The use of participatory processes in wide-scale dissemination of micro dosing and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Participatory technology development has been used for quite some time, but little is known about how farmers perceive participatory methods and processes. This paper argues that understanding farmers’ concerns about the participatory process can further the ultimate aim of encouraging sustained technology adoption. The document focuses particularly on Zimbabwe and presents the following findings: 

• an ex-post participatory technology development and transfer evaluation was carried out in Zimbabwe in 2006/07 involving 231 farmers
• the use of demonstration trials encouraged the most participation and subsequent adoption and adaptation of the technologies to suit specific needs
• the participatory approach has led to tighter collaboration amongst national and international researcher organisations, NGOs, and the government
  

The authors conclude:

• using a participatory approach in wide-scale dissemination of technologies allows farmers to adapt the recommendations and also provides a superior platform for the dissemination of technologies to a wider community
• there is a strong temptation for farmers to be overly loyal to the advocates of participatory action research particularly when the components are accompanied by provisions of free goods and services
• however, extending farmer’s recommendations should be done in cycle with on-farm trials so as to encourage adaptation and modification
• similarly, in order to increase the gains of the participatory process, feedback loops should be built in to allow improvements and modifications to be made to the techniques being promoted
• there are several NGOs that seem to be interested in assisting Zimbabwean farmers to cope with the situation, and their presence in this relevance will be critical in the next 10 years