English translation:
The national workshop on the theme “From practice to innovation: Extension and agricultural advice for relevant innovations for the benefit of family farms in Madagascar”
The national workshop on the theme “From practice to innovation: Extension and agricultural advice for relevant innovations for the benefit of family farms in Madagascar” was held in Ambatobe on January 16, 2025, bringing together nearly 50 participants. Organized in collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MINAE), the MAKIS project and the ProSilience project (GIZ), this event aimed to enrich and promote the National Strategy for Extension and Agricultural Advice (SNVCA).
The main objective of the workshop was to inform participants about the content of the SNVCA, recently technically validated at the MINAE level and awaiting approval. It was also a question of sharing the achievements of the MAKIS projects and the ProSilience action (GIZ) which could enrich the activities planned in the SNVCA. In particular, the diversity of factors that influence the adoption of agricultural innovations and the place of agricultural advice and extension to improve the advice and extension systems.
The preliminary results of the MAKIS project were presented and showed that the needs in extension and agricultural advice must diversify to meet the new challenges and areas of activity that are emerging (organic farming, digitalization of certain services, inclusion, etc.). These changes imply an evolution of the profiles of extension and advice agents, via revised training courses, particularly for agricultural advice. Furthermore, agricultural advice will not be able to cover all the support needs necessary for the development of agricultural innovations; other types of support must be provided (such as access to markets, resources, institutional support, networking, capacity building, etc.). Thus, complementarities must be built with local and regional structures (whether public, private, mixed, associative or cooperative) to complete the offer of services to producers.
The presentation of the ProSol project focused on the role of relay farmers and the prospects for their recognition and local mobilization (via certification). Relay farmers have a key role to play in the dynamics of agricultural innovation and contribute to circulating and perpetuating new agricultural practices tested.
The group work that followed these presentations aimed to enrich three of the strategic axes of the SNVCA: (i) strengthening the agricultural extension and advisory system, (ii) improving service offerings (in two distinct sub-themes), (iii) promoting the integration of research and innovation results into agricultural advisory systems.
The recommendations from this workshop will contribute to the effective implementation of the SNVCA. They will strengthen synergies between stakeholders and ensure better adaptation of extension systems to the real needs of family farms.
This workshop illustrates an important step in the vision of supporting agricultural innovation in Madagascar. The MAKIS project continues to play a key role in these dynamics, contributing to strategic discussions related to agricultural innovations, and articulating its actions on the challenges and opportunities identified during this event.
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