RATES

European Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development

For Uzbek farmers to thrive and transform, access to extension services is essential. Extension services that enable farmers to overcome barriers to improve their productivity, manage their farms as sustainable businesses, connect to input and product markets, and act collectively to improve their livelihoods are the first line of action to increase rural growth in the country. Improving advisory services in Uzbekistan is a vital part of the country's development agenda, as reflected in the Agri-Food SectorDevelopment Strategy (2020-2030). The strategy recognizes the importance of improving public sector services, opening up new markets for farmers and agribusinesses and introducing new technologies to the sector. In this endeavor, the RATEC project can play a decisive role, contributing directly to the achievement of many of the 2030 goals. However, ensuring equal access to extension services for Uzbek farmers remains a challenge that the government must address to improve the situation in rural livelihoodsand overcome rural poverty in the country. To address this challenge, we tried to answer the following questions during the second year of the project: What are the local realities and challenges faced by farmers? What services do farmers need to overcomethese constraints and gain better livelihood opportunities? What type of advisory and training support is available and how effective are they in reaching farmers and agribusinesses? What gaps exist in service support and how can the private and public sectors and other actors work together to fill them? These questions formed the basis for the second year of the RATEC project in the Tashkent region as part of the methodology for identifying advisory positions needed at the district advisory level.

As part of the project, capacity-building trainings were organized for extension specialists and farmers in the Tashkent region, which includes 18 districts. Capacity building training for extension workers focused on improving agricultural practices.

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Review of AFACI-RATES project interventions in Laos (15-18 November 2024)

AFACI-RATES project in Laos (2023-2025) aims to improve agricultural extension and capacity building of extension staff. The project led by the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) is implemented in collaboration with the District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO). GFRAS/APIRAS is supporting the project implementation and as part of this support, Dr Rasheed Sulaiman V, participated in a review of field implementation of the project in Luangphabang, Xaythany, Hadxyfong and Vientiane during 15-18 November. The project is strengthening capacities of select farmer entrepreneurs to provide extension support to farmers through farmer-to farmer extension approach. These farmer entrepreneurs are supported to establish community learning centres in their farms to training other farmers on Artificial Insemination in cattle and vegetable seed production etc. To strengthen vegetable value chain and promote Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in vegetables, the project has partnered with AgriLao, a company that procures quality vegetables to supply other business such as hotels (B2B). The company has a mobile app named AgriLao. The project has also started working with agricultural cooperative such as Thongmang Organic Agriculture Cooperatives to help them link with AgriLao. Rasheed also met with Mr Souvanthong Lamvong, Deputy Director Deputy Director for the Department of Agriculture and Extension (DAEC) at the Laos-PDR Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry who is also the Chair of the APIRAS Steering Committee. Special thanks to Dr Phonevilay Sinavong (PI of the Project), Ms Lammone Khamphone, Ms Saetmany Phomphackdee and other team members for all the support..

AFACI Project Evaluation Workshop, August 26-30, 2024, in Hanoi, Vietnam

The "Improvement of Rural Agricultural Technology Extension Systems in Asia (RATES)" project has taken centre stage from August 26-30, 2024, in Hanoi, Vietnam. Supported by the Rural Development Administration, Korea, and implemented by AFACI in collaboration with GFRAS and APIRAS, this initiative spans 12 Asian countries.

This workshop, hosted by the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), is a vital platform for sharing insights and enhancing rural advisory services. Our Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS)/APIRAS team, represented by Rasheed Sulaiman V and Siti Amanah, is proud to contribute through technical backstopping, knowledge management, and facilitating lesson learning..

Field Visits at Ampara, Sri Lanka (8-11 July 2024)

As part of the implementation support to the AFACI funded RATES (Improvement of Rural Agricultural Technology Extension System in Asia) project in Sri Lanka, visited project locations in Namalthalawa agrarian services division in Ampara District. Ampara produces almost a quarter of Sri Lanka’s paddy production. The project through the Department of Agriculture (DoA) is trying to introduce new technologies in paddy cultivation (eg: seedling broadcasting and machine transplanting); in maize cultivation (eg: ridge and furrow method of planting); grow bag cultivation of chilli and IPM in both paddy and vegetables mainly through demonstrations and use of social media (mainly forming Whatsapp groups of farmers to improve dissemination of new technologies). With the AFACI support, the project upgraded the training facilities at the Namalthalawa training centre for e-extension.

Two extension specialists from the Rural Development Administration (RDA), Korea, Kin Chang-Soo and Roh Sug-won also participated in this visit. The Extension Team at Ampara, led by K A K S Lakmal (Deputy Director, DoA, Ampara) and W Samantha Kumara (Assistant Director, DoA) are implementing the project interventions. Our special thanks to H M S P Herath (Additional Director General, Development) and Nishantha Arunathulaka (Additional Director, Agribusiness) for organizing this visit, accompanying the team and providing all assistance. The project has another 18 months to complete all the activities. AFACI-RATES project is implemented in 12 counrries in Asia.

Strengthening the Role of Public Extension and Advisory Services in Asia

In 2022, the Rural Development Administration(RDA) of the Republic of Korea through its Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI), launched a project “Improvement of Rural Agricultural Technology Extension System in Asia (RATES)” to strengthen extension systems in 12 Asian countries.

The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) is a partner in this initiative and its regional network in Asia, the Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS) is supporting the implementation of the RATES project. One of its early activities was to make an assessment of the EAS system in these countries. This brief is based on the assessment of EAS, especially focussing on the role of public EAS in these countries, the challenges they face, and identifying some of the potential ways forward to enhance the contributions of EAS.

2023 Workshop on RATES (improvement of Rural Agricultural Technology Extension System in Asia)

Project was organized by the Rural Development Administration (RDA) and the Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI) during 24-28 April 2023 at the International Technology Cooperation Centre of RDA at Jeonju, Republic of Korea. RATES project is implemented in 12 countries in Asia during 2023-2025. These countries include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Mangolia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) is a partner in this initiative and the Asia Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS) is representing GFRAS in this initiative. Rasheed Sulaiman V and Siti Amanah represented APIRAS in this workshop. The workshop started with two key note presentations, one by Rasheed Sulaiman V, Director CRISP and Focal Point APIRAS and the other by Song Young-Sup, Former President, Chungbuk Agricultural Research and Extension Services, Korea.

During this inception workshop, the Principal Investigators of the participating countries presented the results of the background analysis and the proposed interventions aimed at improving the extension and advisory services delivery in the respective countries through RATES project.

The participants also visited the Agricultural Science Hall in RDA: the Rural Human Resource Development Centre: Jeoennam Agricultural Research & Extension Services and Damyang Agricultural Development and Technology Centre. Our special thanks to Hwang-Yong Kim, Secretary General AFACI Secretariat; Roh Hyeong IL, Director, Extension Planning Division, Extension Services Bureau, RDA; Kim Min-Kyeong, AFACI Senior Deputy Secretary General, AFACI Secretariat and Mr. Lee Dongjin, Coordinator, AFACI for their valuable guidance and support in organising this inception workshop. We also thank Dr. Park Soo-Yun, Deputy Secretary General and other coordinators, Ms. Kim JI Soo, Ms. An Yunju, and Ms. Lee Eunsil for their support to this event.

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