This paper traces the origins and achievements of the R^seau Ouest et Centre Africain du Riz--ROCARIZ （West and Central Africa Rice Research and Development Network）. The ROCARIZ institutional arrangement showed tha...This paper traces the origins and achievements of the R^seau Ouest et Centre Africain du Riz--ROCARIZ （West and Central Africa Rice Research and Development Network）. The ROCARIZ institutional arrangement showed that rice science is approached from multi-stakeholder perspectives that place end users and entrepreneurs at the center of research for development, and collaboration among rice-based stakeholders can be enhanced and sustained. The ROCARIZ used competitive research grants through multi-stakeholder task forces to generate, adapt, and facilitate the adoption of rice-based technologies and approaches by resource poor households. The grants contributed to： （1） farmer adoption of high yielding and multiple stress resilient lowland NERICAs （New Rices for Africa） （NERICA-L）; （2） producer access to credit and services resulting in increased marketing of quality seed rice, paddy, and grain rice by farmer entrepreneurs and poor rural households; （3） improved skills of stakeholders on the use of impact assessment tools to demonstrate adoption of rice-based technologies; （4） enhanced skills of rice breeders in molecular assisted marker selection to shorten the varietal development process; and （S） experiential learning and sharing to improve access to information and knowledge.展开更多
The fit-for purpose of agricultural graduates in the job market remains a challenge to agricultural training and education despite the active involvement of farmer organizations, non-governmental organizations （NGOs...The fit-for purpose of agricultural graduates in the job market remains a challenge to agricultural training and education despite the active involvement of farmer organizations, non-governmental organizations （NGOs）, and agribusiness in the agriculture job market. This paper traces： （1） the employment of agricultural graduates in the last 10 years in Mali, Republic of Congo, Ghana, and the Gambia; and （2） through a case study, assesses the attitudinal and mindset change in the way research for development is conducted by research staff of the National Agricultural Research Institute （NARI） of the Gambia. Not surprisingly, the public sector consistently employed more agricultural graduates in all four countries. The next highest employer of agricultural graduates was the NGOs, followed by agribusiness. Positive attitudinal and mindset change among research staff and their collaborators in the Gambia was enhanced when collaborative learning and coaching and mentoring in managerial and financial skills enhancement complemented technical skills improvements. Employers indicated strong preference for graduates in agricultural engineering and farm machinery; agricultural economics with emphasis on farm management; innovation systems and value chains; and information communication technology including report writing. Farmers＇ organizations showed particular interest in interpersonal skills; participatory technology development and dissemination; and appreciation of socio-cultural contexts including farmer innovations. In Mali, Ghana and the Gambia, employers reported that 4%-14% of the agricultural graduates they hired were women.展开更多
文摘This paper traces the origins and achievements of the R^seau Ouest et Centre Africain du Riz--ROCARIZ （West and Central Africa Rice Research and Development Network）. The ROCARIZ institutional arrangement showed that rice science is approached from multi-stakeholder perspectives that place end users and entrepreneurs at the center of research for development, and collaboration among rice-based stakeholders can be enhanced and sustained. The ROCARIZ used competitive research grants through multi-stakeholder task forces to generate, adapt, and facilitate the adoption of rice-based technologies and approaches by resource poor households. The grants contributed to： （1） farmer adoption of high yielding and multiple stress resilient lowland NERICAs （New Rices for Africa） （NERICA-L）; （2） producer access to credit and services resulting in increased marketing of quality seed rice, paddy, and grain rice by farmer entrepreneurs and poor rural households; （3） improved skills of stakeholders on the use of impact assessment tools to demonstrate adoption of rice-based technologies; （4） enhanced skills of rice breeders in molecular assisted marker selection to shorten the varietal development process; and （S） experiential learning and sharing to improve access to information and knowledge.
文摘The fit-for purpose of agricultural graduates in the job market remains a challenge to agricultural training and education despite the active involvement of farmer organizations, non-governmental organizations （NGOs）, and agribusiness in the agriculture job market. This paper traces： （1） the employment of agricultural graduates in the last 10 years in Mali, Republic of Congo, Ghana, and the Gambia; and （2） through a case study, assesses the attitudinal and mindset change in the way research for development is conducted by research staff of the National Agricultural Research Institute （NARI） of the Gambia. Not surprisingly, the public sector consistently employed more agricultural graduates in all four countries. The next highest employer of agricultural graduates was the NGOs, followed by agribusiness. Positive attitudinal and mindset change among research staff and their collaborators in the Gambia was enhanced when collaborative learning and coaching and mentoring in managerial and financial skills enhancement complemented technical skills improvements. Employers indicated strong preference for graduates in agricultural engineering and farm machinery; agricultural economics with emphasis on farm management; innovation systems and value chains; and information communication technology including report writing. Farmers＇ organizations showed particular interest in interpersonal skills; participatory technology development and dissemination; and appreciation of socio-cultural contexts including farmer innovations. In Mali, Ghana and the Gambia, employers reported that 4%-14% of the agricultural graduates they hired were women.
