Adapting Agricultural Extension to Peacebuilding: Report of a Workshop by the National Academy of Engineering and United States Institute of Peace: Roundtable on Technology, Science, and Peacebuilding

by United States Institute of Peace, National Academy of Engineering, Steve Olson (Editor), Andrew Robertson (Editor)

Overview

Societies have sought to improve the outputs of their agricultural producers for thousands of years. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, efforts to convey agricultural knowledge to farmers became known as extension services, a term adopted from programs at Oxford and Cambridge designed to extend the knowledge generated at universities to surrounding communities. Traditionally, extension services have emphasized a top-down model of technology transfer that encourages and teaches producers to use crop and livestock varieties and agricultural practices that will increase food production. More recently, extension services have moved toward a facilitation model, in which extension agents work with producers to identify their needs and the best sources of expertise to help meet those needs.

On May 1, 2012, the Roundtable on Science, Technology, and Peacebuilding held a workshop in Washington, DC, to explore whether and how extension activities could serve peacebuilding purposes. The Roundtable is a partnership between the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). It consists of senior executives and experts from leading governmental organizations, universities, corporations, and nongovernmental organizations, was established in 2011 to make a measurable and positive impact on conflict management, peacebuilding, and security capabilities. Its principal goals are:

1. To accelerate the application of science and technology to the process of peacebuilding and stabilization;
2. To promote systematic, high-level communication between peacebuilding and technical organizations on the problems faced and the technical capabilities required for successful peacebuilding; and
3. To collaborate in applying new science and technology to the most pressing challenges for local and international peacebuilders working in conflict zones.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780309259675
Publisher:	National Academies Press
Publication date:	11/23/2012
Pages:	62
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.30(d)

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 1

The Workshop 3

Discussion Themes 4

2 Conflict in Rural Settings 9

Conflict over Land in Rural Settings 10

Postconflict Reintegration: Problems and Opportunities 13

Conflict Resolution Among Afghan Herders 15

Discussion 17

3 Extension Services in Fragile Societies 19

Challenges, Needs, and Opportunities 19

Agricultural Extension in South Sudan 22

Agricultural Extension in Iraq 25

Discussion 26

4 Capacity Building and Training 29

Skills 29

Legitimacy 30

Processes 33

5 Organizational Change and Institution Building 35

Options for Working with Ministries of Agriculture 35

The Need for Decentralization 36

Ensuring Sustainability 38

6 Technological Infrastructure 39

Technological Capabilities for Extension and Peacebuilding 39

Potential Extensions of ICT 40

Involvement of the Private Sector 41

7 Final Observations 43

Appendixes

A Agenda 45

B Attendees 49