bjective: Agricultural relief and improvement of poor people’s welfare
Funded by: EED, ICCO (Europe Donor Consortium)
Duration: January 1, 2000 – December 31, 2002
Intervention area: Agjabedi, Beylagan
1. Training of Agricultural AdvisorsAIM commenced training of the agricultural specialists in the villages in November 1999. The first stage of the program included selection of persons who would better succeed the coming trainings and also deliver extension services to the local farmers and landowners. The main criteria required a degree in and minimum 5 years of experience in different fields of agriculture to be selected as an agricultural advisor. According to the data obtained from executive committees and municipalities there were about 400 agricultural specialists in Agjabedi and Beylagan. AIM invited these specialists to an initial meeting on the objectives, mission and training program of the organization and the role of an agricultural advisor in regional development. Thereafter the selected specialists took part at the second round.
After all 24 candidates were contracted for the probation period of 2 months. This selection revealed the great potential of the specialists in agronomy, veterinary, mechanization and economy that skipped to other fields after the collapse of Soviet Union.
The agricultural advisors can deliver extension services to other farmers besides their work on their own farms. Currently the graduates of the first round of the program are rendering services to more than 10,500 farmers and landowners and receive payment from them.
Training cycle covers the following topics of extension:
- General concept, objective and definition of agricultural extension
- Components of extension work
- Methodology of extension
- Individual and group extensions
- Effective communication: positive and negative points
- Problem Solution Cycle (PSC)
- Organization of extension work and staff
- Work plan of an advisor
- Establishment of farmer clubs and unions
- Trainings on upgrading of technical knowledge:
- Systems of private agricultural production
- Environmental approach principles of farming
- Cultivation and fertilization of soil
- Seed and seedling materials
- Cotton cultivation
- Vegetable growing
- Wine-making
- Stock-raising
- Diseases of the animals and their prevention
- Poultry breeding, diseases in poultry and prevention
- Integrated Pest Management
- Storage of product
- Farm planning
- Accountability of family income
- Cash flow projection and credit needs
- Product and marketing
The program graduates participated at the discussions to obtain appropriate experience on the topics. The discussions are led by AIM trainers and allow the trainees to widely apply their theoretical knowledge directly on field. The coaching discussions start after probation period of 3 months is over. Trainers monitor the field work of the agricultural advisor and later evaluate the results of the work via schemes, tables and diagrams and instruct for development. Classroom trainings are delivered twice a month at AIM-Agjabedi office. 3 trainers of AIM take part at the program. The problems faced by the graduates in the previous month are focused upon to for more effectiveness.
First 24 agricultural advisors were certificated in June 2001 upon graduation from the 15 months training courses:
| | Agjabedi
| Beylagan | Total
|
| I round | 18
| 6
| 24 |
| II round | 11
| 13
| 24 |
The second round of advisors’ training commenced in July 2001 and ended in September 2002. Women also participated at the second round unlike the first one. Once graduated the courses the agricultural advisors keep in close touch with AIM and use the organization as information resource and expert base.
2. Group Extension Service ProgramGroup Extension Service Program implements direct delivery of extension services to groups dealing with small scale gardening and farming. The program had commenced in 1997 and continued till the end of 2002. Extension services are delivered by experienced agronomists, and veterinarians on cultivation, poultry, stock-raising and environment. Then, there were 23 such groups in Agjabedi and 28 in Beylagan. Each group involved 15-20 IDPs or vulnerable locals. The groups were divided into high, medium and low potential types. Extension services were delivered via workshops and discussions. The issues raised at discussions are discussed by the group members and experts as per priority rate. Besides written materials are elaborated and disseminated.
The groups also benefited the workshops delivered by program staff on:
- Preparation of project proposals
- Group establishment
- Leadership functions
- Funding of projects
- Fund-rising
The workshops are intended for group leaders. They get certificated upon graduation from the courses. The frequent contacts between the groups and International NGOs and National NGOs operating in the region were organized. Below is listed the projects funded by other NGOs and implemented by AIM’s information and organizational support:
Agjabedi:| New artesian well for potable water – Hajibadalli village |
| School facility – Sarijali village |
| Refurbishment of medical aid post – Garavalli village |
| School facility - Arasbar village |
| Irrigation artesian well – Tazakand village |
Beylagan:| New transformer for power supply |
| Cleansing drainage system for irrigation – Sharg village |
Agricultural Extension and Information Dissemination, 2000-2002