Agricultural Extension for Sustainable Development PDF

**WEEK 2 to 3** **AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION: An Intervention for Sustainable Development** Objectives: At the end of this topic, that student should be able to: 1. Discuss the goal of agricultural modernization and the framework of sustainable agriculture; 2. List the causes of poverty in th...

**WEEK 2 to 3** **AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION: An Intervention for Sustainable Development** Objectives: At the end of this topic, that student should be able to: 1. Discuss the goal of agricultural modernization and the framework of sustainable agriculture; 2. List the causes of poverty in the Philippines **Agricultural Modernization and Development** RA 8435 - Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act - Part 1. Production and Marketing Support Services - Part 2. Human Resources Development - Part 3. Research Development and Extension - Part 4. Rural Non-Farm Employment - Part 5. Trade and Fiscal Incentives MODERNIZATION -the PROCESS of TRANSFORMING the AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES sectors into one that is 1\. DYNAMIC Yet CENTERED on HUMAN DEVELOPMENT and GUIDED by sound practices of SUSTAINABILITY and the PRINCIPLES of SOCIAL JUSTICE. **Major Concerns of AFMA** 1\. Food security 2\. Poverty alleviation and social equity 3\. Income enhancement and profitability especially for farmers and fisherfolks 4\. Global Competitiveness 5\. Sustainability ***Food Security*** The POLICY OBJECTIVE, PLAN, and STRATEGY of MEETING FOOD REQUIREMENTS of PRESENT and FUTURE GENERATIONS of Filipinos in SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITY ensuring the AVAILABILITY and AFFORDABILITY of food TO ALL either through LOCAL PRODUCTION or IMPORTATION or both based on the country's EXISTING and POTENTIAL RESOURCE ENDOWNMENT and related production advantages, and CONSISTENT with the OVERALL national development objectives and policies. ***Poverty Alleviation and Social Equity*** Providing the POOR with equitable access to resources income opportunities basic and support services infrastructure especially in areas where productivity is low as a means of improving their quality of life. **Medium and Long-Terms Goals to address Food Security, Poverty Alleviation, Social Equity, and Income Enhancement** 1\. INCREASED INCOME and PROFIT of small farmers and fisherfolks; 2\. AVAILABILITY of rice and other staple foods at AFFORDABLE PRICES; 3\. REDUCTION of rural poverty and income inequality; 4\. REDUCTION of rural UNEMPLOYMENT 5\. Reduction of incidence of MALNUTRITION, and 6\. IMPROVEMENT in LAND TENURE of small farmers. ***Global competitiveness*** The ABILITY to COMPETE in terms of PRICE, QUALITY, VOLUME OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERY PRODUCTS relative to those of OTHER COUNTRIES. Would require the ability to PRODUCE A PRODUCT WITH THE GREATEST RELATIVE EFFICIENCY IN THE USE OF RESOURCES. **Medium and Long-Terms Goals to address Global Competitiveness and Sustainability** 1\. INCREASE in VOLUME, QUALITY, and VALUE of agriculture and fisheries production for DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION and EXPORTS; 2\. REDUCTION in post-harvest LOSSES; 3\. INCREASE in the number/types and quality of PROCESSED agricultural and fishery PRODUCTS; 4\. INCREASE in number of INTERNATIONAL TRADING PARTNERS in agriculture and fishery products; 5\. INCREASE in number of SUSTAINABLE agriculture and fishery FIRMS engaged in DOMESTIC PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, MARKETING, and EXPORT activities; 6\. INCREASE in and wider level of ENTREPRENEURSHIP among farmers and fisherfolks; 7\. INCREASE in number of farms engaged in DIVERSIFIED FARMING; and 8\. REDUCTION in USE of AGRO-CHEMICALS that are harmful to health and the environment **Mandate** Provision of TRAINING, INFORMATION, and SUPPORT SERVICES by GOs and NGOs to improve TECHNICAL, BUSINESS, and SOCIAL CAPABILITIES of farmers and fisherfolks. **Strategy** Utilization of RESEARCH RESULTS through extension and training services, development of a NATIONAL EXTENSION SYSTEM that will help accelerate the transformation of Philippine agriculture and fisheries from a resource-based to a technology-based industry. **Nature of Delivery of Extension Services** **Role of LGUs** - Responsible for delivering direct agriculture and fisheries extension services - The province is mandated to "integrate the operations of the agriculture extension services and undertake an annual evaluation of all municipal extension program." **Role of Private Sector** - Encourage PARTICIPATION of farmers and fisherfolks cooperatives and associations and others in the private sector in the TRAINING and other COMPLEMENTARY EXTENSION ACTIVITIES especially in community organizing, use of participatory approaches, popularization of training materials, regenerative agricultural technologies, agribusiness and management skills. **Role of SUCs** - ASSIST in the LGUs' extension system by IMPROVING their effectiveness and efficiency through capability building complementary extension activities such as TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING OF LGU PERSONNEL, IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSICAL FACILITIES, EXTENSION CUM RESEARCH AND INFORMATION SUPPORT SERVICES. **FRAMEWORK OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE¹** **Sustainable Development** *Definition and Conceptual Framework* Sustainable development has been variably referred to as conceptual framework, as a new morality, as a development strategy, as an intellectual approach, as "another development", and as goal to be achieved. Taken all together, it could be more accurately described as a paradigm. The term was coined by the philosopher and science historian Thomas Kuhn to denote a dominant set of assumptions or indicate the basic model of reality underlying science. Used in a more general way, a paradigm refers to the way we "see" the world (Guzman and Guzman, 2000). The term "sustainable development" emerged as a byword after the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), otherwise known as the Brundtland Commission, issued in April 1987 its report entitled "Our Common Future". The Commission, created by the United Nations in 1983, carefully examined the nature and possible consequences of the environmental threats that confront people in the world, taking into account the interrelationships of people, resources and the environment. From this, a paradigm shift evolved from the traditional path of economic development to a development that was geared for sustainability. Since then, the sustainable development paradigm has been a major expression of environmentalists and development advocates. It has also been adopted as a key policy and planning parameter of policymakers, government leaders, politicians, and businessmen -- a diverse group with varied, and at times conflicting, interest and objectives. Even the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and the WORLD Bank, which are widely perceived to have contributed and continue to contribute to unsustainable development, have made sustainability topmost in their agenda of priorities (Okigbo, 1991). This reflects lack of agreement, or confusion, and perhaps intentional twisting, on what sustainable development means. The Brundtland Commission described ***sustainable development*** as "a new form of development which integrates the production process with resource conservation and environmental enhancement" and defined it as "**economic development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"**. According to the "original" intention, this definition focuses on economic growth but combined it with a new temporal dimension, the demand for intergenerational equity (Becker, 1997). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) echoed the same idea when it stated, "Sustainable development is the management and conservation of the natural resource base, and the orientation of technological and institutional change in such a manner as to ensure the attainment and continued satisfaction of human needs for present and future generations". Another definition of sustainable development locates the source of development goals at the level of individuals and communities, thus: "Sustainable development is a process focus on people and societies -- how they define needs with reference with their own goals and the goals they share as members of communities and nations. It is in stark contrast to development approaches that have focused on resources for exploitation as a means of short-term wealth generation. It also casts doubt measures of economic performance that assume that social good automatically follow economic development and that environmental consequences can only be tackled after the fact" (ADB, in Guzman and Guzman, 2000). In 1992, UNCED Conference in Rio advanced the holistic approach to sustainable development. In includes ecological, economic and socio-cultural concerns and aims for the equilibrium of these three factors in order to achieve a long-term productivity of the global system (Becker, 1997). According to Khor (1992), [equity is the central principle] to operationalize and attain sustainability. Sustainable development does not only mean conserving enough resources to meet the needs of future generation, but also changing the distribution of control or access to resources in this generation itself, so that there is a reduction in the unsustainable consumption of a minority in order to release the resources required to fulfill the needs of everyone in this and future generations. Thus, sustainability requires intra and intergenerational equity within and between nations. Environmental sustainability, social equity and a culture that allows people to fulfill human needs (such as friendship, warm human relations, community spirit and participation, and harmonious appreciation of nature) are all integrally link. All are essential components of sustainability. Becker (1997) added an [ethical dimension] to equity and stated that the following criteria must also be include in the concept of sustainability: - The spatial dimension of intragenerational equity -- meaning equity between the interests and rights of different social groups. - The temporal dimension of intergenerational equity -- meaning equity between the interests and rights of present and future generations. - An ethical dimension, ranging from the regard of the value of nature as a pool of exploitable resources as opposed to the recognition of immaterial values (biocentric-holistic attitude versus anthropocentric attitude) -- meaning equity between the interests and rights of human beings and other species. ***The Sustainable Development Paradigm (after Guzman and Guzman, 2000)*** As the concept of sustainability gathered momentum, there was a shift in objectives from exploitative-extractive development to environment-friendly sustainable development. In real terms, [twin pillars of sustainable development are respect and concern for people and ecosystems.] Development is likely to be sustainable if: a. It improves the quality of human life. [This is the purpose of development.] It should enable people to realize their potentials and lead lives of dignity and fulfillment. Economic growth is part of development, but it cannot be a goal in itself, nor can it go on indefinitely. Although people differ in their goals for development, some are virtually universal: a long and healthy life, education, access to resources needed for a decent standard of living, political freedom, guaranteed human rights and freedom from violence. Development is achieved only if it makes lives better in all these respects. b. It conserves the earth's vitality and diversity. Development must be conservation-based. It must protect the structure, functions and diversity of the world's natural systems. To this end, we need to: - Conserve life support systems. These are the ecological processes that shape climate, cleanse air and water, regulate water flow, recycle essential elements, create regenerate the soil, enable ecosystems to renew themselves, and keep the planet fit for life. - Conserve biological diversity, including all species of plants, animals and other organisms, the range of genetic stocks within species, and the variety of ecosystems. - Ensure that all uses of renewable resources are sustainable. These resources includes soil, wild and domesticated organisms, forests, grasslands, farmlands and the marine and fresh water ecosystems that support fisheries. A use is likely to be sustainable if it is compatible with maintaining the viability of species and ecosystems affected by the use. - Minimize the depletion of nonrenewable resources, such as minerals, oil, gas and coal, which cannot be use sustainably in the same sense as plants, fish or soil. But their "life" can and should be extended by recycling, by using less of resource to make a particular product or by switching to renewable substitute where possible. - Keep within the earth's carrying capacity. There are finite limits to the capacity of ecosystems and to the impacts that they and the earth as a whole can withstand without dangerous deterioration. Limits vary from region to region, and the impacts depend on how many people there are and how much food, water, energy and raw material each person uses or wastes. A few people consuming a lot can cause as much damage as a lot consuming little. Policies, technologies and practices that bring human numbers and lifestyles into balance with the earth's carrying capacity are essential. **The Roots of Non-sustainable Agriculture** *The Green Revolution* The Green Revolution was a strategy for increasing food production by targeting maximum yields through a high input of resources. The increased production was encouraging news at first, but now has led to more and more problems. Along with economic problems, ecological problems in particular have emerged: deterioration of agroecosystems, e.g. a more limited variety of species of flora and fauna, resistances in pests, deficiencies in the environment and in foodstuffs. It has led to drought, soil erosion, and desertification and land degradation. It has led to ground water mining in well-irrigated regions and has serious environmental impact on canal irrigated regions, including the impact of the construction of large dams. The Green Revolution has also led to extinction of thousands of indigenous varieties of crops and has replaced them with monocultures that require high chemical inputs. Agrochemicals in turn pollute land and water systems. Pesticides leave residues in food and are a hazard to health. The Green Revolution also lead to high rates of displacement of small holders, who could not keep up with the vicious cycle of credit and debt associated with high external input agriculture. It has even affected social relationships. The maximum yield strategy has proved to be non-sustainable. *Market Economics and Market Agriculture* The current non-sustainable state of the world can be blamed on the market-economy perception of reality, which is the basis of conventional development policies. The market is seen as the main instrument to regulate supply and demand and hence the flow of materials. [Profit making is the main driving force.] The market economy is based on a linear concept: using huge quantities of energy and raw materials as inputs, processing and transporting them around the globe and selling them to consumers. In the end, they are excreted as waste at "the other end of the pipe". The "free" market with its invisible hand cannot guarantee that social and ecological needs are met, as the market economy is a power play ruled by those who can pay the best prices. As vulnerable groups and the environment have no clout in the market, they can be exploited at low costs. Real costs are externalized living the burden of social and environmental damage on vulnerable groups and future generations (Shiva, 1992). Market economics, translated to agriculture has favored. - Production for the market, leading to increased production of export crops (the external costs being loss of local food self-sufficiency and reinforcement of rural inequities); - Intensified but often inefficient use of external inputs (leading to external costs like pollution, lower food quality, indebtedness and increasing use of non-renewable energy); - Monocropping and simplification of the agroecosystem (leading to soil erosion and loss of diversity and indigenous knowledge); - Reliance on "modern" technologies and lifestyle (undermining the traditional social and cultural strengths of communities, and increasing the burden on women) (Shiva, 1992). **Sustainable Agriculture** *Definition* During the "Earth Summit" or the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, over 140 countries signed Agenda 21, which called for a sustainable approach to agriculture and rural development. International bodies, governments, national agencies and institutions, the academe, the scientific community, the NGO/CSO community, the activists and revolutionaries, the politicians and the farmers -- all have adopted and owned the sustainable agriculture. Unfortunately, different proponents understand and use the term differently such that in many cases, the agreement starts and stops at the spelling of the term. Even the CGIAR network of 17 International Agricultural Research Centers (IARCs) that launched the non-sustainable Green Revolution agriculture is now calling for more sustainable forms of agriculture. Without changing their policies and package of Green Revolution technologies, they feel comfortable joining the sustainable agriculture bandwagon. Even among the NGO/CSO community, the term evokes quite different understanding, different visions and different operational concepts and consequently, different technologies and approaches (Ruizo-Gamela, in Fernandez, 2000). Precise absolute definitions of sustainable agriculture are impossible. Various definitions have been provided for what constitutes sustainable agriculture, ranging from the narrow focus alone on economics, production, resource conservation and ecology to wide-ranging (Zamora, in Go et al, 1999). Over time since the 1980s, an increasing number of researchers, farmers, policymakers, organizations and advocates worldwide have developed a definition that unifies many diverse elements into a widely adopted, comprehensive, working definition: ***"Sustainable agriculture is "any practice, method, technique/technology, philosophy or system of production that makes agriculture economically feasible, ecologically sound, socially just and humane (equitable), culturally appropriate and grounded on holistic science".*** This definition is positive and descriptive enough for it to be adopted by more than 300 NGOs from more than 60 countries in the "Earth Summit" and Global Forum in Rio in June 1992. This is also the definition adopted by the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC) of the Philippines (Zamora, in Go et al, 1999). ***Features/Dimensions of Sustainable Agriculture (Fernandez, 2000; Zamora, 1999; SAC, 1990)*** In spite of the wide adoption of this definition, advocates and practitioners insist on focusing less on definitions and more on understanding the attributes, goals and approaches of sustainable agriculture. These give a much better idea of what sustainable agriculture is than does a single definition, however comprehensive. The following are the features/dimensions of a sustainable agriculture system: 1. **Ecologically sound** 2. **Economically viable** 3. **Socially just and equitable, and humane** 4. **Culturally appropriate and sensitive** 5. **Grounded on holistic science** 6. **Founded on the use of appropriate technology** 7. **Fully develops the human potential** ***Goals of Sustainable Agriculture*** According to Pretty (1996), sustainable agriculture is any production system that systematically pursues the following goals (Zamora, in Go et al, 1999): 1. A thorough incorporation of natural processes such as nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, and pest-predator relationships (rather than pesticides) for pest management. For nutrient management, this involves the recycling of nutrients, use of compost, green manure, and other forms of organic fertilizers. 2. A minimization or elimination of the use of external and non-renewable inputs such as pesticides and synthetic and highly soluble fertilizers that damage the environment or harm the health of farmers and consumers. 3. Practice of alternative crop and livestock breeding and selection. Appropriate and highly adapted plant varieties and animal breeds will be conserved, multiplied and utilized. 4. Practice of diversified and integrated farming system with special focus on functional diversity in the farm. 5. The full participation of farmers and local and indigenous peoples in all processes of problem analysis, technology development, adaptation and extension. 6. A more equitable access to productive resources and opportunities. 7. A greater productive use of local knowledge, practices and resources. 8. The incorporation of a diversity of natural resources and enterprises within the farms. 9. An increase in self-reliance among farmers, local and indigenous communities. 10. The recognition of the role of women in the development process. ***Characteristic of Sustainable Agriculture (Zamora, in Go et al, 1999)*** Sustainable agriculture is **flexible**. It is not prescriptive of a defined set of practices, methods, techniques/technologies or policies that would restrict the options of farmers. It also recognizes location specificity. No single practice works in a every field. No one recipe works on every farm. There are many ways to farm sustainably. Sustainable agriculture is **experiential**. It is a process of learning and not the imposition of a simple model or package. As conditions and knowledge change, farmers and local communities must be able, and must be allowed to change. Sustainable agriculture is **participatory**. It views farmers as active participants (rather than passive targets, beneficiaries, end-users or clients) in the learning process, planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the development projects. It views that informal innovations by farmer-partners are not haphazard unscientific processes but are results of systematic observation, experimentation and adaptation. It incorporates recent innovations that may originate from scientists, farmers or both. It also relies heavily on the continuous innovation by farmers and local communities. Sustainable agriculture is **proactive**. It is forward looking; concern is not only for short-term benefits but also for long-term sustainability. It is also dynamic and innovative. **Elements of Sustainability** **A. Soil conservation** **Many soil conservation methods, including contour cultivates contour bunding, graded bunding, vegetative barriers, strip cropping cover cropping, reduced tillage, etc. help prevent loss of soil due to wind and water erosion.** **B. Crop diversity** Growing a greater variety of crops on a farm can help reduce risks from extremes in weather, market conditions or crop pests. Increased diversity crops and other plants, such as trees and shrubs, also can contribute to soil conservation, wildlife habitat and increased populations of beneficial insects. **C. Nutrient management** Proper management of nitrogen and other plant nutrients con improve the soil and protect environment. Increased use of farm nutrient sources such as manure and leguminous cover crops, also reduces purchased fertilizer costs. **D. Integrated pest management (IPM)** IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks. **E. Cover crops** Growing plant such as mungbean in the off season after harvesting a grain or vegetable crop can provide several benefits, including weed suppression, erosion control, and improved soil nutrients and soil quality. **F. Rotational grazing** New management- intensive grazing systems take animals out barn into the pasture to provide high-quality forage and reduced feed cost. **G. Water quality & water conservation** Water conservation and protection have important part of Agricultural stewardship. Many practices have been develop , deep ploughing, mulching, micro irrigation techniques etc.., protect quality of drinking and surface water. **H. Agro forestry** Trees and other woody perennials are often underutilized. Horti/silvipastoral, alley cropping, tree farming , lay farm that help conserve, soil and water. **I.Marketing\ ** Farmers across the country are finding that improved marketing \-\-\-\--way to enhance profitability, direct marketing of agricultural product from farmers to consumers is becoming much more common, including through bazaar road side stands. **Status of Sustainable Agriculture in the Philippines** **The survival and well-being of the nation depends on sustainable development. It is a process of social and economic betterment that satisfy needs and values of interest groups without foreclosing options. Current research programmes observed in our country towards sustainable agriculture are as follows:** 1. Resistant crop varieties to soil, climatic and biotic stresses 2. Multiple cropping system 3. Integrated nutrient management a\. Combined use of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients b\. Use of green manures c\. Use of bio fertilizers 4\. Integrated pest management a\. Microbial control b\. Use of botanicals c\. Use of predators 5\. Soil and water conservation a\. Watershed management b\. Use of organics as mulch and manure 6\. Agroforestry systems in dry lands/ sloppy areas and erosion prone areas 7\. Farm implements to save energy in agriculture 8\. Use of non-conventional energy in Agriculture 9\. Input use efficiency a\. Water technology b\. Fertilizer technology 10\. Plant genetic resource collection and conservation **Causes of Poverty in the Philippines** **1. Structural causes of Poverty**\ a. Occupational Correlates\ b. Low Agricultural Productivity\ c. Unequal Distribution of Resources\ d. Unequal Access to Resources **2. Government Policies are biased against the rural sector.\ -**government policies have treated the rural sector as the major producer of raw materials to earn foreign exchange from export of agricultural, fishing and forest products. **3. Colonialism\ **- poverty in underdeveloped societies has been the result of colonial socio-economic structure. **4. International Trade and Debt\ **- the dependence of Philippine economy on foreign capital promotes foreign investment **5. Multinational Corporations\ ** - multinational corporations have a positive impact on developing nations for they bring jobs and industry to regions yet long period of mono-cropping system leads to degradation of soil health, biological diversity and pollution. **6. Overpopulation** **7. Corruption\ **- graft and corruption in high offices are found to drain immensely the Philippine economy more than the corruption in middle and lower civil servants. **8. Unemployment and Underemployment\ **- unemployment is simply defined as the state of being jobless.\ - under-employment is being employed not related to your specialization **9. Natural Calamities** **10. Civil War\ **- this is due to land conflict particularly in Mindanao.