Introduction

In West and Central Africa, a number of processes have resulted in a new division of roles between public bodies, the private sector, civil society organisations and farmers in the areas of agricultural research and extension. The most important processes common to most countries are: the State ceasing to provide certain services; economies opening up to the market; structural adjustment; and the creation of decentralised and locally accountable political and administrative bodies. At the same time, rural development research and practice has conclusively shown the merits of increasing farmer participation in and influence over research and extension so that agricultural services become more relevant to farmers’ livelihoods. In this context, local institutions - farmers’ organisations - have emerged in many countries as key providers of agricultural services to their members. The increased emphasis on the role of civil society in providing agricultural services (which are seen here as private and public agricultural research and extension, and capacity building for community development) has led to a number of attempts to strengthen relationships between public research and extension, and farmers’ organisations.

The main aim of this contribution is to demonstrate the ways in which the research on farmers’ organisation-research-extension linkages helps to unpack the policy, institutions and processes elements of the sustainable livelihoods approach. Examples drawn from a multi-country study covering a range of West and Central African contexts show how existing policies, institutions (organisations and legal frameworks) and processes related to agricultural research and extension affect people’s access to resources, technology, assets and livelihood opportunities (see Project Bio-Data Research Problem and Research Issues). Lessons are drawn that can inform the development of policies that support the strengthening of organisations, which should help to improve livelihoods in the region. Some of these relate to adjusting national policy frameworks, others can be directly supported by external agencies such as DFID.

The key practical policy lessons from the study include the following:
(Section 6 has an extended discussion of policy conclusions)

• while agricultural research is not usually a priority for farmers’ organisations, these organisations are often effective in providing their members with better access to research, extension, inputs and marketing;
• strengthening the technical, economic and management capacities of farmers’ organisations is essential for them to be able to establish linkages with research and extension;
• helping public research and extension services understand and take on board producer requests requires training in participatory methods, existence of fora for sharing lessons on successful partnerships, field experience of working with farmers’ organisations and new professional incentives that make researchers and extension workers keen to make their work relevant to producer needs;
• the different actors often do not have the capacities required to successfully work in partnership. Hence capacity building work for farmers’ organisations, public extension and research organisations and the private sector is necessary to increase their use of participatory methodologies, increase technical skills and the ability to negotiate and make proposals, and increase social science skills.

Based on the case studies, a number of recommendations were made (see also Sections 6 and 7). These covered:

• building the capacities of farmers’ organisations
• helping public agricultural research and extension bodies to understand and respond to farmer requests
• encouraging formal, contractual linkages between farmers’ organisations, extension and research