES FOR RAINFED SORGHUM PRODUCTION AND 21 HECTARE PLOTS IN 10 VILLAGES FOR MAIZE PRODCTN. THRU THIS PROGRAM,FARMER PARTICIPANTS WILL BE TRAINED IN MODERN AGR METHODS (AND ENCOURAGED TO DISSEMINATE THESE METHS) ,SOMALI COUNTERPARTS WILL RECEIVE ON-THE-JOB TRNG IN EXTENSION TECHNIQUES,AND VARIOUS EXTEN TECHNIQUES WILL BE TESTED. THE CORE TECHNICAL PACKAGE THAT WILL BE PRESENTED IN THIS PROGRAM IS ONE DEVELOPED EARLIER BY WYOMING ST UNIVAND INTRODUCED IN SELECT SOMALI VILLAGES DURING THE EARLY 1 970"S. SOMALI CNTRPRTS WILL REFINE THIS PACKAGE ACCORDING TO FINDINGS MADE ON THE DEMO PLOTS. TO SUPPLEMENT THE ABOVE ON-THE-JOB CNTRPRT TRNG,LONG-TERM PARTIC TRNG IN EXTENSION THEORY,AGRONOMY,CROP PROTECTION, ETC, WILL BE PROVIDED TO 12 SOMALIS; THE MOST ESSENTIAL COUNTERPART STAFF MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE FURTHER SHORT-TERM TRAINING. THE GRANT WILL,IN ADDITION,FUND THE COMMODITIES & MATERIALS NECESSARY FOR THE DEMONSTRATION PLOTS.