Doing The Extension Right Is Doing The Farmers Right – ACIAR-Originated LIFE Model Of Extension Proven Successful In Conflict-Stricken Mindanao By UP Mindanao

Even if old, this report is a good simultaneous lesson for the Department of Science & Technology (DoST) and the Department of Agriculture (DA): “Extension is what & how you make it.” What do I mean? Read on!

Here is welcome aggie extension news by Paul Jersey G Leon from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, an agency of the DoST: “Bringing Hope To Conflict-Vulnerable Communities In Mindanao Through Agricultural Extension” (14 Jan 2022, PCAARRD.dost.gov.ph):

An alternative agricultural extension model has been giving a ray of hope to six conflict-vulnerable, geographically isolated, and disadvantaged communities in South Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Zamboanga Sibugay. This was the highlight of the paper, “Giving Farmers Uwen Fananafedew: Improving Agricultural Extension Policy In Conflict-Vulnerable Areas Through The Livelihood Improvement Through Facilitated Extension (LIFE) Model,” which was implemented by the team of Dr Emma Ruth V Bayogan of the University of the Philippines Mindanao.

I especially note the qualification “alternative agricultural extension model” – I am thinking right now of the DA’s agency Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) whose model of extension has been truncated to simply training. Unfortunately!

The LIFE Model of extension was a combined implementation of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia; LandCare Foundation of the Philippines, University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao, UP Los Baños, and DoST.

(The LIFE Model is) an agro-enterprise development program hinged on facilitating farmers’ access to technical innovations, building community social capital, and collaborating effectively with local institutions through facilitated extension.

The LIFE Model has given more than “a ray of hope to the conflict-vulnerable communities” – it has been simplifying farmers’ access to technical innovations, helping build social networks, and overall facilitating the collaboration of local institutions – all for the farmers’ common benefits. “Facilitated extension” means “holding the hands of.” I love facilitated extension!

The project started in 2013 in 3 sites: Zamboanga Sibugay, Maguindanao, and South Cotabato – it expanded to 10 sites in 2017.

According to (the UP Mindanao report), the implementation of the LIFE Model helped improve farmers’ social capital as evidenced by their formation of farmers’ organizations, development of trust and closer bonds with each other, and increased networks and participation in community activities.

The UP Mindanao report was presented during the National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, where it was given the award “Best R&D Paper (Development Category).”

I see the farmers’ organizations as the medium for increased networks and participation in community activities – such organizations serve as recipients as well as spreaders of knowledge shared via extension. The LIFE Model shares more life-supporting science to conflict-vulnerable areas such as in Mindanao.  

The success of the LIFE Model in Mindanao is evidence that “building community social capital proves effective… (in) facilitating the development of a peaceful and secure agriculture, aquatic and natural resources community.”

Take note, ATI: It cannot be all training. You must do extension, and for extension to be effective, you must build community social capital.@517