Designing and managing basic agricultural programs

IT IS DEDICATED TO THE 700 MEMBERS OF THE IZAULA-IGOGERO GROWERS COOPERATIVE SOCIETY, BUSOGA DISTRICT, UGANDA, WHO DEMONSTRATED VIGOROUSLY HOW VERY RAPIDLY A TWO-HECTARE FARMER CAN ACQUIRE A TASTE FOR INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT. THE BOOK HAS FOUR MAJOR PARTS: FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS (BASIC SYSTEMS CONCEPTS, AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS DYNAMICS, POLICY ESSENTIALS); FARM-LEVEL ANALYSIS (THE FARM MODEL, SELECTION OF INNOVATIONS, PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUE); PROJECT FORMULATION (PROJECT POLICY OPTIONS, PROJECT PACING AND OUTPUTS, PROJECT INPUTS, PROJECT FINANCING); AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING AND CONTROL (MANAGEMENT OF FIELD AGENTS, SCHEDULING, THE ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSION). THE BOOK IS DESIGNED FOR PRACTITIONERS AND PROSPECTIVE PRACTITIONERS -- FOR AGRICULTURAL PLANNING SPECIALISTS, PROJECT DESIGNERS AND MANAGERS, DISTRICT AND PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURAL OFFICERS, RURAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS, AND STUDENTS PREPARING FOR PRACTICAL WORK IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT. THE BOOK STRESSES TECHNIQUES. A SERIOUS ENGAGEMENT WITH IT WILL GIVE THE USER CONSIDERABLE COMPETENCE IN CERTAIN CONCRETE METHODS OF ANALYSIS. BUT TECHNIQUES HAVE A WAY OF CAPTURING THE GAME, OF DEFINING THE SITUATION, OF DIVERTING THE MIND FROM IMPORTANT MATTERS THE TECHNIQUES THEMSELVES DO NOT ADDRESS. THEREFORE, THEY HAVE TO BE APPLIED CAREFULLY, WITH DUE REGARD FOR THE WAY THINGS WORK IN A PARTICULAR SOCIETY AND COMMUNITY. WITH CAREFUL APPLICATION, THE TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF PEASANT AGRICULTURE AND ITS PRACTITIONERS.