Agricultural Producer Organizations Their Contribution to Rural Capacity Building and Poverty Reduction ' E ~~2281 5 4, ^ Collaborating IrnStitLutions Agriterra CECI CIRAD Club du Sahel Inter-Reseaux Pierre Rondot Marie-H6lbne Collion Editors C"osponsored by International Federation of Agricultural Producers and The World Bank and financed by The Governments of France and The Nether'lands Agricultural Producer Organizations Their Contribution to Rural Capacity Building and Poverty Reduction Pierre Rondot Marie-H6lene Collion Editors Collaborating Institutions Agriterra CECI CIRAD Club du Sahel INERA Inter-Reseaux Cosponsored by International Federation of Agricultural Producers and The World Bank and financed by The Governments of France and The Netherlands Copyright ( 2001 Rural Development Department World Bank 1818 H Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 Citation: Rondot, Pierre, and Marie-Helene Collion. 2001. Agricultural Producer Organizations: Their Contribution to Rural Capacity Building and Poverty Reduction-Report of a Workshop, Washington, D.C., June 28-30, 1999. RDV, World Bank, Washington. Contents Editors' Preface v Acknowledgments ix Acronyms and Abbreviations x Background, Discussions, and Recommendations Defining Producer Organizations I Traditional Versus Formal 2 Rationale for Strengthening POs 3 Capacities Requiring Strengthening 5 Strategic Capabilities 5 Financial Capabilities 6 Actions and Support Needed 7 Increasing Financial Resources 9 Issues to be Considered 9 Empowering POs: Some Suggestions 10 Risks and Problems 11 Partnership with Agricultural Services 12 Restructuring Research and Extension 12 PO Initiatives 13 Lessons Learned 13 Strengthening Technical Capacity 14 Other Issues 14 Donors and POs: Lessons Learned 15 Guidelines for Donors 16 Follow-Up Actions 17 Handbook 17 Monitoring the World Bank Portfolio 18 Creating Demand at Country Level 18 A PO National Fund 18 Other Suggestions 19 Reference 19 iii iV AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Issues Papers Empowering Producer Organizations: Issues, Goals, and Ambiguities Marie-Rose Mercoiret, Bara Goudiaby, Silvio Marzaroli, Diogou Fall, Samba Gueye, and Jean Coulibaly 20 What Services Should be Supported in the POs and Under What Conditions? Pierre Lessard 29 Can Producer Organizations be Strengthened by Provision of Funding and Human Resources? Denis Pesche 32 Partnerships Between Producer Organizations and Research and Extension Institutions Jean Zoundi, Marie-He'lene Collion, and Henri Hocde 38 Donors and Farmer Organizations: Lessons Learned from Ongoing Experiences in the Sahel Serge Snrech 46 Participants 57 Editors' Preface use the term "producer" rather The objectives were: (1) to draw lessons ~J~J than "farmer" because it covers from good practices on practical ways and VY all aspects of agricultural mechanisms to strengthen the capacity of production, including livestock and fisheries, producer organizations: (2) to identify and the processing of agricultural products priority actions and pilot projects to be on-farm or in the rural areas (such as the designed and implemented in collaborative women's cottage industries). arrangements between producer The producer organizations (POs) organizations, governments, and interested considered are formal rural organizations donors, including the World Bank; and (3) to whose members organized themselves with select material and information for a Source the objective of improving farm income Book. through improved production, marketing, The participants are practitioners drawn and local processing activities. POs deal from producer organizations, researchers, with: policies on issues such as pricing and extension workers, staff from NGOs, and export and import of agricultural products; donor representatives. improvement of agricultural production The workshop was held in English, practices; access to inputs and services, French, and Spanish, in two phases: (1) anl including agricultural credit; marketing of exchange of experienlces and knowledge agricultural production; and local processing amnonig participanlts: presentation of case of agricultural production and its marketing. studies, field experiences, and lessons learned The willingness to build rural capacity from practitioners: and (2) prioritv actions: in through empowerment of producer small working groups, the participants organizations is often hampered by developed practical recommendations and implementation problems: how to do it. Field- actions to be undertaken to strengthen based practition-ers and World Bank staff capacity of POs, including some concrete have expressed a strong need for practical pilot project proposals. guidance to help producers in the design. To facilitate drawing lessons from implementation, and evaluation of producer experiences, case studies were presented that organization capacity-building projects and addressed specific issues related to PO programs. To this end the World Bank and capacity building. Each session was the International Federation of Agricultural introduced by a session leader/resource Producers sponsored an International person, who highlighted the issues and Workshop on Strengthening Producer introduced the case studies. The case studies Organizations as a contribution to rural are available on a CD/ROM supplied with this capacity building. v Vi AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS book. The material can also be accessed on functions. They also play a representative the World Bank website role and lobby for their members' interests. (www.worldbank.org/producer- Economic. Cooperatives, or "les organizations) under producer-organizations, groupements d'interet economique (GIE)" or key readings. other types of economic organizations provide services or access to services to their Session 1 posed the questions: What is members that include: agricultural inputs and the objective of supporting POs? Is this an credit, support for storage, processing and investment in social capital, or a convenient marketing services, information, and way to deliver agricultural services? (Session extension. Local development. Associations Leader: Marie-Rose Mercoiret, CIRAD- or multipurpose, community-based TERA-with B. Goudiaby, S. Marzaroli, D. organizations seek to support local Fall, S. Gueye, J. Coulibaly). development and improve the quality of An effective partnership between POs village life. These organizations often and research and extension may improve the substitute for local government in countries efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural where decentralization has not yet taken services. PO capacity must be strengthened, place. however, so they can help improve POs need to develop their capacity in the technology generation and delivery. POs are following areas: then considered as useful agricultural * Accountability to members/ research and extension vehicles/instruments Representativeness/Legitimacy/ to improve the delivery of services needed by Democratic procedures; Membership the producers, at a reduced cost. services: members' rights and Support to POs can also be viewed as an obligations; investment in social capital, building "social * Effective two-way communication infrastructure" that is recognized as a vital channels; complement to investments in other forms of * Transparent and effective financial capital. POs are then viewed as part of a management; and country's social capital, because they provide * Internal technical knowledge. services to their members as well as a Other questions of relevance to donors framework for sharing information, were debated: Should the strengthening of coordinating activities, and making collective producer organization capacity concentrate decisions, and they help farmers capture on all the common needs of these added value from linkages to agricultural organizations? Should the focus be only on production. economic organizations or on any existing grassroots organizations dealing at least with Session 2 addressed the issue of: What the advocacy or economic function? Who POs, what functions to strengthen, and who will make the decision? decides?(Session Leader: Pierre Lessard, CECI-with Marny Boonman, AGRITERRA Session 3 sought to answer the question: and R. Quiros, MNC). Producer How do we channel financial and human organizations generally perform three broad resources to strengthen PO capacity?(Session functions: Leader: Denis Pesche, Inter-Reseaux). POs Policy formulation and advocacy. may exist at various levels, from the village or Syndicates or unions or the so-called inter-village level, to the regional and national "chambres d'agriculture" perform advocacy levels, and may be organized on a commodity basis, or be multipurpose. The size and nature EDIT(RS' PREFACE vii of their constituency varies. Because of their institutions need to adjust in a number of diversity, it is difficult for them to come ways: together as larger but still viable * Fromn a linear paradigm toward representative units, with a national, or at partnerships: Under a linear paradigm, least regional, mandate, and to speak with a research develops technologies, unified voice. extension services transfer them, and The discussion centered on the farmers are expected to adopt them. The following: potential benefit from integrating * Institutional frameworks that exist at farmers' knowledge into the process of local, regional and national levels, knowledge and technology development through which financial and technical and transfer will be fully captured when resources could be channeled to POs; producers are recognized by specialists * Does decentralization provide a useful as full partners, who can produce and framework to channel funds to POs and disseminate knowledge and technology. for them to make their own decisions? They must not be seen only as * Can POs get together at the local, consumers of knowledge and technology regional, and national levels to: (I) produced and disseminated by others. discuss their strategies; (2) define and What does it take to encourage this prioritize their needs for capacity evolution? building; (3) organize themselves to Partnership with POs as official and select providers of services they need effective policy: How can such a policy and ensure quality of such services? translate into the management of What kind of support is needed for that agricultural research and extension purpose? institutions? What does it mean in areas * Can learning by doing be a way to such as: the composition of governing empower POs? bodies, staff incentive systems, If the support to POs is an investment in procedures for programming, social capital. with the objective of building monitoring, and evaluating agricultural up local capacity, can it be done within research and extension programs? agricultural services projects? There is a risk * Autonomy of the institutions: Are these of making POs agricultural research or changes possible if agricultural research extension instruments. Should it be done as a and extension services remain public stand-alone national program? The response institutions run by civil servants? What will, of course, depend on priorities of POs. are the fundamental institutional changes for agricultural services to be provided Session 4 addressed two important by institutions that are also accountable issues: Howv should POs and agricultural to POs? service providers work together? Wlhat are the * Decentrali7ation of public services: Most necessary institutional reformns for agricultural decisions, even agricultural services to be accountable to programmatic ones. are made at the POs?(Session Leader: Jean Zoundi, national level. If POs are recognized as INERA-witlh Marie-Helene Collion, World the leaders of agricultural development, Bank, and Henri Hocde, CIRAD-TERA). For an effective partnership with POs a partnership between POs and agricultural demands an effective decentralization of research and extension providers to be decisionmaking at the local/regional successful, research and extension levels. Viii AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Not all of the questions posed found easy Session 5 asked: What are the answers, as reflected in this Report. Much implications for donors?(Session Leader: progress was made, and there emerged a Serge Snrech, Club du Sahel/OECD). POs strong commitment to action so that the have enormous potential, for example in momentum generated at the Workshop is not making research and extension more lost. effective. Donors therefore need to focus The five Issues papers presented at the their support on ways to strengthen PO Workshop are included in this Report. capacity, with a view to empowering them vis-a-vis public institutions. They should not be made instruments of research and Pierre Rondot extension services, or substitutes for these Rural Development Department (RDV) institutions. Helping POs to gain financial leverage is therefore a necessity. How can Marie-HOelne Collion this be done? What are the donor institutional Africa Region (AFTR3) constraints to financing POs directly? The World Bank Acknowledgments W e take this opportunity to thank his help. Many World Bank staff contributed the many contributors, the session to the success of the workshop, and special leaders, participants, and World thanks go to Jason Paiment for organizing the Bank staff who contributed to the Workshop. web site, Sarian Akibo-Betts and Cecily In particular, we acknowledge the Spooner for their administrative help. outstanding contribution of Willem Zijp, who We are especially grateful to the many played a key role in all areas of the workshop participants who contributed throughout organization and the financing of the event. the workshop, and express particular We wish to thank Leonardo Montemayor, thanks to the session leaders and panelists IFAP Vice-President, and James for their contributions. Reginald Maclntyre Wolfensohn,World Bank President, for their assisted with the editing of this report and strong support and participation at the with the preparation of material for the CD/ workshop. ROM. A field trip was organized by Paul This volume was desktopped by Ding O'Connell, and we express our gratitude for Dizon. ix Acronyms and Abbreviations AFD Agence fran,aise de developpement ANADER National Agency for Rural Development (C6te d'Ivoire) ANOPACI National Association of C6te d'Ivoire Professional Agricultural Organizations APM Small-Scale Agriculture and Modernization Network CATIE Centro de Agronomia Tropical para le Investigacion y la Ensenanza CECI Centre Canadien d'Etudes et de Cooperation International CIMMYT Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo CLUSA Cooperative League of the USA CMDT Mali Textile Development Company CNCR Rural Dweller Consensus and Coordination Council (Senegal) CNRA National Centre for Agronomic Research (C6te d'Ivoire) FONGS Senegal Federation of Nongovernmental Organizations FUPRO Federation of Producers' Unions of Benin ICTA Instituto du Ciencia y Tecnologia Agricola IFAP International Federation of Agricultural Producers INERA Institut National de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (Burkina Faso) IRAM Institute for Research and Implementation of Development Methods (Mali) ITRA Institute of Agronomic Research (Togo) KARI Kenya Agricultural Research Institute KNFU Kenya National Farmers Union MNC Mesa Nacional Campesina OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development PRONATTA National Agricultural Technology Transfer Program (Colombia) SYCOV Malian Union of Cotton and Food Crop Producers URECOS-CI Regional Union of Cooperatives in the CMte d'Ivoire Savannah Zone WTO World Trade Organization x Background, Discussions, and Recommendations In his opening remarks, vice-president of in which we can work with and support the International Federation of Producer Organizations. Because if you do a icultural Producers Leonardo project and you don't have a Produicer Montemayor stated: Many years ago, at the Organization, it could be a successful project, beginning of structural adjustment programs, but it doesn't carry forward. It may affect the tlhere was a simple sentence in World Bank people who are luck-y enough to be part of the literature. The Bank was saying that its project; that's a good thing, hut it's not objective was to get governmenits out of enough. As you know, 75 percent of the agricultural operations and "to put farmers people who are poor in the ivorld are in rural in charge. " This important phrase is still areas: in Latin America it is just under 50 valid, especially today. To be in charge, percent. But if we are to make a big impact on farmers need strong and independent the issue of poverty and the issue of farmers' organizations. Measures to development, the impact cannot be done strengthen farmers' representative project bv project. It has to be done on the organizations are therefore vital. basis of linking with existing organizations Today, there is a similar enthusiasm that themselves have links with the many among bilateral donors and nongovernmental farmers in those organizations. So we are organizations to strengthen farmers' really committed at the Bank to find new organizations. They recognize the usefulness ways, and strengtlheni old ways, to deal with of these organizations, especially as a vehicle Producer Organizations... for sustainable development. It is important, The major theme of the workshop, however, that they avoid the same errors that therefore, was: How can the capacity of POs were committed by governments. In their be strengthened to help them become the lead zeal to strengthen farmers' organizations, participants in agricultural development'? they must not turn these groups into extended arms of themselves. The president of the World Bank, James Derining Producer Organizations Wolfensohn, welcomed the participants to the Bank and the workshop, and made the What constitutes a PO'? It is often difficult to following key points: ... the only way that we sort through the numerous and diverse types are really gointg to make a big difference in of rural organizations that exist for different terms of farmers around the world is if wve purposes and at different levels (local, focus less on individual prqjects of improving regional. and national levels). yields and of dealing with the immediate questions of extensiont-all of wvhich we sholuld do but at the same time we must work to establish origanizational links-a framework 2 AGRACULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Traditional Versus Formal structures in which two different types of logics and two "meaning systems" are Traditional. Organization is necessary for the involved. smooth functioning of family-based POs are membership organizations agriculture. Farmers have not waited for the created by farmers (or other groups) to development institutions to organize provide services to them, with objectives that themselves. In most rural societies we still include: find some form of organization inherited * Better management of their natural from the past, the main purpose of which is resources and assets (for example, water to reduce the uncertainties of an user associations; herder associations); agricultural activity, stabilize production * Expansion of their access to natural conditions, and cope with peak labor resources, their basic means of demands. These organizations are the production (that is, access to land, instruments that rural societies have forest, pastures, and water resources); developed to "regulate the relations" Improved access to services, credit, and between their members concerning access market outlets by leveraging them as a to means of production (land and water), result of their representative and the agricultural calendar, technical advocacy activities, or their combined practices, and other issues. Being internal financial clout; and in nature, they make it possible to foresee * Making their voices heard in and resolve conflicts between the members decisionmaking processes in which asset of the local society; being dependent on allocations are determined, as well as other forms of social control, their policies that affect the context in which functioning is marked by the relationships they produce, market, transform, and that exist within the society. export their products. In larger numbers, Formal. As Haubert and Bey (1995) farmers gain bargaining power, and can emphasize, it is important to stress that the have a more effective input in new producer organizations are of a "radically decisionmaking processes that affect different nature"; their purpose is not "the their lives. regulation of the relationships within the POs can assume several functions: groups concerned...," but their "essential * Advocacy or policy: Associations or function is to organize the relations with the unions perform a representative role, external world." They are interface lobby on behalf of members, represent structures that, depending on the case, can their members' interests in negotiations be: with government, donors, or the private * Either a means for facilitating/ sector; accelerating the integration of rural * Economic and technical: Cooperatives or people into the market and global society; other groups (unions, producer or associations, cooperatives, and * A means for improving the relations of economic groups) provide services to rural societies with their environment their members such as: information, (market, global society). facilitating access to inputs and market, Producer organizations are (or would like credit, support for storage, and to be) structures for mediation between rural processing and marketing services; and producers and others who act in their * Local development: Whatever their economic, institutional, and political primary function, POs are frequently environment. They are, as a result, "hybrid" BACKGROUND, Disct SSIONS, AND RECONMNMENDAHONS 3 requested by their members to support Rationale for Strengthening POs local development processes, and improve the quality of village life. The reasons for strengthening and supporting Services expected by the local population POs vary depending on your point of view. are similar to the kinds of public/social POs exist and it is difficult to ignsore service that would be provided by a rural tlzetn. The interest shown in producer commune (or district) in a decentralized organizations in certain countries results government. These organizations, in from the fact that they present themselves as fact, often substitute for local partners. It then becomes difficult to government in countries where circumvent them. Some POs are organized decentralization has not yet taken place. into federations at the local, regional. and POs can be only local entities (at the national levels (CNFR in Uruguay, CNCR in village and inter-village levels). They can be Senegal), and demand to be associated with represented at the regional and national levels decision- making on matters that concern where policy decisions are taken. Function them. and level of organization are often related. POs are part of a new mode of economic Local problems requiring local collective and social regulation. The coordination actions tend to be better resolved by one or hierarchy imposed by government in a more grassroots producer organizations. number of countries is slowly disappearing. Hence technical and economic organizations As a consequence. new forms of tend to be stronger and more effective at the coordination among actors, including POs, local and regional level (for example, to have to be invented, whether these modes of access services, rural credit, and primary regulation are sectoral or territorial, or at markets, manage their own natural assets, or local, regional, or international levels. resolve natural resource access issues). Producers, through their organization. Conversely, the national or regional level is participate in the negotiation of appropriate to resolve policy issues: institutionalized agreements, such as the advocacy groups therefore form a level setting up of supply or marketing services, where they can most effectively have an input the structuring of a production/processing into decisionmaking. Issues on which they industry, the definition and implementation of can have strong input include land reform, local development plans, or the formulation international trade, import-export policies, of public agricultural policies. and fiscal policies. However, they often have POs vvant to be involved in rural great difficulties in building a sustained developmenit policy. The role of POs cannot relationship with the local level, because of be limited to "managing" situations created by problems of transparency and accountability. agricultural policy, and decisions made Some advocacy groups exist only at the without producer input. Their role also regional or national level without any local cannot be reduced to obtaining simple base. They consider themselves as adjustments of reforms already under way. representatives of the local or technical Producers want to be involved in shaping the organizations that are not organiized at the future of agriculture, its place in the local and regional or national level. national economy, and the functions that it should perform in the global economy. POs are sometimes called upon to compensate for public or private institutional failure. The producer organization is too often perceived as a substitute to which donors, in 4 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS particular, tend to turn because the other supported by the World Bank in Senegal, players (public services, private economic Mali, and Guinea). operators, and others) have not come up to Support of POs is sometimes a response their expectations. POs often fill the gaps to donor country public opinion. Concern for created when government pulls out, or when consistency with the democratic project the commercial private sector is slow to take promoted by a number of sources of over (for unprofitable operations in financing also leads them to support producer particular). organizations. When one advocates political POs may, at other times, be considered as openness, can one refuse increased producer default institutions. This is the case, for participation in the debates and decisions instance, with natural resource management concerning economic life? in sub-Saharan Africa, because the public Support to POs is an investment in social services have often shown themselves to be capital: largely ineffective. * To fight rural poverty. The POs are the POs can be vehicles to push forward only way for the rural poor to pull technical, economic, or institutional themselves out of poverty. Improving the changes.The impact of structural adjustment capacity of producer organizations will has, in many cases, been devastating to the improve their bargaining power, thus most vulnerable socioprofessional groups of contributing to a more growth-enhancing the population; poverty has increased, allocation of public goods at all levels especially in rural areas, and living standards (local, regional, and national); and have deteriorated. Fearing that the credibility * To improve the return of other types of of the neoliberal model on which these investment. The recent interest in POs reforms are based will be severely eroded, displayed by certain institutions is many institutions are investing in production connected with the rediscovery of the rehabilitation programs from which they are importance of networks, and of the role expecting swift and significant results. POs of institutional capacity in the appear to be potentially valuable partners, management of prevailing economic particularly when they are structured around opportunities and constraints. subsectors (cotton, cocoa, vegetables, POs often need construction or fishing). reconstruction phase support. In most cases The new paradigm in agricultural POs do not have the means to achieve services (research, extension, and completely the goals they have set, nor do agiicultural and rural advisory services) is to they generally match the expectations of align themselves with what their "clients" development agencies or donors. It is also want. It is therefore indispensable that the true that they do not always receive the "clients" be able to express themselves, and support from the latter that they are entitled to to make themselves understood. This can expect. lead to the creation of specific organizations A central challenge for many POs is the (for example, Mali's Research Institute, building of balanced technical, economic, and which provided itself with an ad hoc rural political partnerships. It is a "learning by talking partner through the establishment of doing" process that cannot be reduced to the user committees), or can give rise to establishment of simple procedures, and that partnerships between the renewed will progressively modify the power agricultural services and existing producer relationships among donors, government, and organizations (for example, projects civil society. BACKGROL ND, DISCLSSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5 With their limited resources, POs cannot These two principles are not set in stone. cope with the technical, economic, social. They need to be adjusted depending on and political challenges facing rural society. activity and environment of a particular P0. Alliances and partnerships are therefore For POs to be useful to producers and have necessary. and support and assistance can their own identity, they need to have their help POs to forge these alliances and to build own agenda, know how to interact with their these partnerships. political and economic environment, Discrepancies exist, however, between understand the agenda, constraints, capacity, the expectations/demands of the POs and the and limitation of other groups, and be able to propositions put to them by those who want mobilize financial and technical resources to "support" them. POs are generally in an (internal and external) to implement their unfavorable position in the relationships they activities. set up, with inequalities in access to The ultimate objective of strategies to information, levels of expertise, or in control strengthen POs is to make them capable of of financial resources, or input into the analyzing their own needs, formulating their political decisionmaking process. Donors or requests in realistic and operational terms, government can easily impose their views and and negotiating with others involved in the aims, which may lead to some serious POs' own sphere of activity. When POs have misunderstandings and frustrations for all reached this stage, they are capable of concerned. Although rarely explicit, this managing the process of adapting their mismatch tends to transform POs into enterprises to whatever needs arise. instruments of donors or government. They need support, therefore, to be able to strengthen their strategic, technical, and financial capacity. The strategic capacities Capacities Requiring Strengthening will enable them to define how they intend to achieve their objectives and exist as Two principles are proposed to institutions. It presupposes the capacity of characterize POs and to identify what the POs to assess their strengths, capacities to strengthen: weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The * Tlhe principle of utility: Whatever its technical capacities are those needed to origin or its size, an organization can implement the activities for which the PO qualify as a PO if (a) it is useful for its was created. members; and (b) members are actively committed to making it work to achieve Strategic Capabilities the objectives they have set; and * The principle of identity: A PO's identity Producer organzizations need an effective includes: (a) a history and a geographic communication program to access external space shared by members; (b) operating information, circulate information to rules (governance) that regulate the members and to other POs, and access relations between members and between national and international market and policy members and the outside world; and (c) a information sources. vision of its future and what it wants to PO leaders often need help to improve achieve. Without such an identity a PO their management skills to better understand, becomes a formless group used by for example: (a) market intelligence: others to accomplish their own liberalization and globalization of the objectives. economy; (b) donors' operating mechanisms and strategies; (c) policy analysis and 6 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS formulation at local, regional, national, and members and other PO partners. international levels including the World Trade Accountability to members is essential but Organization (WTO); (d) government only possible when members contribute decentralization and devolution strategies, financially to their organization. All with the related redistribution of power. producers, including the poorest, must make There is a long list of areas where PO staff an effort to contribute. This is the basic could be helped to improve their effectiveness: condition for them to feel involved, and * Functional literacy and numeracy; demand accountability from their leaders. * Accounting and financial management; Donors should also contribute to the regular * Running an efficient information system; operational costs of POs (on a decreasing * Ensuring producers have access to basis, for example), and not only finance services needed to increase agricultural technical capacity-building activities or production: access to inputs, markets, projects. financial institutions. and processing of The strengthening of PO financial agricultural products; resources applies therefore to the * Providing technical services or advice to organization's capacity to mobilize and producers; manage funds from members and income * Facilitating and ensuring that producers from capital or services provided, and have access to existing public or private external funds from government, donors, and services; and the private sector. * Internal management capacity: Farmers are generally willing to pay for Identification of producer (members services provided by POs that have a real and nonmembers) needs and benefit, and if they feel they are part of the capacities (financial, technical); organization. The decisionmaking structure Prioritization of producers' needs, of the organization is therefore an essential constraints, and requests; element. Formulating producers' requests; The cost of PO lobbying activities should Defending producers' interests; be borne by the PO. Producers have to Reporting and accountability to develop financial mechanisms to pay for members and producers; advocacy and public bargaining, and also to Managing internal conflicts; fund decentralized projects (Agriterra, for Designating, implementing, and example, developed a budgeting and planning evaluating work, done internally or method for that purpose-SOMPLAN). contracted out; and When producers work collectively on a Saying no to members and explaining contract basis with agricultural product why. buyers, the terms of the contract should * Participating in board or other include cost of lobbying. management meetings of public or Capabilities should be reinforced in aid private institutions that are to provide agencies and support organizations. The technical or financial services to strengthening of capabilities should not be a producers. one-way street. The point is not only to bring POs up to the level of aid agencies, but to Financial Capabilities allow aid agencies to become better listeners and to understand the strengths of POs and There is no empowerment without financial the constraints under which they operate. Aid autonomy allowing POs to manage their own agencies and support organizations must funds, to report and be accountable to therefore improve: BACKGROL ND, DIScL SSIONS. AND RECoNINtINDAH(NS 7 * Their ability to listen and understand objective of empowering the PO and the economic and social developments in a farmers. Otherwise it would make them rural setting; instruments of public or private service * Their ability to respect the PO's own delivery. rhythms, which do not necessarily match Strenigtheninig techniical capabilities of the bookkeeping rhythms of aid agencies. POs is often done as part of classical rural This requires innovations in funding development activities, which generally procedures and greater flexibility in consist of education in literacy and the controls, with a lighter hand on the reins: well-known areas of accounting and basic and activities management. There are various * World Bank staff should listen more participants (in classical projects. NGOs, attentively to developing country farmers government departments), and the who "knifotw how to speak about cowplex mechanisms chosen may vary, including things using simiiple words." standard instruction in a center, on-site training, producer exchanges, and consulting. The weaknesses most often Actions and Support Needed noted are that the technical abilities acquired are often difficult to maintain or There is tno universal approach to supporting develop. Additional training programs are POs. Support must be a tailor-made, learning- therefore needed that tend to perpetuate the by-doing process that will vary according to training of producers by outsiders, who do the country circumstances and to the specific not necessarily know the expectations of needs of POs in that country. In some POs. The relationship between POs and countries, the political environment does not training institutions has to be switched allow for civil society to become organized. from "supporter-supported" (donor- In such extreme cases, there is not much to receiver) to a follow-through in which the do except offer encouragement. When the outside institution makes the most of the political context is favorable or at least not PO's potential and know-how. The obstructive, supporting POs becomes experience of the Senegal Federation of feasible. A support program for POs should Nongovernmental Organizations training embody the principle of empowerment, program (identification of knowledge follow some general guidelines, and respect within the POs and exchange and visiting certain principles. PO leaders and members programs) shows the importance of PO are responsible for identifying their needs, to employees, a group often overlooked by organize themselves to access the services outside organizations. they identified to respond to their needs, and Innovations in strengthening PO to negotiate and contract with any service technical capabilities are linked to the type of provider they select. institutional mechanism set up and methods Given the weaknesses of public used. In Mali, two programs involving the institutions and state withdrawal from many Institut de recherches et d'application de services, POs are often seen as an alternative methodes de developpement-JRAM to improve the cost-efficiency and (Institute for Research and Implementation of sustainability of existing public or private Development Methods) set up independent services delivery. Support provided under service centers controlled by the producers. donor- or government-driven agenda is likely They provided quality services in accounting. to have a limited impact on PO capacity management consulting, and legal and building. if it is not provided with the ultimate financial advice (support in reconciling PO 8 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS accounts). The approach adopted was to set implement them themselves. An exchange of up progressive technical and financial experience between producers and leaders, conditions for operating service centers in the and supporting their participation in outside long term: specific expertise brought in under seminars, are considered the best learning contract by the POs, and searches for opportunities for them. financial partnerships with banking We should support PO efforts to recruit institutions and other operators involved their own personnel. Once a PO reaches a locally. certain level of activity, it needs to hire staff The learning-by-doing process, better or call on advisers. Recruiting personnel than any training program, ensured that the helps the agricultural leaders develop their PO had a true grasp of what was learned: In human resource management capabilities-an Zambia, CLUSA strengthened the technical area in which classical support organizations abilities of POs by running a crop year are still deficient. POs must be able to offer (preparation for the year, inputs, credit, and adequate salaries to attract the most marketing). Through progressive competent individuals. Access to expertise in involvement in the credit management and strategic areas (knowledge of markets, rural inputs distribution committees (Depots financing mechanisms, operation of aid Committees), the producers gradually took agencies) enables POs to improve their on operating responsibilities until they negotiating positions with the entities they became reliable participants in the products meet regularly (government, agro-industrial (sunflower, soy, pepper, sorghum) destined companies, and exporters). POs must be able for export markets (South Africa). to decide which studies they wish to conduct, Strengthening strategic capabilities is and recruit the people they choose to do the related to the development of human and work. financial resources within the PO. Aid agencies have an important Development of human resources responsibility in reinforcing the strategic (members and leaders). Increased schooling capabilities of POs. Governments are used to in rural areas and reforms in farmer education speaking on behalf of producers, so are undoubtedly key areas for the future of government or government-related POs. The importance of leaders, however, institutions are therefore probably not the has been recognized as a key issue for best choice to help strengthen POs to learn to development of POs. Although it is difficult to speak for themselves. Strengthening strategic define precisely what a leader is, the role is a capacity of POs should be done by vital one for any organization. Major institutions that provide guaranteed qualifications for leaders include independence from government or donors, competence, honesty, technical skills, ability have a reputation for quality work, and are to earn the trust of members, and knowing open and honest. Classical aid tools are often how to work on a team. not up to this challenge. The rigidity of public PO leaders need specific types of training aid procedures, usually subject to rigid because they are often seen as a threat to accountability and industrial country public political leaders when they express the views opinion, runs counter to the need for of their organizations. Training PO leaders flexibility and adaptability. There are some can be contracted to outside (non-PO) exceptions, however: the Swiss aid agency organizations, with the objective to enable PO monitored a number of farmer movements in leaders to design their own training western and central Africa. Other agencies programs. and negotiate their implementation such as the French development agency with foreign donors or, in certain cases, BA\CKGROLINMI Disci uSSIONS, AN) RFCo(MMEINDATI0NS 9 (AFD), the French Ministry of Foreign mobilized in C6te d'Ivoire through Affairs, and the World Bank are agreements between the producers and other experimenting with new forms of direct participants (processors and feed suppliers). support to POs. It remains to be seen whether Demanding self-financing of POs is not these agencies' procedures and tools are able realistic. A pragmatic approach would be to to adapt to the requirements of flexibility and identify participants concerned with the reactivity called for by direct partnership with broadening of PO capabilities. Political will is producer organizations. In C6te d'lvoire, vital in implementing financing mechanisms French cooperation provides ANOPACI that would sustain POs. In Mali, for example, (Association nationale des organisations the Niono service center is seeking to professionnelles agricoles de C6te d'Ivoire- negotiate a long-term loan with the Agriculture National Association of C6te d'lvoire Bank to strengthen managerial capabilities of Professional Agricultural Organizations) with the producer groups, and hence their capacity the means to organize training programs, and to repay loans and access others. mobilize expertise, without specifying in advance the content of the services. This Issues To Be Considered support enables the association to prepare effectively for negotiations and discussions PO communication programs. POs need to with partners, including government access strategic information if they are to represenitatives. grow and become more effective. Gathering and processing information requires skilled Increasing Financial Resolurces personnel. Independence of information is crucial, and POs should be supported to It is difficult for POs to mobilize internal develop their own communication program. financial resources, because the agricultural The experience of the Reseau agriculture sector is already heavily taxed to finance paysanne et modernisation/Afrique-APM government operations and development (Small-Scale Agriculture and Modernization programs. Member dues usually bring in Network/Africa) in this area is of interest. little, and profits from the PO's economic This network provides cotton-producing POs activities are limited due to increased market with strategic information, and assists them competition. Outside funding from aid in analyzing this information to improve their agencies is a major portion of a PO's financial capabilities. The international nature of this base, raising fundamental questions about the network also enables PO leaders to broaden durability of this situation and its ambiguous their horizon, to diversify their contacts, to nature. Increasingly, revenue-generating broaden their knowledge. and expand their alternatives are being sought by setting up alliances with other POs-all important mechanisms to mobilize negotiated sources ingredients for a sustainable increase in related to agricultural activities. Funding from strategic capabilities. fees charged to the sectors, or on lending PO development cannlot be done wvithout (STABEX type). are resources over which government. The willingness of government POs can legitimately claim control and, in to empower POs is essential. Long-term some cases, use to fund their activities. The development of producer organizations development of P09financial resources raises requires that governments be ready to share the qutestion of financing dev elopment of thle some of their prerogatives in the design and acgricultural sector, anizd the position? that implementation of rural development policy. prodlutcer organiiiztioni representativ'es slhoiuld Governments are the referees and need help play' A case in point is poultry farming funds (a) to define a legal enabling environment for 10 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS the development of POs; (b) to design releasetheaprioricontrolofthefinancialand macroeconomic and fiscal policy measures human resources channeled to POs. that will ensure sustainable development of PO financial resources; and (c) to ensure a Emnpowering POs: Some Suggestions balanced power relationship between POs and private companies. * Guarantee equal access to support to all POs must diversify their partnerships. A POs in a country, providing they meet the face-to-face relationship between a PO and a criteria for funding; support organization or an NGO places POs * Support existing POs providing they are in an unbalanced position. The diversity of legally registered, and have transparent partnerships (as in Senegal) can be an governing rules. procedures, accounting, opportunity for POs to be less dependent and and reporting systems; to affirm their own identity. * Accept PO limitations and diversity, It is vital to support POs and facilitate working with them at their pace; their participation in decisionmaking a Negotiate support to be provided, taking processes. Aid agencies often combine direct into account the PO's own agenda; support to POs with promotion of measures * Support POs in the activities that they to allow POs to participate in negotiations have chosen, according to their working and/or decisionmaking processes. Donor capacity. Project objectives should be agencies, primarily the World Bank, have a adjusted to PO capabilities and not the special responsibility in this area. The World opposite; Bank can facilitate the recognition of POs * Support should be guaranteed needed contribution in forums where rural independent from government or aid development policies, as well as agencies; macroeconomic and fiscal policies, are * Let POs decide which POs to support discussed. Decentralization, for example, is and what capacity to strengthen, on the an important change in the political landscape basis of procedures and criteria agreed of African countries. It will reshape the upon with governments and donors; distribution of local power and the place of appropriate mechanisms must be the POs in the local political arena. In developed as necessary: and Madagascar, the Southwest Project is a good * Ensure that POs are receiving support to example of combined actions that directly deliver the services for which they have strengthen the capabilities of POs (technical been created, while also ensuring some capabilities and representation through the support for general capacity building and Maison du Paysan), and foster dialogue and institutional development. consensus among government authorities, A tool to effectively empower POs is the private operators, and POs (the Regional demand-driven Fund. The demand-driven Development Committee). This project Fund lets POs define which activities to shows that achieving dialogue and consensus finance, choose the service providers, and at the local level is not an easy task. determine the timing and pace of New procurement and disbursement implementation. It allows POs to manage the procedures are needed. One of the challenges funds they have been granted. By is to allow POs to participate in negotiating implementing activities themselves, and being and decisionmaking processes without allowed to make mistakes, POs will interfering with their approach or their strengthen their own capacities. Demand- choices. Donor agencies must agree to driven funding, however, requires that donors, POs, and the government agree on BACKGROUND, DISCUSSIONS, AND RECoNIN1E\D \TIONS I I procedures and criteria for POs to access the keep a close check on the process to ensure funds. POs should not necessarily manage that all individuals and groups are kept the funds, but the decisions to allocate informed and participate actively. Existing funding should be theirs. The role of the elite groups may otherwise prevent the agency managing the funds should be strictly development of such counterbalancing to implement PO decisions. The criteria and checks. procedures should be public and ensure Stronger POs will likely result in a transparency in the way POs make decisions redistribution of power. Governments and to allocate funding, as well as in the way the civil servants are likely to resist the change, demand-driven fund is managed. Finally, will be afraid of losing control, their demand-driven funds should be extensively prerogatives, or even their jobs, because they advertised. through all possible will be unsure of what they will gain in the communication channels, to ensure that those process. Political parties and individuals will who have problems accessing the try to co-opt the process and use POs as a information, often the poorest, are aware of vehicle to promote their own cause. The the existence of the Fund. empowerment process may then be hijacked by hidden political objectives. Support to PO Risks and Problenis programs should involve a stakeholder analysis to identify potential opponents and POs may suffer from a lack of legitimacy of resistance, and the design of specific activities their leaders. The leaders may be out of touch to overcome those, creating as much as with members, and lack accountability to possible a win-win situation. their members. Although programs to Not all producers belong to an strengthen POs are intended to resolve these organization. Although organized producers problems, with access to funds PO leaders are not necessarily the wealthiest, supporting may act to the members' detriment. Thus only existing POs will by-pass the strengthening POs may result in giving more unorganized poor. They should be recognized power to already powerful local groups, or as a target group that needs specific support. individuals, who will capture the benefits of A professional private organization could be access to funds. A well designed used as an intermediary to help them get communication program should ensure organized, and to access the financial and openness of all groups. and should mitigate technical resources they need to pull against that risk. themselves out of poverty. Empowerment of POs through a Capacity building of producer learning-by-doing process may result in organizations is a slow and uneven process, misuse of funds. Appropriate ex post controls regulated by existing social behavior and and audits are required. In case of misuse of cultural norms, not by economic principles funds, the groups or individuals involved alone. Donors may get impatient and force should be immediately excluded from future the process artificially, resulting in access to finances. unsustainable growth. The empowerment of producer Outside pressures to form nationwide organizations often leads to a shift in the producer organizations tend to be a drag on existing power relationship, thereby creating the slow process of PO strengthening. counter forces in the society. Although Tugged in several directions, courted by counter forces have not yet been developed, some, and ignored or denigrated by others, there is a critical need for various nationwide POs have to expend considerable stakeholders (local institutions, donors) to energies to learn the complex interplay of 1 2 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS multiple dialogue frameworks, and other POs Changing to public/private institutions. reinforcement programs set up by aid Examples of such changes in status include: agencies, without consultation among Senegal's National Agricultural and Rural themselves. These tugs-of-war can weaken Advisory Council (Agence nationale de painfully acquired capacities. Aid agencies conseil agricole et rural), C6te d'lvoire's have a heavy responsibility. They should National Agency for Rural Development establish an ethical framework to support (Agence nationale de dieveloppement rural, POs with a view to empowering them. ANADER), C6te d'lvoire's National Center for Agronomic Research (Centre national de la recherche agronomique. CNRA), Togo's Partnership with Agricultural Services Institute of Agronomic Research (Institut togolais de recherche agronomique, ITRA), Changing the way research and extension and the National Institute of Agronomic institutions work with producers has been Research (INIA) in Uruguay. The fact that often done under pressure from increasingly direct users of research findings are in the well-organized producer organizations, and majority on executive boards enables them to questions raised by donor agencies. Changes ensure that research and extension work introduced by research and extension meets users' needs, via the institution's institutions have encouraged a greater program budget, that is voted on by the participation of producers in the functioning executive board. Once these institutions are of their institution. Some of these changes no longer public entities, personnel are: management arrangements that encourage a * Focusing programs on research and results-oriented and client-oriented culture, development or on production systems and reward top performance, can be more research; easily introduced. The shift in attitude on the * Introducing participatory diagnostic part of INIA researchers in Uruguay provides methods to identify real needs of a striking example. Until 1990, civil service producers; management arrangements prevailed in INIA, * Decentralizing of research and extension and researchers were not accountable to institutions; producers. Researchers now have grown * Establishing consultative forums attentive and responsive to producers' needs. between researchers, extension agents, Producers vote on a program budget and producerorganizations; and covering specific activities, and the * Providing incentives to encourage researchers report to them at the next session researchers to listen more carefully to of the Executive Board. producers and their organizations, and Separating research financing from respond promptly to their needs. research implementation. Various types of research Funds or Foundations have been Restructuring Research and Extension established in Latin America in particular, and to a lesser extent in Asia. They are now These changes were not enough for research starting to develop in sub-Saharan Africa as and extension institutions to be accountable well. The aims of these Funds include: (a) to producers for their results. Drastic targetting financing more precisely to meet institutional changes were needed to allow specific objectives: (b) promoting producers to be involved in managing collaboration among all national entities research and extension institutions, and in involved in research, thereby making formulating their program of work. optimum use of the country's human and BACIKGROLN'D. DIscuSSIONS, AND RLCONINSINDAT[ONS 1 3 physical resources; and (c) improving the in Guinea (Institltde recherche agronotniqlue quality of research by introducing de guine'e) and the Coffee Growers' competition and rigorous procedures for Federation of Guinea (Federationl des selecting research topics. Examples of funds planteurs de cafe); cooperation between the can be found in Latin America (the Federation of Unions of NAAM Groups Foundation for Agricultural Research (FIA) in (Federation des unions des groupemnents Chile. Brazil's PRODETAB (Project to NAAM) in Burkina Faso and the Institute for Support the Development of Agricultural the Environment and Agricultural Research Technology), the Agricultural Technology (Inistitlut de 1 environnernent et de recherches Fund (FPTA) in Uruguay, and the agricoles). which is financed in part by Competitive Fund in Ecuador). In Africa there NGOs and by the Federation itself. is Kenya's Agricultural Research Fund, and in POs receive funding, which they Asia, Indonesia's Competitive Fund. manage, from donors to allow them to Allowing POs to buy agriclultlurtal contract the services they need with research research or extensioni services. Mechanisms or extension institutions directly. Examples exist for POs to buy services through the are the National Federation of Coffee research or extension funds for users Growers in Colombia. a similar organization managed by public entities, NGOs, or by POs for tea growers in Kenya, Morocco's Citrus directly. Growers Cooperative, and the Fouta-Djalon The research funds for users managed Farmers' Federation (Fideration des paysans by public institutions or project teams are du Fouta-Djalon) in Guinea. often set up by donors as a way to ensure that the research or extension carried out reflects PO Initiatives actual demand. Mali's User Research Fund (Fonds de recherche des utilisateuirs), In certain situations, such as Costa Rica, managed by the National Agronomic research and extension institutions can no Research Committee (Comite national de la longer meet the needs of producers. Small rechzerclhe agroniomiquie), is one example. farmers do not get much attention from the Venezuela has a Fund to which users can research establishment, and therefore some apply to recruit agricultural experts to assist groups of farmers have demonstrated that with extension activities. PRONATTA, tlhey can do research and come up with Colombia's National Agricultural Technology results directly applicable to their lands. Many Transfer Program, which focuses on of these experiments have to do with natural research and development and technology resource management, soil fertility transfers, is a Fund best positioned to meet management. introduction of new varieties, user demand. Funding can be triggered either diversification, or integrated pest and disease when researchers submit research proposals, management. The diversity of their results, or more commonly when users prepare which are finely tuned to their situation, technical and financial requests seeking stands in contrast to the routine responses support for services (such as training, that researchers tend to offer. Farmers are extension activities, or research). and submit gaining experience and are becoming more them to PRONATTA, which then invites bids. professional. The users can be POs. rural communities. NGOs, or private entities. Lessons Learned Examples of research or extension funds managed by NGOs include cooperation A favorable policy enl'iron,nenr is between the Institute of Agronomic Research indtlispenisable. A definite prerequisite for 14 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS institutional reorganization is the withdrawal strengthen PO capacities is a priority to of the state from such activities, and the improve research and extension efficency. involvement of the private sector and civil Researchers are likely to be more society in the formulation of agricultural responsive to demands offarmers if research policy. Another essential factor is the isfinancedusingFunds. Thiswilldependon: willingness of governments to create a (1) the way in which the research topics that legislative framework favorable to the are to be subject to bidding processes are emergence and development of POs. selected; (2) the degree of autonomy existing Institutional commitments are also between the governing bodies and the necessary. Research or extension institutions research institutions: and (3) the effective should be committed to decentralization if participation by users in the governing bodies they wish to establish close links with users. and the independence of those bodies vis-a- Incentives in the evaluation and promotion of vis the research institutions. researchers should also take into account consultation mechanisms with POs, and the Other Issues adoption of participatory ways of developing technology. Not all POs possess a real capacity to Government controlled institutions often establish partnerships with research and do not work to the benefit of producers. As extension institutions. Real partnerships can long as the institutions responsible for exist only when they involve POs that are research and extension are government fully capable of maintaining a dialogue with controlled, it will be difficult to find ways to other partners. It is undeniable that the ability make research organizations accountable to of POs to articulate their wishes, conduct users for the results they produce. The negotiations, and mobilize the resources chronic financial instability of research necessary to establish partnerships depends institutions hinders the establishment of links directly on the strengthening of their with POs, as demonstrated in Central capacities. America. What institutional reorganization is needed to incorporate PO demands in Strengthening Technical Capacity research and extension activities? What should be done to ensure that researchers and Technical capacity of POs must be extension agents are accountable to strengthened to make them effective partners producers for the results they produce? One of research or extension institutions. The key solution is to steer institutions toward factor that enables institutional change to lead establishing joint public-sector and private- to effective partnerships is the existence of sector organizations, as in C6te d'Ivoire and farmers' organizations that are well Uruguay. What should be done in situations structured and empowered, offer real where it is not possible to call upon producers prospects to their members, and are capable to finance research through taxes or of negotiating with other partners, including parafiscal levies, or in which those taxes and research and extension. It is essential for POs levies cover only certain crops? PO leaders to develop their organizational and technical clearly stated that they did not request capacity if they are to establish partnerships privatizing public research and extension or act as effective members of executive institutions, but they want these institutions to boards, or finance directly research and work more for them. extension programs. Developing programs to Can the use of research funds similar to PRONATTA (Colombia) or the Users' BACKGROUN[). Disci;ssIo\s, A\D RFcoNNIE1NDATIONS 1 5 Research Fiund (Mali) provide an alternative member countries spend about US$50 to the appropriationi of resetarch institutions billion on public aid to developing by POs? Such a fund can allow organizations countries, of which US$5 billion goes for to contract with research and extension agriculture. At the same time, they spend services. Procedures to establish such funds US$360 billion annually to subsidize their should be made clear and shared among all own producers, which averages 37 percent stakeholders, membership of the governing of the farmer's income. By contrast, farmers bodies, selection criteria and procedures in developing countries are usually heavily applicable to projects, and training for POs. taxed to finance government operations, and If research anltd extension are not economic diversification. OECD countries, responsive to farmers' organizationis. what which cultivate 47 percent of the world's can be done? Should POs be supported to do arable land, and possess 4 percent of the their own research and disseminate their world's farmers, have a stake in the way findings? How reliable and replicable could agriculture develops, and their these be? When producers have gone as far interventions in this area are not impartial as they can, how can they be helped-in their (see Table 1). In addition, among the so- particular locations-to contact the most called "developing" regions, there are effective research service? Would they be highly diverse situations: able to use the "globalization" of research to * In Africa, the problem is first a general their best advantage, establishing one of economic take-off and of partnerships that transcend national emerging from a still largely subsistence- boundaries? oriented agriculture; In conclutsioni, whlen producers are well * In Latin America, average incomes are organiized anzd capable of dialoguing witlh much higher and the proportion of research and extension personnel, there is a farmers much smaller: the problem here dramatic improvement in the effectiveniess of is an intemal one of distribution of wealth research anid extentsion, and POs become the and access to international markets; first advocates to defend these inzstitutions. * In Asia, home to 71 percent of the world's farmers, the problem is mainly technical, due to the very high population Donors and POs: Lessons Learned density; and * Finally, in Eastern Europe, the main Each year, OECD (Organization for problem involves a transition from Economic Cooperation and Development) planned economies to a market economy. Table 1 The main regions of the world in the debate on agriculture Population as Agricultural population Cultivated area as percentage of total as percentage of the percentage of world- Region world population world's farmers wide cultivated area Sub-Saharan Africa 9 14 10 North Africa and Middle East 5 5 6 East Asia 31 41 12 South Asia 21 30 14 Latin America 8 5 11 Developing countries as a whole 76 96 53 Industrial countries as a whole 23 4 47 1 6 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Farmers in various parts of the world do Supply the tools and the opportunities to not necessarily share the same concerns. use them: What is needed is not just support These statistics also indicate that Asia was projects for POs, but also a place for POs in underrepresented at this workshop, even the day-to-day operation of development though it has the highest stakes in terms of work, contractually based responsibility for population. certain tasks, and flexible Funds that could The major support lent to POs is based respond to farmers' proposals. This would on three main themes: agriculture (or require a collective effort to think of ways to agroeconomics), rural development (which improve transparency and confidence in the more or less refers to "local development"), relationship between POs, government and farmer identity (a social and political officials, and development partners. concern). These themes have spurred Develop a fluid market for rural different types of approaches: development services: It is especially * Direct support to grassroots farmers' important to avoid creating a new rural organizations; development monopoly held by POs, as * Support to POs to help them gain a govemments and NGOs did before them, and foothold in the economic system; to avoid the proliferation of structures. Each * Support to POs to help them gain a organization must define clearly its objectives foothold in the political system; and and anticipated results, and evaluation must * Support for cooperation between be redirected in such a way as to make a farmers. greater allowance for the point of view of There was little discussion at this beneficiaries rather than of donors, so as to workshop on North-South cooperation from foster a more natural process of selection an economic standpoint, that is joint ventures amongst service providers. and other forms of interest-sharing that Support POs to resituate them in the surely deserve further exploration. changing context of agriculture in developing countries. The rural world's place in Guidelines for Donors economic and social development is undergoing rapid change, as is the From the various forms of support to POs, international environment. The rural milieu one recommendation emerged: support to itself is characterized by growing social POs is part of a "process-oriented" approach, differentiation. POs must be helped to and there are no recipes to be applied develop a strategic vision of their future in a unifornly in all circumstances. changing world, and to identify some long- The following could be considered as term priorities. guidelines: Do not apply western models to farmers' Improve the flow of information: POs organizations, since the historic and would benefit from receiving more useful economic context is radically different. POs information for their own decision-making in each country should instead be helped to processes (and not just information that find their own institutional solutions, thereby justifies interventions that have been strengthening their interactions with the proposed to them), and more information on various social groups in their countries (and development cooperation itself. It is also not just with their governments). Industrial important for POs themselves to be able to countries should, instead of exporting their contract for studies and surveys so that they models, reflect on the coherency of their can develop their own strategic positions. policies regarding development cooperation B ACKGROUIND, DIsCLIsIs(NS, \ND RECOMMEND.A[ IONS 1 7 (as well as on other matters such as trade and * The implementation of development the environment). programs (or components thereof) Seek a inilddle grounld benteen idealisin should be delegated to POs by means of and cvnicismii. One must not expect from POs contracts, in developing countries a perfection not of * Every project should contain some this world, otherwise disappointment can lead latitude for responding to farmers' to an excessively critical attitude in a few initiatives and, if possible, for developing years. Nor should one "use" POs just because funds that would be managed they are fashionable, and exhibit them at all autonomously by POs, especially in the the meetings without giving them the tools to areas of training, information, and make progress toward their own goals. In communication; this connection, it might be useful to draw up * Procedures for project submission and an "ethos" governing partnerships with POs. accounting for expenditures must be Itn short: restrainzt, patience, and sense of simplified for projects involving timing. The development of POs requires collaboration with POs; constant attention in the day-to-day work of * The proliferation of structures to the various participants in development. We accommodate multiple actors should be must once again show restraint and patience, avoided, in favor of information by offering POs as many opportunities as exchange and closer collaboration; and possible to assume responsibility at all levels, * The democratic workings of POs, and and to learn lessons in terms of action and the management of funds entrusted to organization, without forcing them to assume them, must be transparent to inspire responsibilities at any cost. We must also confidence, which will be the basis of allow the diverse personalities that lead POs further progress in streamlining the time to feel their way along, to make procedures. mistakes, to get to know each other, and finally to find their common path, as is already the case in several countries. Follow-Up Actions A strong consensus emerged on the following points: Three areas were suggested for potential * It is important to encourage the follow-up actions: (1) development of a emergence and strengthening of POs, but "Source Book" was seen as a concept to there are no magic solutions to identify. document, and share experiences, accomplish this. Pragmatism and good practices, and relevant information perseverance are called for; rather than necessarily a "hard copy" book; * Governments and their services must be (2) monitoring the World Bank portfolio with persuaded that the development of POs is respect to producer organization projects or not contrary to their interests, since POs components of larger projects; and (3) will have a hard time succeeding in the creating/strengthening demand at the country face of government opposition. Donor level. agencies can help get this message across. Handbook- * There is a need to promote the participation of POs in the design of There is a need for a "source book" to be an development and cooperation policies in information tool. A website should not be the areas relevant to them, and to mobilize only means to collect and disseminate the financial resources to facilitate their information. A newsletter is also important to participation: 1 8 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS maintain the momentum developed at this Producer organizations must have workshop. The content of the source book regular contact with the World Bank resident should include: (a) documentation of "good mission, not only to be linked to specific practices" and new innovative approaches; projects, but to be engaged in country (b) practical information relating to World assistance strategy. Producer Bank procedures and the evolution of the organizations, governments, and the World World Bank portfolio; (c) information and Bank could have a national agriculture contact data on other donor programs policy conference, once a year, allowing relevant to producer organizations; (d) a them to review the main trends of the "contact book" with a short description of agriculture sector. Such a conference organizations, addresses, and links to web would facilitate the consultation of pages if available. The workshop organization producer organizations for the committee should be the implementing group establishment of the Country Assistance to prepare the source book. The World Bank Strategy (CAS), which defines the areas in was recognized as the relevant institution to which the country and the World Bank have manage the project, in close cooperation with agreed to cooperate. IFAP. Monitoring the World Bank Portfolio A PO National Fund President Wolfensohn' s Welcoming Address There was a consensus to recommend the should be widely disseminated to World Bank establishment of a "PO National Fund," open staff, at headquarters and in resident to all POs. Such a fund should be made missions. His presentation will be posted on available not only at the national level, but also the website. at the local level, to be accessible to those The World Bank portfolio must be closely producer groups that are not yet organized at monitored with respect to support to farmers' a higher, national level POs should be able t organizations, as a follow-up of the decide on the allocation of the funds. The workshop. The suggestions made to do this, funding of PO proposals should be however, were diverse, probably because of a transparent, according to objective criteria. lack of knowledge of World Bank procedures. Donors would not be able to determine a The role of IFAP was strongly supported, priori what the funds would be used for although some concerns were expressed except in broad terms and through approving about a risk of a de facto monopoly on the criteria and procedures regulating access infouta rmatiskof and linkages. factomoto the Fund. These criteria would have to be information and linkages, jointly agreed upon between the donors, the Creating Demand at Country Level POs, and the government. Donors and the government, however, would be able to monitor the use of the Fund through regular There was strong recognition of the technical and financial audits. The World importance of the country level for Bank. however, has limited instruments to consolidation of the PO empowerment create a national Fund. It would be difficult process. The primary role of producer for the World Bank to create a Fund outside a organizations is at that level, whether it relates project. The two potential instruments are the to economic, market issues, or policy agricultural services projects and the dialogue. It is at the country level that project community-based rural development preparation and implementation are carried projects. It should be kept in mind that the out. BACKGROI. ND, DiscUSSIONS. AND RE\¶MENDATIONS 1 9 latter emphasizes decentralization and community-based organizations rather than POs. Reference Othlers Suggestionis Haubert. M., and M. Bey. 1995. Les paysans peuvent-ils nourrir le Tiers-Mode? (Can Two groups have underlined the importance Local Producers Feed The Third World?) of regional cooperation as an effective means Homme et Societe No. 21. Paris: to strengthen PO capacity at the national Publications de la Sorbonne. level. In the context of globalization, regional markets are a good start to understand and access the global market. Participants agreed that a sma]] group of the cosponsors (IFAP and the World Bank), and a few interested participants representing the various stakeholders of the workshop, should monitor the follow-up process in a transparent and proactive manner. The World Bank website was seen as an effective tool to do so, along with a newsletter. Issues Papers Empowering Producer Organizations: Issues, Goals, and Ambiguities Marie-Rose Mercoiret, Bara Goudiaby, Silvio Marzaroli, Diogou Fall, Samba Gueye, Jean Coulibaly O rganization is essential for family market and into society at large. or farming, and producers had orga- * A means of improving the relationships of nized themselves long before the rural societies with their environments advent of development institutions. Rural (market, society at large). societies still have forms of organization Thus, POs are (or would like to be) inherited from the past, and some are more intermediaries between the rural producers vibrant than others. Their purpose is to deal and the other stakeholders in their economic, with the many variables of farming life, to institutional, and political environment. They stabilize production conditions, and to are, in fact, "hybrid" structures governed, manage peak labor demands. These each in their own way, by two types of organizations were developed to "regulate the thinking and two "meaning systems." relationships" between their members, and to They are generally organized around two provide access to means of production (land types of issues: and water), the farming calendar, and farming First, creating/managing the services practices. Their purpose, an inward rather producers now need because of than an outward one, was to forestall and modernization in techniques (for resolve conflicts between members of the example, procurement of supplies and local society; depending on other forms of equipment, loans) and to their integration social control, the producer organizations are into the market (product marketing); and subject to the power relationships within that * Second, representing the producers and society. defending their interests with other Haubert and Bey (1995) emphasized the economic and institutional stakeholders, new producer organizations (POs) are of a and the government. "radically different nature." Their function is not to "regulate intemal relationships in the groups concerned ... " Their "essential Different Concepts of the Organization function is to organize relationships with the outside." They are interface structures The history of producer organizations- conceived as being: interfaces between the rural producers and * Either a means of facilitating/accelerating their environment-is as old as "development" the integration of rural dwellers into the itself.' For several decades, one development 20 EMPONVERING\ PRODUC ER ORGANIZATIONS: IssuEs. GOALS. AND AmIBi( ITIES 2 1 option after another (official and unofficial) eventually able to transfer time-consuming has promoted specific models of POs and resource-intensive functions to these (cooperatives, groups, and associations) associations (such as management of whose objectives and rules for joining and agricultural inputs and credit, and gathering operating were, and continue to be, based on statistical data). positions largely foreign to the societies The functional or instrumental concept concerned. of POs is dominant because most of the At least initially, these POs were players are institutional. It might be a slight conceived as taking over from outsiders, and exaggeration to suggest that the interest of as a means to achieve objectives often defined outsiders in POs depends on the comparative by the outsiders, often with little or no advantages they appear to have in attaining discussion with the people concerned. They objectives that, in the minds of the outsiders, were, on occasion, merely pipelines for are priorities. These advantages may be messages from the institutions. Such evaluated in terms of cost effectiveness (POs organizations can, however, have a broader can, in some cases, reduce "transaction role. They can be a means of reducing costs"), but also in terms of equity and tensions and contradictions generated by continuity of results obtained. In this regard, outside intervention in the social groups the increased interest that certain institutional concerned; although set up by outsiders, they players now have in POs, perceived as able to can also be a framework for dialogue between improve farming service performance, is part the representatives of the rural people and the of this thinking (see details below). development organizations. In other cases, the building of POs is There have been many POs of this type based on a different type of thinking. The (and in many cases they are still numerous). organization is (or tries to be) a response of They come under an organizational concept rural dwellers to disruptions in their called "functional" (Farrington 1994) or environment. The organization emerges from "instrumental." The organization is perceived the local society, at the initiative of specific as a tool for effecting change in family individuals. around technical, economic, production units, sending out messages from social, or cultural issues, and becomes development organizations, and accelerating structured around objectives that are more or the adoption of these messages by the less precisely defined. and a differently producers. constructed global or sectoral project. In A good example is the producer groups some ways, the organization is a reaction on set up in the cotton companies of French- the part of the entire rural society expressing speaking Africa. In Mali. in particular. village the wish of (minority) farmers to "have a associations were set up for primary cotton voice" (Hirschman 1995), take the initiative, marketing (self-managed markets). They and be recognized as full partners by the initially restored confidence between the others. cotton company and the producers. which was essential if cotton production was to work properly. As time passed, the resources Association Movement in West Africa generated by marketing enabled the associations to invest in the economic sector The following groups combine farmer and in general infrastructure, thus reducing support functions with the role of the tensions sometimes arising from the representing and defending the interests of social stratification encouraged by cotton such producers: The NAAM groups in growers. The cotton company was Burkina Faso, the federal Senegalese 2 2 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS associations within FONGS, CNCR, and the results, if only to strengthen their internal and Federation des unions de producteurs du external credibility, they establish partnership Benin, FUPRO (Federation of Producers' relationships with the outside stakeholders, Unions of Benin): anumberofLatinAmerican and as a result have to go along with the organizations (Comisi6n Nacional de models promoted by the dominant players. Fomeento Rural [National Rural Development They therefore become "instrumentalized" in Commission] in Uruguay, UNORCA in arrangements into which they are forced by Mexico, CONAIE in Ecuador, CONTAG and the need to access resources, or their leaders association umbrella organizations in Brazil. exhibit the same behaviors toward the and many others) combine farmer support members that they criticized in outside functions with the function of representing agencies. and defending the interests of such producers. The distinction between the two types of Institutional Stakeholders and POs organizations is far from clear. Organizations promoted from the outside, with an The renewed attention being paid today to "instrumental" approach, gradually acquire POs by institutional stakeholders is based on knowledge, know-how, and tools many factors, often in combination, and is encouraging their independence from their not entirely unambiguous: guardians. The producer organization is sometimes Thus, the Syndicat des producteurs de perceived as a substitute to which donors coton et de vivriers, SYCOV (Union of often turn because the others (public or Cotton and Food Crop Producers ) in Mali is parapublic services, and private the "unexpected product" of the activities of economic operators) have not come up the Compagnie malienne de de'veloppement to their expectations. It may therefore des textiles, CMDT (Mali Textile seem essential to rely on POs to fill the Development Company), supporting the gaps created by disengagement of the village associations it promoted. Literacy State, when the commercial private programs in villages and training of certain sector is slow to take over (for example, producers to carry out specific tasks have for unprofitable functions, when the given some farmers knowledge and skills that market is irregular and unprofitable, and some of them (once again, initially a minority) in areas with low agrogeologic potential). were willing to use beyond the framework POs can then lose their attraction quite initially envisaged. rapidly and be passed over for others "Know-how has led to the whys and such as individual entrepreneurs wherefores" according to the first president (retrained farmers or new rural dwellers, of SYCOV, with village associations evolving for example). from an instrument of technical and * In certain cases, the institutional economic modernization into a federation stakeholders resort to POs by default structure. This "union" represents producers because there is nothing else. This is the under a performance contract, signed by the case, for example, with management of government and the cotton company. natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa Organizations reflecting the producers' where government agencies have proved desire to assert themselves as development ineffective in this area. New groups, stakeholders sometimes find it difficult to however, have appeared resulting from draft original proposals to do the negotiation. administrative decentralization and Because they are anxious to achieve concrete planned land reforms (privatization) in EMPOwFRING PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS: ISSUES. GOALS, AND AMBIGUITIES 23 some African countries, and may take * It is not impossible that a concern for over the functions of some organizations consistenccy vith the democratic project, specializing in this sector. promoted by a number of funding * As in the past, POs remain attractive as sources, will lead the latter to support facilitators and accelerators of technical producer organizations as well: Anyone and economic change in rural areas. The promoting political openness can many changes that have come about scarcely deny the producers an increased (disengagement by the State, participation in discussions and liberalization, and globalization of trade decisionmaking in the economic life of patterns) make it urgently necessary to the country. Moreover, in many countries adapt the family farm to the economic where there is a substantial rural situation that has become more complex, population, a "civil society" that, one less stable, and more competitive. The hopes, will emerge and consolidate, is effects of structural adjustments have difficult to imagine without POs often hit the most vulnerable social and structured on various geographic and occupational groups hardest; poverty has decision levels-especially since they can increased, particularly in rural areas, and be counterweights to a state that is standard of living has declined overall. supposed to be simplifying and Fearing that the credibility of the neo- refocusing government functions. liberal model on which these reforms * The recent interest of certain institutional were based would be lost or questioned. stakeholders in POs is also linked to the many institutions are investing in (re)discovery of the importance of production relaunch programs. from stakeholder networks, and the role of which they expect swift and significant institutional deptlh in managing the results. Some POs can then appear to be opportunities and economic constraints preferred, especially if they are specific to each period. Partially in structured around subsectors (cotton. agreement with Crozier and Friedberg cocoa, but also truck farming. fishing, (1977), who demonstrated that "the and other activities). ability of any group of human beings to = Recourse to POs may also be perceived change is determined by its wealth and as a means of effecting institutional surpluses-not in the material sense, but reforns. Thus, in order for farm agencies relational and institutional wealth," the (research, dissemination, farmer term "social capital" returns in full force advisory services) to adapt to the to the debate on economic development. demands of their "customers," it is It accentuates the importance of "the essential for the "customers" to be able to glue that holds societies together ..." express themselves and be heard. This (Serageldin and Grootaert 1997): "the may lead to the creation of specific social capital enhances the benefits of organizations (for example, a farmer investments in physical and human spokesperson has been added to research capital"; "in other words, it is not just an in Mali through user committees). It may input into the production function but, also give rise to partnerships between like technology, a shift factor (or rehabilitated agricultural departments and exponent) of the entire production existing POs (for example, projects function ..." according to Serageldin and supported by the World Bank in Senegal, Grootaert (1997). These authors chose Mali, and Guinea). an "integrative definition" of "social capital" that covers the various 24 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS definitions above. It includes "horizontal want to be considered full partners by the associations" (networks of civic institutional and political participants, and engagement and social norms) that it becomes difficult to disregard or facilitate coordination between members, bypass them. but also includes "vertical organizations such as companies." In its most general In many cases, POs are claiming, and definition, it also includes "formalized rightly so, support for performing what institutional relationships" such as they consider is their role at the local level, governments. They also agree with the national level (as in the case of CNCR in North (1990) by pointing out that Senegal and AOPP in Mali), and the "institutions and other forms of social subregional level (for example the capital as well as public policies Coordinadora de Productores Fainiliares determine the "returns" that a country [Coordinator of Family Producer may get back from its other forms of Organizations] of MERCOSUR or the Plate- capital." forme des organisations pavsannes d'Afrique Hence, the reasons why institutional de l'Ouest et du Centre [Platform for stakeholders become interested in POs are Producer Organizations of West and Central many and diverse. In all cases, the role Africa]). These are recent highly positive expected of organizations is accompanied by developments, particularly in Africa, although the need of the producers in the organization they are taking place at different rates in (leaders and members) to acquire new different countries and regions, and in some resources: the general and specific skills cases are still emerging. required to perform the functions and tasks Defining the role of POs in producer expected of them, and material and financial support mechanisms is an important issue for resources, and definition of decisionmaking the future of farming families. Institutional mechanisms and appropriate types of action. restructuring, however, does not take place Outside support obviously becomes all by itself. A new sharing of functions necessary to set up information systems, between the organized producers and the technical and/or management training, to set other partners assumes that there will be new up funding mechanisms to support local working arrangements, new relationships initiatives, and institutional support. between the partners, and a new sharing of responsibility and power. New Issues * A second important issue is the formation of contractual links between rural As part of this brief review that helps explain producers and other economic and the reasons for the renewed interest in POs institutional partners. Disengagement of by institutional stakeholders, it is appropriate the state brings about gradual to look at the three issues underlying the disappearance of hierarchical current debate on the position and role of POs coordination which, in many cases, was in support mechanisms for family farms. provided by government agencies, so new forms of coordination must be The first issue to note is that, in many created. Promotion of farming in a countries, POs want to be stakeholders liberalized economy-and sometimes its when decisions about their support very survival-islinkedtothedefinitionof programs are made. They are stepping new methods of economic and social forward as active participants. They regulation, whether sectoral or territorial EMPOWFRING PRODUICFR ORCGANI7ATIONS: ISSUPIS, Go(ALS, AND AOBIGCLITIFS 25 methods on a local, regional, or the responsibi]ity of farmers a]one, and must international level. All the participants involve society as a whole. However, have an interest in negotiating experience in industrial countries (such as institutionialized comnpromises to govern France and The Netherlands) has shown the their relationships in the long term. usefulness (and limitations) of a strong alliance between government and farmers to These compromises may involve a large define the agricultural plan. and how it is to be number of areas: setting up a procurement implemented. and to assume jointly the service for inputs or a product marketing consequences of the inevitable and often mechanism: setting up and managing new painful restructuring of the social plan. financing systems; structuring a production/ POs can validly participate in this debate conversion facility (between sectors); only if they are able to map out and negotiate creating and implementing a local their own strategic plan. If they do not development plan; or defining public participate, they can only amend the agricultural policies negotiated between the proposals made to them, and they may partners. become the involuntary instruments of The compromises negotiated can be strategies that are at odds with their medium productive and durable only if the various and long-term interests. parties concerned derive mutual benefits Tlhese thlree issutes (defining the place and from them, and believe them to be at least role of POs in producer support mechanisms, acceptable if not satisfactory. creating new forms of coordination between This is not a given: Producers are not partners and new types of regulation, and always well disposed, and negotiations often envisioning the future of farming in a take place in a political and legal context that liberalized and globalized economy) all come is unfavorable for the producers. back to setting up new relationships based on partnership, collaboration, and negotiation A third issue is participation of rural of contracts and compromises. dwellers in thinking ahead to the place Good intentions aside, in practice there and role of agriculture in a liberalized and are conflicts of interest, and entrenched globalized economy. They must power structures are jeopardized. participate in defining new agricultural Supporting POs means an often arduous policies, for the longer term, define new process of consensus and negotiation. The technical models, redefine the position of first task is to reduce the asymmnetries agriculture in the economy and land use characterizing the relationships between planning. define the new functions that those concerned in many current agriculture can and must assume in "partnerships," that often place POs in an society, and combat marginalization and unfavorable position relative to other exclusion. These are the challenges that economic and institutional players: societies must face. The responses reside inequalities in access to information, in the definition of long-term orientations expertise (ability to size up a situation and concerning all the stakeholders, including make a proposal), but also asymmetries in the producers and rural dwellers. control of material and financial resources, and access to political decisionmakers. The The definition of strategic orientations to unfavorable position that POs generally articulate the various levels at which farming occupy in the many relationships they form, activities are organized and to make decisions and the resulting ease with which the (from the local to the intemational level) is not dominant partners can put through their 26 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS proposals, are likely to end in deep way in which they are implemented through disappointment for all parties concerned, negotiation. leading to: erosion of the organization's Finally, POs will be better prepared to membership base when the members no negotiate with others if they have a long-term longer recognize the objectives adopted by plan (technical, economic, social, and their leaders; opportunistic behaviors; cultural) matched to the new challenges attempts to divert the relationship to the confronting family farms, and in which their benefit of implicit objectives; mutual loss of members recognize each other. Indeed, the confidence; and loss of credibility in role of POs cannot be confined to contractual relationships. "managing" situations created by farm policy If they are to participate convincingly in decisions that are largely taken without their negotiating and setting up contractual input, and cannot be reduced to making minor decisions, it is essential for POs to be able to adjustments to company reforms with the boost their "strategic capacities" (ability to ups and downs of the business cycle. make proposals and negotiate) and their Preparation of such a plan by POs means technical action capacities. that their strategic abilities and supports must The next step will be to set up be strengthened: frameworks of collaboration that are * To understand the changes that operate in transparent and equitable, and ensure that the an environment that has become more decisions taken are applied in a negotiated complex, more unstable, and more fashion. competitive; Logically, governments should ensure 0 To characterize new constraints and that there is a balance in negotiations between identify new opportunities; and the partners concerned within * To build alliances and partnerships. institutionalized collaborative structures. This Developing this plan also assumes that the may be problematic, however, in certain leaders of POs remain attentive to the countries where the government has largely expectations of their members, and that they lost control, and may appear to be serving have the power to mobilize them. In some private rather than public interests. cases, these leaders are strongly pulled by the Recognition of the important role government outside world: the many demands on them has to play reveals the need to pay special and their legitimate desire to have a voice in attention to political options, and the ways in the discussions and decisions that concern which government carries out its them may stretch the bonds between the top responsibilities. and bottom of the organization. If the Support for POs should therefore aim at organization's problems of internal fostering their ability to influence political communication are not solved, it may lose its decisionmaking (centrally and within legitimacy in the eyes of its members. This decentralized public organizations). This affects its ability to mobilize and act, and may empowerment of POs may favor government discredit it in the eyes of the outside world. intervention to correct the "failures of the Methodological and financial support in the marketplace" (public property, externalities, running of the organization is therefore economies of scale, moral hazards). It can essential. also contribute to company reforms being This is all the more necessary because based on an actual "state of things as they POs invariably stem from the energies of are," debated and validated by the parties certain individuals who, to begin with, are in a concerned, and to their orientations and the minority in the local society. Their ability to broaden the membership base is linked to the ENiPowERING PRODUIER ORG ANI7 ZAIONS: ISStLES, G(ALS. SNI) AMBIGUITIES 2 7 identification of incentives, and their ski]l in which will largely depend on the way in translating general objectives into operating which it is provided. There must be clear programs, and implementing them. recognition of POs as stakeholders, and the In many cases, however. the driving inclusion of support is essential. The goals force is a union of groups. masking the and content of this support must also be diversity of agricultural situations and negotiated with the POs. There is a risk that producer strategies as well as diverging support aimed at strengthening POs will, in interests, the power relationships, and fact, divert them from their own objectives. contradictions within the local society. It is turning them into instruments of objectives essential, however, for the POs to take these defined elsewhere. into account when making their choices. This is always a difficult issue for the leaders of POs: although it is not up to the outside Note agencies to open the discussion, they can help to clarify it. 1. "Development" is understood here as setting up a specific mechanism to direct and speed up technical and economic change in Conclusions family production units and rural societies. Producer organizations are today in a building or rebuilding phase. They legitimately claim Selected Bibliography stakeholder status but usually do not have the means fully to play the role they claim. They Bingen, J., D. Carney. and E. Dembele. 1996. do not match the projections the development The Malian Union of Cotton and Food agencies make of them, and they do not find Crop Producers: Its Current and Potential the support they are entitled to expect from Role in Technology Development and these agencies. Transfer. In: Agricultural Research and The building of balanced technical, Extension Network. London: ODI. 31 p. economic, and political partnerships is Bosc, P.M., C. Darde, M.R. Mercoiret. J. therefore a central challenge at the present Berthome, and B. Goudiaby. 1995. time, and this building is a "process" that Organisations socio-prolessionnelles: cannot be reduced simply to setting up innolvations organisationnelles et 'standardized procedures." It involves a institutionnelIes et strategies des acteurs. learning curve on both sides (inevitably with Le cas du de,partement de Bignona au some stumbling along the way) and Se'negal [Socioprofessional Organizations: continuing adjustment of the power Organizational and Institutional relationships between the participants. Innovations and Stakeholder Strategies. With their limited human, material, and The case of the Bignona Department in financial resources, POs cannot meet the Senegal]. In: Chauveau J.P., and J.M. Yung technical, economic, social, and political (eds.) Innovation et societe's. Quelles challenges faced by rural dwellers. Alliances agricultures? Quelles innovations? and partnerships are necessary, and so are ["Innovation and Societies. What support and assistance in forging these Agricultures? What Innovations?] Volume alliances and building these partnerships. TI. Les diversites de l'innovation [Volume This support calls for substantial II: Diversity in Innovation]. Actes du l4emne investment, the duration and effectiveness of Seminaire d'Economnie Rurale [Proceedings of the 14th Seminar on Rural 28 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Economics]; 1993/09/13-16; Montpellier. Mercoiret, M.R., P. Vuarin, J. Berthome, D. CIRAD, INRA, ORSTOM, p. 63-75. Gentil, and P.M. Bosc. 1997. Etats Crozier M., and E. Friedberg. 1977. L'acteur et de'sengage's, paysans engages. le systeme. Les contraintes de l'action Perspectives et nouveaux roles des collective [The Stakeholder and the organisations paysannes en Afrique et en System. The Constraints of Collective Ame'rique Latine [Disengaged Action.] Paris: Le Seuil, 500 p. Governments, Engaged Producers. Farrington, J. 1994. Farmers' Participation in Prospects and New roles for Producers' Agricultural Research and Extension: Organizations in Africa and Latin America]. Lessons from the Last Decade (draft). International workshop; 1995/03/20-25; London: ODI. Meze. Paris: FPH, 189 p. (Working papers Haubert M., and M. Bey. 1995. Les pavsans for discussion). peuvent-ils nourrir le Tiers-Monde? [Can Merrill-Sands, D., and M.H. Collion. 1993. Local Producers Feed the Third World?] Making the Farmers' Voice Count in Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne, 268 p. Agricultural Research. Quarterly Journal of (Homme et Societe', No. 21) International Agriculture, 32 (3). 260-79. Hirschman, A.O. 1995. Defection et prise de North, D.C. 1990. Institutions, Institutional parole. The'orie et applications [Defecting Clhange and Economic Performance. New and Becoming a Spokesman. Theory and York: Cambridge University Press, 152 p. Applications]. Paris: Fayard, 213 p. (Political Economy of Institutions and Jacob, J.P., and Ph. Lavigne Delville. (under the Decisions Series). direction of) 1994. Les associations Serageldin I., and C. Grootaert. 1997. Defining paysannes en Afrique. Organisation et Social Capital: An Integrating View in dynamiques [Producers' Associations in Evaluation and Development, the Africa. Organization and Dynamics]. Paris: Institutional Dimension. The World Bank. APAD, KARTHALA, 307 p. What Services Should be Supported in the POs and Under What Conditions? Pierre Lessard T he ultimate objective of strategies for responsibility for development to the strengthening producer organizations local level, under the assumption that (POs). from an organizational point of there will be increased participation by view. is to make them capable of analyzing civil society and political and their own needs, formulating their requests in administrative bodies. POs are now, and realistic and operational terms, and will increasingly be, called upon to play negotiating with government agencies and an active role in the various consultative others. Once the POs have reached this stage, bodies established at the community and they are themselves capable of managing the regional level, as well as nationwide. process of adapting their enterprises to To meet these new challenges, the POs whatever needs arise. should increase their capacity to provide the Strategies for the organizational following three services: strengthening of POs have to be implemented * Training their members/producers, in the following two sets of circumstances: * Designing and implementing strategic * Through privatization and economic planning for their activities- and liberalization policies, governments are * Interfacing with applied research refocusing their roles and responsibilities specialists. on the establishment and management of a framework that will be favorable to the development of the private sector. POs Training Members/Producers are now operating in an environment in which new socioeconomic spaces are Because POs must gradually increase their opening up for them. As a result. some of absorptive capacity to fulfill their future role, the responsibilities that historically had any strategy for strengthening these been carried out by the state are being organizations should take advantage of their transferred to these organizations. organizational potential, and develop it, The * In a process frequently associated with main parameters that allow for such potential political democratization, the state is to be developed are as follows (they occur in decentralizing its system of govemance. varying degrees from one organization to The overall strategy is to devolve 29 3 0 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS another, and are presented here in order of markets or acquiring shares of existing their importance): markets. * The presence of a leader who is capable of sharing information, rallying the members to the organization's objectives, The following are the main areas of inspiring confidence, explaining how the training that an organization seeking to PO operates, and taking decisions that become more viable should develop and will be shared in by the majority of provide for its members/producers, its members: representatives, and its staff: * A genuine capacity for overcoming crises Management, with respect to the and difficulties; organization's finances, administration, * Cohesion among the membership, and/or its main economic activities: reflected in: (1) a community of interests Operation of the organization; and (clearly perceived by the members) with * Methods of production and/or respect to financial and, to a lesser processing. degree, organizational matters; and (2) a capacity to mobilize in defense of their interests and to solve problems; Strategic Planning * The existence within the organization of efficient communications (formal and/or The long-term survival of POs also depends informal), so that information circulates on their ability to analyze their environment in freelyatalllevels; strategic terms. They should, therefore, * An appropriate system of financing, develop a grasp of their role and position mainly reflected in the organization's level within their subsector, and the status of their of assets, access to credit, and solvency, competitors, and have a thorough as judged by financial institutions; understanding of the markets for their * Expertise with management functions products and services. and tools; a transparent and efficient system of accounting; standard documents or mechanisms for planning Interfacing with Applied Research the organization's activities; documented Specialists records of the proceedings of its management and/or coordinating bodies: The development, sustainability, and written or oral descriptions of the staff's profitability of PO activities depend, among responsibilities that are thoroughly other things, on an ability to find and apply understood by the officers of the technical solutions to their production and organization; processing problems. POs should establish * The existence of a suitable marketing close relationships with organizations strategy, mainly reflected in up-to-date specializing in applied research. Efficient knowledge of the state of competition and interfacing between the POs and these the opportunities offered by the market, in organizations depends, above all, on the contracts or agreements with clients, in the following factors: ability to place products in profitable * The credibility of the PO with its niche markets, in a thorough knowledge members and the research specialists; of costs and of net margins, and in * The legitimacy of the PO in the eyes of specific action for developing new those producers concerned with technical innovations; and 31 The capacity of the PO to clearly These organizations will be better articulate problems relating to fields of positioned to serve as actors in local research, for testing solutions, and for development (the concept of "social capital" implementing changes. underlies the role of "actor in local development" that the POs will increasingly be called upon to play) for the following Conclusion reasons: * Their participation in local political, Which of the main services of a PO should be administrative, and/or civil bodies strengthened depends on the organization's concerned with establishing priorities for potential and/olr real absorptive capacity to necessary social and local-community integrate innovations in a sustainable manner, investments; without compromising its medium-term * Theirparticipationinregionalornational profitability. The issue is professionalism, that political, administrative, and/or civil is, the process of ceasing to be a "farmer" and bodies, making it possible, among other becoming a "producer." things, to further the process of social In our view, the organizations that show and economic change in the communities such potential are essentially economic, and where they are active; have the following characteristics: * Their ability to inject income into their * They operate in sectors where demand localities; and will be buoyant over the medium term * Their capacity for placing their (providing for financial and economic relationships with local government viability), bodies (traditional foci of power), i They possess a social credibility, based producers, and financial and business on their recognized legitimacy; and interests in the private sector on a * They possess a real or potential professional footing. organizational viability. Can Producer Organizations be Strengthened by Provision of Funding and Human Resources? Denis Pesche Producer Organizations (POs) combine de la zone des savannes de C6te two types of functions: d'Ivoire,URECOS-CI (Regional Union of They represent the interests of a given Cooperatives in the C6te d'lvoire savannah socialgroup,oftenintheformofaunion. zone) also shows that an organization The PO mediates between the farmer essentially structured around an economic group represented and other stakeholders activity (cotton production) was also engaged surrounding the producers (government, in union-type activities for the benefit of its merchants, service providers, and members by investing in the cotton company. others); and In general, for either type of PO, the *Thev provide services to the PO outside agents act by reinforcing technical members. These may be provided by the and strategic capabilities. PO itself or by outside institutions, in Technical capabilities means a set of which case the PO tries to ensure the skills necessary to conduct the activities quality and relevance of these services to undertaken by the PO, or to monitor activities its members. entrusted to outside organizations. The Usually POs combine these two general technical capabilities of a PO, for example in functions, but current economic and political production and marketing, would require it to developments tend to push the POs into manage the conception, conduct, evaluation, specialization. Those providing outside and monitoring either internally or with a support sometimes try to separate these two partner institution. Technical capabilities are functions, although the main issue seems to usually acquired through classical training be how better to articulate them (without the programs, but are actually part of the assets same organization necessarily playing both of the PO when those who have acquired roles). To protect and serve their them are able to put them into practice, and/ presentation interests, farmers are often or have developed exchanges with others required to be involved in several doing the same (learning process). organizations that look out for their Strategic capabilities means the skills economic viability as a producer. but also that enable a PO to define its strategy, taking their interests as residents of an area and into account its immediate and remote citizens of a country. The example of the environment, the aspirations of its members, Union regionale des entreprises cooperatives and the various constraints and opportunities 32 CAN PRODUJCER ORGANIZATIONS BE STRENGTHENED 3 3 it identifies. This type of ability is rarely How Are POs to be Supported? acquired by classical training. but rather through travel, personal contacts, and Strengthening Technical Capabilities specific experiences. These strategic abilities are intimately entwined with the personalities This is often done as part of typical rural of the PO leaders, and their ability to maintain development activities, generally consisting a common focus and vision within the PO, of education in literacy and the well-known mold its identity. and mobilize the human areas of accounting and basic activities resources needed for its activities. It also management. There are various participants includes the ability to organize, and make the (typical project, NGO, government organization run efficiently, with outside help department) and the mechanisms chosen may ranging from standard approaches that favor vary: instruction in a center, on-site training, classical organizational models (association/ producer exchanges, and consulting. The cooperation) to more complex approaches weaknesses most often noted are that the that offer leaders the tools to run their technical abilities acquired are often difficult organization: general management skills, to maintain or develop within the PO. They human resources management, and strategic become the pretext for new invitations to bid development. on training programs that tend to perpetuate Both sets of capabilities are important. the institutional structure of outside agents. and are usually combined within one PO. The They often reveal the difficulties these agents distinction is made simply to pinpoint the type have in understanding the actual expectations of outside support offered. of the PO, developing follow-up, and Before looking at the question of how adapting the instructional content and POs should be supported and strengthened by methods to the rapid changes under way in provision of human and funding resources, it rural societies of developing countries. It is is necessary to make these concepts clear, not probably necessary to switch the relationship forgetting the fundamental question: who can between the PO and the supporting institution support POs? There is no standard answer, from "supporter-supported" (donor- but the legitimacy of outside support may be receiver), to a kind of follow-through in greater in the area of strengthening the which the outside institution makes the most technical capabilities than strategic of the PO's potential and know-how. capabilities, which are more difficult to tackle. The experience of the FONGS training Increasing the technical abilities of a PO programn in Senegal (identification of requires the outside agent to have recognized knowledge within the POs anld exchanlge an1d types of expertise. It requires not only visiting programs) shows the importanice of recognized expertise and professional human resources within the PO, often experience, but also ethics (confidentiality and overlooked bv outside organizations. respect), and a relationship of trust that Innovations in strengthening technical current aid mechanisms do not always capabilities appear linked to the type of encourage: for example, the bidding institultionial m7ecChanism? set up. and the procedures force operators to compete for methods used than to the content itself: markets, to the detriment of reflections on the In Mali, two programs involving the ethics of intervention to strengthen social Institut de recherches et d'application de movements. methodes de dcveloppement, IRAM (Institute for Research and Iinplementtationt of Development Methods) set up independenzt service centers controlled by the producers, 3 4 AGRICRLW I TURAL. PRODUCER ORGANI/ATIONS which provided quality services in the PO. There is a great deal of discussion accountinig, management consulting, and about training farmer leaders, monitoring legal and financial advice (support in strategic functions. and planning, but reconciling PO accounts). The approach concrete actions are few and far between. adopted was to set up progressive technical This is the central issue of the relevance of and financial conditions for operating service outside support in this area, which all too centers in the long term: specific expertise often comes down to contracting with a brought in under contract by the POs, and foreign organization to train producer leaders. searches for financial partnerships with The major goal, however, is to enable the PO banking institutions and other operators to design its own training programs, and involved locally (see earlier). negotiate their implementation with foreign Better than any training program, the donors or, in certain cases, implement them leaming processes and scenarios also ensure themselves. As well as standard training that the PO has a true grasp of what it has programs, farmer exchanges and learned: participation in outside seminars are learning In Zambia, CLUSA strengthened the opportunities for leaders. technical abilities of POs by running a crop Once it reaches a certain volume of year (preparationfor the year, inputs, credit, activity, the PO also needs to recruit and marketing). Through progressive personnel or call on ad hoc experts. involvement in the credit management and Recruiting PO personnel helps agricultural inputs distribution committees (Banking leaders boost their human resource Committees), the producers gradually took management capabilities, an area in which on operating responsibilities until they typical support organizations are still became reliable participants in the product deficient. The need to offer sufficient salaries sectors concerned (sunflower, soy, peppers, to these PO managers has been emphasized. sorghum) destined for most export markets Using specific expertise in strategic areas (South Africa). The producers gradually (knowledge of markets, rural financing tried, assisted by the CLUSA team, mechanisms, operation of aid agencies) negotiating with their technical partners enables POs to improve their negotiating (vendors and credit institutions) and trading positions with the entities they meet regularly partners (purchasers of agricultural products (government, agroindustrial companies, and (see earlier). exporters). Probably more than for technical capabilities, success in this type of consulting Strengthening Strategic Capabilities is based on real learning and actual scenarios. Foreign expertise should also be truly The strategic capabilities of a PO are based independent, which is not often possible with on two elements: human resources and the typical structure in which the donors funding. choose the experts provided to the PO. The POs must be able to decide which studies Human resources. The most important they wish to conduct, and place them with groups are the members and leaders of the persons they select. PO. Basic training of PO members is The aid agencies have an important recognized as essential, but it is often too responsibility in this area of reinforcing expensive for the PO. Increased education in strategic capabilities: in many developing rural areas and reforms in farmer education countries, aid agencies are the key players in are undoubtedly key areas for the future of the definition and implementation of agricultural policy. This responsibility does CAN PRODLICER ORGANIZATIONS BE STRENGTHENED 3 5 not necessarily mean that they have to engage negotiations and discussions it will have to in direct action to support POs. They should conduct with government representatives. also foster an environment conducive to ANOPACI is progressively becoming a malor development of strategic capabilities on the player in the Ivorian agricultural context. The part of the PO. Only when the PO has a main donors (European Union, World Bank, handle on strategic capabilities can it take its and AFD) have recognized the important role place in a newly forming civil society, and of an association such as ANOPACI to serve meet the aspirations of the groups in that the interests of farmers in the currently society through political channels. unsettled context of the agricultural sector. Because the government is usually the main voice for a PO that has reached a certain Funding. Many participants recognized size, the government should probably not be the difficulty POs have to mobilize internal the entity that strengthens the strategic financial resources. Member dues usually capabilities of the PO. The mechanisms in bring in little money, and profits from the place should guarantee the independence. PO's economic activity are limited due to quality, and minimum confidentiality required increased market competition. Outside for this type of support. Do the typical aid funding from aid agencies is often a major tools match this challenge? The rigidity of aid portion of a PO's financial base, but this procedures, usually subject to public aid raises fundamental questions about the accountability as far as public opinion in durability of the situation and its ambiguous donor countries is concerned, runs counter to nature. Can a PO that is heavily dependent on the need for flexibility and adaptability in outside funding legitimately claim to be reinforcing strategic capabilities. There are a independent? Alternatives are increasingly few exceptions: Swiss officials monitored a being sought by setting up mechanisms to number of farmer movements over a long mobilize negotiated sources stemming from period in western and central Africa. Other agricultural activities. Funding from fees agencies such as the French Development charged to the sectors or on lending Agency (AFD), the French Ministry of (STABEX type) are resources over which the Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank are PO can legitimately claim control and, in experimenting with forms of direct support to some cases, use directly to fund its activities. POs. It remains to be seen whether these This type of mechanism poses the more agencies' procedures and tools are able to general question of funding agriculture, and adapt to the requirements of flexibility and the position that farmer representatives reactivity called for by direct partnership with should occupy in this area. an organization. This is the case. firr example. for poultry In Cote d 'Ihoire, French cooperation farming funds mobilized in C6te d 'Ivoire supports ANOPACI (Association nationale tlhrouglh agreements between the producers des organisations professionnelles agricoles and othler participants (processors and feed de Cote d7Iwoire-National Association of suppliers). Inter-sector frameworks need to C6te d'lvoire Professional Agricultutral be set up. and their durability depends largely Organizations). which is made u/p of ten on the will of government authorities. It is often ntational farmer federationls. It provides the results of lobbying that indirectly enable this ANOPACI with the means to organize training very lobbying activity to be financed. programs and mobilize expertise, without Analyses calling for self-financing of the specifying in advance the precise content of PO do not appear to be realistic. The the services. This support enables the pragmatic approach would be to try to association to prepare more effectively for the identify the participants truly concerned with 3 6 A(GRICLI TURAI. PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS the broadening of PO capabilities, then create removed by the power of certain aid the means and have the political will to agencies, long-term development of a viable implement the financing mechanisms that farmers' movement requires a sympathetic would sustain POs on an ongoing basis. government, ready to share some of its In Mali, the Niono service center is prerogatives in the design and implementation seeking to negotiate a long-term loan with of public policy for rural areas. The the Agriculture Bank to strengthen the government is also the guarantor of managerial abilities of the groups, thereby regulatory and legal aspects: it is the enhancing their capacity to repay loans and government's job to work out favorable take out others. frameworks that are not copies of foreign models. Finally, macroeconomic and fiscal Issues and Avenues for the Future policy, driven by finance ministries, has a direct effect on the development of farming Importance of Information. The need for and POs. strategic information for POs has been There is also a growing involvement of mentioned. Gathering and processing this private companies in developing country information ("digesting" it) calls for high- farming (suppliers of inputs, and purchasers quality personnel serving the PO. and processors of farming products), Independence of information is just as occasionally being the dominant partner in important: often it is the stakeholders with the their relationship with POs. In this area as money that have the power (for example, well, govemments need to establish the rules cotton companies would like to control the of the game, and to balance power information flow to producers). relationships between POs and private The experience of the Riseau agriculture companies. pavsanne et modernisation/Afrique, APM (Small-Scale Agriculture and Modernization Diversifying Partnerships. An often- Network, Africa) in this area is of interest. observed trend is a head-to-head relationship Through its members in the field and the between a PO and a support organization or expertise it is able to mobilize, this network NGO, a type of two-way partnership that is provides cotton-producing POs with often unbalanced. Experience has shown the strategic information, and assists them in diversity of multiple partnerships between a analyzing this information so that they can set PO and various organizations (FONGS and up resources to strengthen their capabilities CNCR in Senegal). This diversification and negotiate in their best interests. The represents an opportunity for the PO to international nature of this network also create what one might call an "owner- enables PO leaders to sidestep face-to-face partner" relationship. negotiations with their direct spokespeople. widen their references, and diversify their Supporting POs While Giving Them alliances with other POs-all ingredients for a Space. Aid agencies and support lasting improvement in strategic capabilities. organizations often combine direct support of POs with monitoring so that the POs can Not Leaving Out Government. The have space to negotiate and participate in political will of the government is crucial. It is decisions affecting them. Aid agencies, difficult to imagine how POs can increase primarily the World Bank, have a special their technical and strategic capabilities in the responsibility here. Because they talk to long term without at least some government government authorities, they can suggest that backing. Even if this constraint is temporarily the PO be taken into account when farming, CAN PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS BE STRENGTHENED 3 7 macroeconomic, and fiscal policies that studies by the Club du Sahel), these tugs-of- directly impact PO activities are being war can weaken painfully acquired shaped. capacities. Aid agencies have a heavy Decentralization is one of the responsibility in this area, and an ethical components of change in the political framework could be established for outside landscape of African countries. This intervention in PO strengthening. process, which varies widely from one One of the immediate challenges is to country to another, usually contributes to allow the PO to invest in negotiating and the eventual introduction of new players in decisionmaking activities without interfering the local political game, and creation of with its operations. and agreeing to relinquish new kinds of political and financial power. control of the financial and human resources The question of linkages between the PO channeled to POs. This mindset is the and local politicians may affect the opposite of the present dominant culture in mechanisms by which the PO's capabilities aid agencies, which tends to emphasize become reinforced: local financing procedures to control financial and human opportunities and the possibility of holding resources made available to developing political office at the local level increase the countries in general and to POs in particular. strategic capabilities of agricultural leaders. In Madagascar tlhe Southwest Project is What Capabilities Shoiuld be Reinforced? a good example of combining aictions aimed Agricultural leaders at this workshop very at directly strengtlheninlg the PO's capabilities properly emphasized that the strengthening of (technical capabilities and representation capabilities should not be a one-way street. throughl the Maison dii Paysan), and of The point is not only to bring POs up to the actions designed to foster local dialogue and level of aid agencies, but also to allow aid consensus among goverunent authlorities, agencies to become better listeners and private operators. anid others involved in the understand the strengths of POs and the rural issues (participation in the Regional constraints under which they operate. Development Commnittee). The experience of Aid agencies and support organizations this project shows that achieving dialogue must improve their abilities to: and consensus is not easy. and requires * Listen and understand economic and experience by all concerned. social developments in a rural setting: Outside pressures to form nationiwide * Respect the PO's own rhythms, which produtcer organizations tend to delay the do not necessarily match the already slow process of PO strengthening. bookkeeping rhythms of aid agencies. Pulled in several directions. courted by some This requires innovations in funding and ignored or denigrated by others, procedures and greater flexibility in nationwide POs have to expend considerable controls, with a lighter hand on the reins, energies learning the complex interplay of and multiple dialogue frameworks. and other PO * Dialogue and coordination-although reinforcement programs set up by aid declarations of intent abound. most of the agencies, without consultation among time everyone is trying to coordinate themselves. Like the sometimes destructive everyone else. effects of aid with respect to institutions (see Partnerships between Producer Organizations and Research and Extension Institutions Jean Zoundi, Marie-H6l6ne Collion, and Henri Hocde S ince the 1980s, many countries have participation of the primary beneficiaries become aware that, since agricultural include: producers are the beneficiaries of * Changes in intervention techniques to technology, they must be more effectively encourage greater producer participation, involved in generating and disseminating it. particularly through: (I) programs Research and extension institutions have focusing on research and development or changed the way they approach and link up on production systems research; and (2) with producers, and the institutions the introduction of participatory themselves have changed under pressure diagnostic methods in extension work to from increasingly well-organized producers. identify producers' real needs in the area In some instances, the producers have of advisory support; organized themselves to fill the void left by Measures that make it easier for ineffectual research and extension institutions. beneficiaries to be consulted on a regular Financing mechanisms have also changed as a basis and to participate in the design of result of steps taken by stakeholders, mainly research and extension programs. donors, but also by governments and organized Examples include: (1) efforts to producers. The circumstances conducive to decentralize research so that it more such change are discussed, as is the extent to accurately reflects user needs, (2) ways which effective partnerships can survive in to encourage periodic consultation times of change. between researchers, extension agents, and producers (for example, regional technical committees, regional steering Changes by Research and Extension committees, research and extension Institutions liaison committees, and user committees, depending on the country); and Many national research and extension * Incentives to encourage researchers to systems have introduced institutional listen to producers and their mechanisms and intervention techniques to organizations and respond promptly to encourage greater participation by producers. their needs. These include introducing In sub-Saharan Africa. for example, criteria for evaluating and promoting measures introduced to promote the researchers that take into account the 38 PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PRODOLCER ORGANIZATIONS AND RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INSTITUITIONS 3 9 fact that research must be in the service Restructuring of Institutions to Make of development. Them Accountable In Central and South America, the same concern has been evident for some 20 years. At the same time that research and extension and similar methodologies have been tried-via institutions were shifting their approach. a the systems approach-to involve producers. new dynamic was emerging within producer In 1974, 80 percent of the researchers at organizations (POs). which are the new Guatemala's Institute of Agricultural Science stakeholders. This dynamic reflected a new and Technology (Instituto de Ciencia y trend toward government disengagement and Tecnologia Agricola-ICTA). an institution the assumption by POs of responsibility for specializing in rural research, were using the certain functions. In many countries, this led systems approach in their work with farmers. to the establishment of POs of various sizes. The Institute had become famous throughout Once organized, producers can become the the region for its expertise. ICTA established spokespersons for research and extension its own training school, CAPA, to teach its services. in part because they represent an researchers the systems approach. Honduras organized force and in part because of the followed suit for a number of years, as did financial and social impact they have on Costa Rica. Costa Rica was able to sustain a institutions. measure of continuity in its efforts to Spurred on by organized producers at a improve links between its research and time when government disengagement was extension institutions. Many projects and the order of the day, institutions restructured programs applied the process to actual themselves and new financing mechanisms practice: PIPA (a project to increase were introduced. The objective was to agricultural productivity), the INVEX involve producers in managing institutions program (research and extension activities), and formulating research and extension the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock agenda, and to hold research and extension (MAG)-FAO program (on watersheds and institutions accountable to their beneficiaries extension efforts), and the MAG-PRIAG for their results. Developments in this area program (to improve agronomic research). included: (1) the status of institutions being The Tropical Agricultural Research and changed from that of a public entity to a Training Center (Centro de agronomia public/private entity; (2) research funds being tropical para la investigaci6n y la enseinanza- established that separated research financing CATIE) was a prominent advocate of the from its actual implementation: and (3) production systems approach. The financing made available directly at the PO International Center for Maize and Wheat level. Improvement (Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Mafz y Trigo-CIMMYT) was a key promoter of the approach and Shift of Institutions Toward Public/ trained many of the region's researchers, Private Status extension agents. economists, and trainers in the method. Several (though too few) In sub-Saharan Africa, the status of some universities included the approach in their research and extension institutions evolved curricula. into companies wherein the state retained a majority or minority share of the equity, a step that enabled the institutions to include users on their executive boards. In extension, 40 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS one example of this is Senegal's National The shift in attitude on the part of INIA Agricultural and Rural Advisory Council researchers in Uruguay provides a striking (Agence nationale de conseil agricole et example in this regard. Until 1990, civil rural), 49 percent of which is owned by service management arrangements prevailed private entities (including POs) and the local in INIA, and researchers were not community. Another example is Cote accountable to producers. Since 1990, the d'lvoire's National Agency for Rural researchers have become more attentive and Development (Agence nationale de responsive to producers' needs. Producers developpement rural-ANADER), 65 percent vote on a program budget covering specific of which is held by producers. In research, activities, and the researchers report to them examples are C6te d'Ivoire's National at the next session of the Executive Board. Center for Agronomic Research (Centre national de la recherche agronomique- CNRA) in which producers hold 60 percent Separating Research Financing of the equity, and Togo's Institute of from Implementation Agronomic Research (Institut togolais de recherche agronomique-ITRA) in which Various types of research funds or producers hold a 40 percent interest. foundations have been established in Latin Latin American institutions have also America in particular, and to a lesser extent in evolved, the most striking example being the Asia. They are now starting to develop in National Institute of Agronomic Research sub-Saharan Africa. The principle underlying (INIA) in Uruguay. In 1990, that institute, their operations is that the financing of which had until then been a public entity, research should be separate from the actual became a semiprivate organization in which performance of the research. The aims of producers hold 50 percent of the institute's these funds vary, with the primary goal being equity. and finance 50 percent of operating to target financing more precisely to meet costs via taxes and other levies. The State specific objectives. This is not the case when pays the remaining costs. funds are provided directly to research It should be kept in mind that these institutions. Another goal is to promote changes are possible where taxes and other collaboration among all national entities levies can be used to finance research, as in involved in research, thereby making Cote d'lvoire, Togo, or Uruguay. In Senegal. optimum use of the country's human and such mechanisms have yet to be introduced. physical resources. Finally, the funds Where such levies on agricultural production improve the quality of research by are not possible, these institutional changes introducing more rigorous procedures for are probably not feasible. selecting research topics. The fact that direct users of research To achieve a better fit between supply findings are in the majority on executive and demand, these funds require researchers boards enables them to ensure that research to satisfy demand. The process is as follows: and extension work meet their needs through bids are invited for a certain number of an adequate program budget, which is voted research topics. Research teams respond to on by the executive board. Once these the invitation by submitting research institutions are no longer public entities, proposals selected by a committee on the personnel management arrangements that basis of scientific merit. Final approval is then encourage a results-oriented and client- given by a management committee (whose oriented culture that rewards top membership includes users), which reviews performance can be more easily introduced. proposals preselected by the scientific PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS AND RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INSTITUtTIONS 4 1 committee. The funds bring users into the and technology transfer is well positioned to process at an early point when research meet user demand. Funding can be initiated topics are competing, or later, during final either when researchers submit research selection of the proposals to be funded. proposals, or-more commonly-when users There are many such research funds or prepare technical and financial requests foundations. In Latin America, for example, seeking support for services (such as there are: the Foundation for Agricultural training, extension activities, or research). Research (FIA) in Chile; Brazil's PRODETAB They submit them to PRONATTA, which (Project to Support the Development of then invites bids. The users can be POs, rural Agricultural Technology); the Agricultural communities, nongovernmental organizations Technology Fund (FPTA) in Uruguay; and (NGOs), or private entities. In each region, the Competitive Fund in Ecuador. In Africa, teams of consultants hired by PRONATTA there is Kenya's Agricultural Research Fund, preselect a number of projects. The list of and in Asia, Indonesia's Competitive Fund. preselected projects is then submitted for final approval to a national selection committee. Regional dialogue forums (called Research and Extension Contracted "inodos") provide a venue in which all the Out by POs participants in development and stakeholders can be kept informed. The system makes it There are two funding mechanisms for POs possible to separate project preparation to contract out research and extension: (carried out by the user), project selection activities are financed either by research or (the task of PRONATTA), and extension funds for users, or with the POs' implementation (handled by a service supplier own resources. or under a tripartite contract.) Researchl funids for users. Donors often Finiancing operations mnanaged directly set up these funds as a way to ensure that the by POs. In this type of operation. producers research or extension carried out reflects contract for research or extension services actual demand. These funds allow producer directly, using either their own funds or funds organizations to pay to have research done on made available to them by donors. The first topics that they themselves have selected. case involves POs with sufficient income to They differ from the above-mentioned funds finance research activities themselves, such in that the users initiate the funding process. as the National Federation of Coffee Growers Mali's User Research Fund (Fonds de in Colombia, a similar organization for tea recherche des utilisateurs). managed by the growers in Kenya. or Morocco's Citrus National Agronomic Research Committee Growers Cooperative. (Comite National de la recherche Increasingly, however, many donors agronomique), is one example. Venezuela has provide funds directly to POs. enabling them a fund to which users can apply to recruit to arrange for research in areas of interest to agricultural experts to assist with extension the producers. An example in Africa is the activities. The users are either officially Fouta-Djalon Farmers' Federation recognized POs or interest groups whose (Federation des Paysans du Fouta-Djalon) in members are producers or rural Guinea, which receives funds from the communities. Agence fran,aise de d6veloppement (AFD), Colombia's National Agricultural and then uses them in part to conduct Technology Transfer Program (PRONATTA) research. In Latin America, El Ceibo (a which focuses on research and development federation of cocoa-producing 4 2 AGRICLLTU RAL PRODU(FR ORGANIZATIONS cooperatives) has received substantial establishment, for several reasons. First, the funding from donors, and particularly from accumulated experience of these institutions the Swiss Development Agency is based largely on systems requiring heavy (Cooperation Suisse pour le inputs. Furthermore, the structure of developpement) for technological research institutions, their organizational development. The federation has even setup. and the fact that their researchers have established its own research and advisory little training in the complexities of support unit (Coopeagro). relationships with users, pose serious This mechanism resembles the first one, obstacles to the establishment of a genuine except that in this case the PO handles the partnership. Finally, the current shortage of financing arrangements, whereas in the first available financing and the resulting exodus case the fund is managed by an independent of researchers have left institutions with agency (as in Mali, where the National insufficient resources to redirect their Agronomic Research Committee manages the research efforts to meet producers' needs. fund). This applies to most technical areas (for Under another scenario, collaboration example, integrated pest and disease control, between a PO and a research organization soil conservation, soil fertility, and may be financed not by providing funds diversification). directly to the PO, but instead by an NGO or Faced with unresponsive research under a project already providing assistance institutions, some groups of farmers have to the PO. Examples include cooperation begun to experiment. They have between the Institute of Agronomic Research demonstrated that even under difficult in Guinea (Institut de recherche agronomique conditions (such as mountainous or marginal de guinee) and the Coffee Growers' areas), they can begin to work out solutions Federation of Guinea (Federation des adapted to their circumstances, crops, and planteurs de cafe), which is financed by AFD; management techniques. These farmers are cooperation between the Federation of engaged in a wide variety of experiments, Unions of NAAM Groups (Fed6ration des and have come up with results directly unions des groupements NAAM) in Burkina applicable to their lands. Many of these Faso, and the Institute for the Environment experiments have to do with natural and Agricultural Research (Institut de resource management, as well as with soil 1'environnement et de recherches agricoles), fertility management, the introduction of which is financed by NGOs and by the new varieties, diversification, or integrated federation itself. pest and disease control. The diversity of their results, which are finely tuned to their situations, stands in contrast to the routine Initiatives Undertaken by POs responses that researchers tend to offer. Farmers are gaining experience and are In some situations, and particularly in Central becoming more professional. America, research and extension institutions In addition to having generated a new can no longer meet the needs of producers. dynamic and, indeed, a new movement, Small farmers-who are concerned with their these farmers are proving that research can local environment and often face crises- be conducted in different ways and that, far prefer to maximize their own resources from being merely users of information, within a technology-intensive structure farmers can also generate information and requiring few external inputs. They do not get disseminate it effectively. Structured much recognition from the research exchanges between these farmer- PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS AND RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INSTITUTIONS 4 3 experimenters from different countries, or no means provide a sound foundation for different regions within the same country, establishing partnerships between POs and are becoming increasingly important in other groups (particularly the research and Central America. Such exchanges, which extension institutions), this is the reality that reflect clearly defined strategies, are being has to be faced in many countries. included in action plans. and focus on At the institutional level, agencies must specific objectives, are proving their show areal commitment to decentralization if worth. In some situations, these groups of they are to establish close links with users. farmer-experimenters can serve as the Similarly, research policy must be directed privileged partners of farmers' toward support for development, as organizations in their dealings with demonstrated in the use of incentives in the research institutions. evaluation and promotion of researchers, the use of consultation mechanisms for furthering the dialogue with POs. and the Lessons Learned adoption of participatory ways of developing technology. * What sorts of environlments are conzducive As long as the institutions responsible for to these changes? research and extension continue to be * To what extenzt will these chaniiges enable government controlled, it will be difficult to effective partnerslhips to be established find ways to make research organizations amonig POs. research inistitutions, and accountable to users for the results they extension agencies? produce. In the civil service, for example, it is difficult to introduce personnel management Inistittutional Environlment procedures that take proper account of results achieved, and the quality of service A prerequisite for institutional reorganization provided to clients. Finally, the chronic is the withdrawal of the State from such financial instability of research institutions activities, as is the involvement of the private hinders the establishment of links with POs, sector and civil society in the formulation of as experience in Central America shows. agricultural policy. Another essential factor is the willingness of governments to create a Produtcer Organizations legislative framework favorable to the emergence and development of POs. In some The key factor that enables institutional countries, where the state has played an change to lead to effective partnerships is the active role in creating a legislative and legal existence of farmers' organizations that are framework conducive to strong POs, it has well structured and empowered, that offer also helped create POs that lack credibility or real prospects to their members, and are legitimacy because they have been imposed capable of negotiating with other partners. In from above. In other instances, the state has many cases, top organizations lack legitimacy sought-for purely political reasons-to stifle and are not always representative of any move toward creating POs. The state on grassroots POs, and therefore may not have occasion has co-opted those that do exist, any credibility among the research and while in still other cases-and consistent with extension institutions. These organizations its policy of withdrawing from this area-it must also be capable of diagnosing the has failed to empower these new groups, constraints affecting them, and be able to indulging in what some POs call "abdication" define their objectives and priorities and of responsibility. Although such situations by negotiate with the research and extension 44 AGRICUIITURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS institutions for the services they need. It is ensuring that the wishes of users prevail. essential for POs to develop this Some of these funds (such as the Indonesian organizational and technical capacity if they Research Fund) present their countries' are to establish partnerships, act as effective strategic agricultural research plans as members of executive boards, if financing research topics for bid, whereas others are mechanisms (for example, Mali's "user controlled by research specialists and still funds" or the Colombian PRONATTA) are to managed by the research institutions come into operation, or if donors are to be themselves. Kenya Research Fund, for able to offer financing directly to the POs. In example, is managed by KARI (the Kenya fact, such financing will never materialize Agricultural Research Institute), and unless the POs are capable of articulating PRODETAB is managed by EMBRAPA their needs. (Brazil). There is a definite relationship between Membership of a fund's goveming body the strength of POs and the presence of is also a key factor. If it is simply a scientific farmer representatives who possess commission that makes decisions on the basis leadership qualities and who have a vision for of scientific criteria, in the absence of a the members of their organization. Strong management committee that might include POs also depend on the creation of an user representatives, the proposals that enabling environment by the state which, receive financing may be far from satisfying even as it withdraws from this arena, must the wishes of users. In other cases, users provide specific support measures to help may be underrepresented-or inadequately operators from civil society play their new represented-on management committees. role. Finally, the other participants (NGOs The membership of governing bodies, the and projects) must play their part by way they operate, and their procedures for facilitating these developments and providing identifying topics for bidding will largely support. determine whether a fund will be an Strong POs are the result of effective instrument that enables users to direct training in all its guises. Training is therefore resources toward their own priorities. an essential ingredient in successful Colombia's PRONATTA is one of the best partnerships with research and extension examples of a fund that involves users in the institutions. identification of research topics and the selection of proposals. Flunds as Mechanisms for Promoting Services On Demand Areas for Further Study The degree to which providing research financing by way of funds encourages The following issues require further study: researchers to be more responsive to * POs possessing a real capacity to establish producers depends on: (1) the way in which partnerships with research and extension the research topics that are to be subject to institutions. Real partnerships can exist bidding processes are selected; (2) the degree only when they involve POs that are fully of autonomy existing between the governing capable of maintaining a dialogue with other bodies and the research institutions: (3) the partners. The POs' ability to articulate their effective participation by users in the wishes, conduct negotiations, and governing bodies and the independence of mobilize the resources necessary to those bodies compared with the research establish partnerships depends directly on institutions. This is an essential factor in the strengthening of their skills. The role PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS AND RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INSTITUTIONS 4 5 of training needs to be clarified, and the When producers have gone as far as they responsibilities of state and other partners can in this area, how can they be helped- need to be articulated. in their particular locations-to contact the * Formns of institutionial reorganization to most effective research service? Would incorporate tile wishes of POs into they be able to use the "globalization" of research andc7 extension. What can be done research to their best advantage, to ensure that researchers and extension establishing partnerships that transcend agents are accountable to producers for strictly national boundaries? the results they produce? Should * The first studv concerns the partnership institutions be steered toward between the Fouta-Djalon Farmers' establishing joint public- and private- Federation (Federation des Pavsans du sector organizations. as in C6te d'lvoire Fouta-Djalon: FPFD) and the Institute and Uruguay? What can be done in those of Agronomic Research of Guinea situations where it is not possible to call (Institut de Recherclhe Agroniotnique de upon producers to finance research Guinee: IRAG). It provides an example through taxes or parafiscal levies, or in of changes made by research and which those taxes and levies cover only extension services in response to specific some crops? requests from a PO that possesses a * Can the use of research funzds simlilar to genuine capacity for analyzing PRONATTA (Colombia) or the Users' constraints and identifying solutions. is Research Funld (Mali) provide an capable of mobilizing its members to alternative to the appropriation of produce profitable crops, and is in full researci institutionis bv POs? This control of conditions throughout the arrangement would enable the entire production process. organizations to contract for research * The second study, at the local level, is and extension services that meet their based on experiences of a recently own specific needs. If the answer is formed producer association in southem yes, what recommendations at the Costa Rica. It shows the interaction institutional level can be made between researchers and producers, regarding the establishment of such which leads the PO to develop its own funds, the membership of the capacity to conduct research and governing bodies, the selection criteria negotiate with the various services in its and procedures applicable to projects, locality. It therefore illustrates one of the and training for the POs? possible ways in which a PO can * If the research establishmnent is cooperate with research specialists. unresponsive to the wislies of POs, anld the * The thirdl study, at the national level, emergence of experimenters among the concerns farmer-to-farmer relations in fanners, shouldl we lielp POs to strengthen Nicaragua. It presents a very different tileir owVn researchl capacity and situation, one in which there is a dearth disseminate their findings? How reliable of research support, so that the and replicable are findings obtained in this farmers are obliged to devise their own way, and how efficient is such research? solutions. Donors and Farmer Organizations: Lessons Learned from Ongoing Experience in the Sahel Serge Snrech T he lessons learned from the various projects and, especially, to support the POs' forms of collaboration that the Club own projects. POs forge their identity du Sahel has maintained with essentially by doing, that is, in practical farmers' movements in that region since the successes and failures in the field. An effort late 1980s are presented. The situation in therefore is required to increase the the Sahel differs from that of the rest of opportunities for rural organizations at Africa because: there is a massive volume various levels to assume responsibility, and of foreign aid (20 percent of GDP on to give them the means to prepare for, and average in the region); uncertain climatic draw conclusions from, this practice while conditions limit agricultural potential, and bearing full responsibility for operations. In encourage rural people to pursue a high this sense, the development of POs is less a degree of economic diversification; and matter of specific projects than an entirely there is a relatively good level of peace and different approach to interventions in the stability compared to the rest of the rural area. continent, which allows for more medium- Among the interventions that develop and long-term planning. However, while the capacities of POs, there are those keeping in mind these specific programs specifically intended to strengthen characteristics of the region, we feel that POs and that emphasize: the lessons and questions that emerge from * The acquisition of information; the Sahelian experience are to a large extent * The acquisition of internal management applicable to the whole of Africa. methods (for example, outreach and communication techniques); and a The acquisition of external management Providing the Tools and the methods (for example, lobbying Opportunity to Use Them techniques). The most essential change, however, The priority is not so much to develop needs to occur in the functioning of rural support projects for producer organizations support projects generally. Wherever (POs) but to make room for POs within possible and desired by the POs (that is, 46 DONORS AND FARMER ORGANIZATIONS 47 without pressure for too-rapid change), the a Organizations characterized by following should occur: "democratic representation," along the * POs at various levels should be exposed lines of chambers of agriculture, that to the practice of making responsible propose to represent all producers. choices and then of managing the In addition, the term "PO" is not yet implementation of the choices made; clearly differentiated from the term "NGO" * POs should be able to choose the type of (nongovernmental organization), which support they receive, as well as its pace embraces a certain number of the functions and mode of intervention; mentioned, as well as many others. * POs should be subject to impartial Governments and development agencies monitoring and evaluation, the results of can either help clarify these different which should be widely disseminated so mandates, or they can contribute to the that leaders and members can evaluate confusion. To allow for a gradual shaking out their results and the extent of the of the various tasks assumed by POs. and to progress made: and achieve optimal development effectiveness. * Certain discussions should be open to there is a need to create conditions conducive nonmember POs, to encourage them to to a "market for rural services," wherein get to know each other, share various service providers can be freely experiences, and thereby develop their chosen on the basis of value for money (in the critical faculties. broader sense of that concept). In our How can POs be encouraged to assume opinion, the creation of such a "space" or greater respontsibility? Possibilities include: opportunity would require, among other common donor funds: an "aid menu" from things, the following: which POs can choose the services they * A fairly explicit regulatory framework, want; continuously available technical specifying mandates and capacities ol'the assistance that POs could use to mobilize ad various kinds of groups (for example, hoc assistance at their own convenience. economic interest groups, village groups, How can far7ners' movements obtain a unions, chambers of agriculture, and margin of latitude to organize their own group federations), and identify at the discussion forums to which thev could invite same time the areas of exclusive other participants in the development effort.? competence as well as the arenas in which competition could occur; * Disseminating information on the Establishing A Flexible Market activities and management of the l'Os, in Rural Development Services and a greater effort made to inform members and to account for PO leaders' There is some confusion about the expression activities than now occurs in the typical "producer organization," since the term tete ci tete between leaders and donors; covers simultaneously: * A gradual harmonization, by means of * Organizations that are "functional" in common specifications. of the condition nature, ones that provide certain services attached to financial support of POs, to to their members. Most field-level POs avoid scrambles for the most generous are of this type: donor taking precedence over the quest * Organizations that are like unions, where for effectiveness; membership is voluntary, and that * Pluralism and reasonable competition propose to defend the interests of certain between POs and other service socio-professional groups; and 48 AGRICULTURAI. PRODLCER ORGANIZATIONS providers, to avoid succumbing to the Many field-level POs have "all PO, all the time" mentality; and established themselves by serving as Encouragement for NGOs to define a backup for their government's themselves positively based on the kinds deficient economic and social of services they provide (training, services. These same shortcomings research, technical or financial have spurred a strong move toward intermediary, militant advocacy), to limit decentralization, supported by their tendency to speak for the POs. international aid. What impact should How can we introduce the notions of the creation of local collectives, efficiency and value for money into the which are now seen as the legitimate development of POs, keeping in mind that dispensers of grassroots public their institutional and political function is services, have on the goals of POs sometimes difficult to quantify? and the ways in which they are supported? At every level, integrating the newly Helping POs to Find Their Place diverse world of producers: This would include poor farmers, well-off Producer organizations are emerging and farmers, new farmers, multi-tasking developing in an environment that is fluid in farmers, and farmers committed to several ways: the various production stream * Economically, due to liberalization, approaches. This new scenario is urbanization, agriculture's reduced share being superimposed upon the old in GDP, and the parallel rise of divisions (the ones between ethnic agribusiness; groups, farmers, and herders), and * Institutionally, with the redefinition of the we need to better understand the role of government in the wake of impact that the same economic and structural adjustment, and the technical measures can have on decentralization process underway in these different groups. Do these many countries; and diverse groups of producers have * Agriculturally, given the evolution of common interests, and how should cropping practices, land tenure their conflicting interests be arrangements, and production reconciled? techniques, the emergence of a salaried At the national level, helping agricultural workforce, and growing governments and administration social stratification. If one accepts as a representatives to express their own given that POs and the farmers' vision of the transformation now movement need a long time to structure underway: Paradoxically, the themselves, then it is important to help expression of a farmer's vision of POs improve their ability to identify the development is rendered more issues and people who will be crucial difficult by the absence of a public over the medium term, and to position vision of development articulated by themselves in relation to those players, a government aware of the strategic and not just in relation to temporary aspects. This would be a vision to crises. Those crucial issues and which the farmers' movement could participants include the following: refer in constructing its own In the field, absorbing the discourse. Without advocating a implications of decentralization: return to planned economies, one DONORS AND FARMER ORGANIZATIONS 4 9 could suggest that the era of agriculture from the rest of the economy, structural adjustment might have which is still too fragile to allow that. caused us to lose sight of the state's Because of their institutional culture, role. That role includes being the even the most liberal aid agencies are repository of a society's long-term instruments of direct public intervention in goals for itself, and as the arbiter, in society and, as far as we are concerned, in this context, of the choices, rural development. In African countries, priorities, and interests of the various where governments have only a modest stake socio-professional groups. in the economy and most public investment Hovw can researchl help POs (and othler comes from external aid, fostering a strong stakelholders in the rural development debate) PO/government relationship essentially identify-in an environmenit uindergoing means steering POs toward the profound change-the maini clhalleniges of the implementation of aid-supported works. fiutuire, and to understand the implications of Although the volume of aid is large in the the chloices to be mnade? In particular, how Sahel (nearly 20 percent of GDP), POs must can POs be hlelped to develop a take care to cultivate relationships with those macroeconomic vision tlat provides a linkage who create and circulate wealth (merchants. betvveeni their knowledge of field conditions exporters, and processors). All participants in and the prevailing economic point of viewv? the process must avoid dramatizing the role of POs vis-a-vis governments that are stressed by adjustment, and that see in the Do Not Impose Western Models development of POs an additional threat to on POs their own influence. How can aid indirectly support the Aid to POs must not bring with it the western relationship between POs and tle people who model of aid to agriculture. It is instructive to imnpact the economnv (merchants, exporters. remember that OECD (Organization for and processors) andi whio complement their Economic Cooperation and Development) activities, instead of steerinig POs toward member countries spend US$360 billion governments and the implementation of aid- annually to subsidize their farmers, an supported works? Colld guaranteefiunds and amount much larger than the total cross-fertilization neetings between socio- development aid. These massive subsidies professional networks be helpful? (amounting to nearly 50 percent of farmers' incomes) are only possible because rural producers are a small demographic and Neither Idealism nor Cynicism economic minority in the OECD countries. The economic and financial situation of Extemal partners often seem to expect from Sahelian countries, where agriculture still POs an unrealistic degree of perfection. They employs most of the population, and is one of would like the members and managers of POs the state's main sources of income, does not to be motivated solely by an abstract ideal, permit them to adopt a western-style model. devoid of materialistic concerns, and for The state can tax only some of the more member representation to be perfectly prosperous sectors or agricultural regions equitable. However, POs are technical and and redistribute a portion of this wealth to political organizations led by men and women other sectors or regions, but over the long who, like people everywhere. are to varying term it cannot ensure a net transfer toward degrees driven by vocation and personal ambition. They must also, on a daily basis, 5 0 AGRICULTURAI PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS forge a difficult consensus among the diverse order to participate in meetings, must commit interests of their members, and between themselves to making a valuable contribution those interests and those of their external to the meeting? Such a requirement would partners. Leaders of POs must often be force both parties (meeting organizers and exceptional people to maintain this precarious POs) to choose their venues carefully. equilibrium, whose talents have a potentially How can POs participate in forums and high value on the development market. conferences in such a way that they are not Demanding extraordinary austerity from simply serving to display and justify external these organizations only encourages processes, but instead are actually making dishonesty about the power game, that is, the progress themselves as a result of this PO's stake in its own continued existence and participation:? that of its leadership. which are stakes that all organizations face. From this standpoint, donors often seem to demand less of NGOs, Restraint, Patience and a Sense which are seen as intermediaries, than they of Timing do from POs, which are condemned by their role as grassroots representatives to the There is no magic recipe for the development bottom of the resource heap. It would of POs. Their development requires constant probably be desirable to find some attention in the day-to-day work of the intermediate position that aid agencies would participants. Unfortunately, this type of apply more equitably to all their field-level diffuse, day-to-day effort is probably the partners. hardest to achieve. If a collective discipline How should one handle the issue of aimed at encouraging direct project paving PO leaders for their services at management by POs had been systematically various levels, and for their logistical brought to bear 10 or 20 years ago, in a expenses? partnership context demanding quality and At the other extreme of the "purity" accountability, then the institutional landscape often demanded of POs is their use by the in the Sahel would be much stronger today. aid establishment and governments. This Any regrets, however, about lost time in entails a risk, and the more fashionable the adopting such procedures should not concept becomes, the greater that risk will encourage us to rush things now. be. More specifically, POs are in danger of We must show restraint and patience, being obliged to play the role of the new offering POs as many opportunities as justifiers of foreign aid, in an era when possible to assume responsibility at all levels, governments, and especially their rural and to learn lessons in terms of action and development administrations, are being organization. POs should not be forced to frequently discredited. assume responsibilities at any cost. We must POs are invited, in various capacities, to also allow time for the diverse personalities attend more and more meetings and to lend a who lead POs to feel their way along, to make "peasant touch" to processes that remain mistakes, to get to know each other, and to essentially decided and steered by find their common path. This is already technicians. How many of these meetings are happening in several countries in the region. really concerned with helping the farmers' It would probably not do the farmers' movement to acquire information, prepare movement any favor to make it a new fad and collective positions, construct an identity, and put it under the bright lights, since this obtain the means to prepare proposals? creates the danger of disappointment, and Shouldn't there be a requirement that POs, in premature burnout of individuals and their DONORS AND FARNtER ORGANIZATIONS 5 1 organizations. We should not encourage donors. Each group prepared a short heavy media coverage of POs. which would summary of observations, and particularly of draw them into an international agenda that practical recommendations. In the second we know can be fickle. The aid establishment part. each group presented its conclusions should encourage PO connections with for debate. The wrap-up session was others involved in the economic and social presided over by Henri Jouve, President of development of their countries. This gives a the AFDI. a French organization that supports much better guarantee of their lasting farmers' movements in developing countries, stability. Will the aid establishment be able to and a farmer himself. The session opened exercise such restraint'? with an overview presented by Serge Snrech How c-afl we avoid excessive mnedia of the Club du Sahel (OECD), who recapped pressutre o07 the most charismatic leaders.? the main lessons learned and the stakes Hovw, can we llell) POs without pushiing them7] involved in supporting POs, as seen by the tovard priorities andcfads peculiar to tile aid development agencies. establishmenit? How can clecisiomnzsakers anid The introductory presentation covered: publlic opinion in inidustrial coluzntries he * A recapitulation of the stakes involved in sensitized to the growing importance of POs, agricultural cooperation and development with/out distracting9 PO leaders from their at the international level; field-level responsibilities? a A summary of the experience garnered thus far by the development agencies; and Implications for Donors * Main recommendations for the future. The implications for donors concerning conditions under which producer Background organizations can be strengthened were examined. The table below gives some details on the The discussion session was organized contribution to world agriculture of each into two sections: in the first, participants main geographical region, and the population were grouped into six homogeneous socio- involved. professional groups: francophone POs, Each year. OECD member countries anglophone POs. Spanish-speaking POs, spend about US$50 billion on public aid to government representatives, NGOs, and developing countries, of which US$5 billion Population as Agriculturalpopulation percentage of total as percentage of the Percentage of Region world population world's farmers cultivated area Sub-Saharan Africa 9 14 10 North Africa and Middle East 5 5 6 East Asia 31 41 12 South Asia 21 30 14 Latin America 8 5 11 Developing countries as a whole 76 96 53 Industrial countries as a whole 23 4 47 5 2 AGRICULTLJRAI PRODUCER ORGANIZAFIONS goes for agriculture. They also spend US$360 concern). These different themes have billion every year to subsidize their own spurred different types of approaches: producers, which averages 37 percent of the * Direct support to grassroots producer latter's income. On the other hand, farmers in organizations: This type of support is developing countries are usually heavily taxed highly developed, but institutional donors to finance government operations and are tending to move away from it for economic diversification. OECD countries, reasons of cost and efficiency. The which cultivate 47 percent of the world's decentralization under way in many arable land and possess 4 percent of the countries is changing the way problems world's farmers, therefore have a stake in the are handled at this level. There are many way agriculture develops, although their new entrants into the development scene interventions in this area are not impartial. (especially a decentralized type of In addition, among the so-called development cooperation). "developing" regions, one can observe highly * Support to POs to help them gain a diverse situations: foothold in the economic system: This is * In Africa, the problem is first a general the most common approach, and has the problem of economic take-off and of advantage of helping POs establish emerging from a still largely subsistence- themselves on the basis of concrete oriented agriculture; services rendered to their members, and * In Latin America, average incomes are occasionally to achieve financial much higher and the proportion of autonomy in a short time. The main farmers much smaller: the problem is an limitation of this approach is that, as long internal one of distribution of wealth and as farmers remain caught up in technical access to international markets; areas, they cannot influence the * In Asia. home to 71 percent of the numerous political decisions that world's farmers, the problem is mainly determine their future. technical, due to the high population * Support to POs to help them gain a density; and foothold in the political system: This * Finally, in Eastern Europe, the main approach is promoted by development problem involves the transition from a partners who feel that rural sector planned economy to a market economy. problems are multidimensional, and Farmers in various parts of the world require a global political approach. This therefore do not necessarily share the same approach has the following advantages: it concerns. These statistics also suggest that raises farmers' issues in all their Asia should have had more representatives at complexity; it strengthens the capacities the Workshop, because it has the highest of farmers (who are still in the majority in stakes in terms of population. most developing countries); and it promotes their interests, but it also extends into power issues that are quite Main Types of Interventions remote from the daily preoccupations of individual farmers. The absence of a The support lent to POs is based on three good economic foundation often results main themes: agriculture (or agro- in heavy dependence upon external economics). rural development (which more funds, and entails a danger of political or less refers to "local development"), and interference. farmer identity (a social and political * Cooperation between producer organizations of industrial and DONORS AND FARMER ORGANIZATIONS 5 3 developing countries: This revolves contract studies and surveys to help them around technical and institutional develop their own strategic positions. support, and alliances among farmers to * Supply the tools and the opportunlities to exert pressure on the large international uise tlhem.i: What is needed is not just negotiations. Although this system is support projects for POs, but also a place based on some interesting principles, it for POs in the day-to-day operation of has several drawbacks: POs in development work, contractually based industrialized countries are heavily responsibility for certain tasks, and dependent upon public financing, which flexible funds that can respond to limits their ability to propose truly farmers' proposals. This would require a altemative approaches. In international joint effort to develop ways of improving negotiations, farmers from industrial and transparency and confidence in the developing countries have common relationship between POs, government interests, but they are also in competition officials, and development partners. for limited shares of world markets. * Develop a fluid mark-et for ruiral * Northl-Solith cooperation from ant developm7tentt services: It is especially econiomic standlpoinit: There was little important to avoid creating a new rural discussion at this Workshop on this, development monopoly held by POs, as which would include joint ventures and governments and NGOs did before them, other forms of interest-sharing that and to avoid the proliferation of surely deserve further exploration. structures. Each organization must define clearly its objectives and anticipated results. Evaluation must be Main Lessons Learned redirected in such a way as to make a greater allowance for the point of view of Out of the various forms of support to POs, beneficiaries' rather than of donors, to some recommendations emerged that should foster a more natural process of selection be considered part of a "process oriented" amongst service providers. approach, rather than as recipes to be applied * Help POs to resituate themselves in the uniformly in all circumstances. changing conztext of agriculture in • The problem of the einergence of POs: developing counitries: The rural world's Development agencies want to work place in economic and social with POs, but when POs do not exist, development is undergoing rapid change. these agencies are at a loss as to how to as is the international environment. The encourage their creation without rural milieu itself is characterized by influencing their priorities and operations, growing social differentiation. POs must and thus being accused of paternalism. be helped to develop a strategic vision of * Improve the flo7wt of inZformnationi: This their future in a changing world, and to would be a strategic advantage for POs, identify some long-term priorities; which would benefit from receiving more * Do ntot apply western mnodels to produicer useful information for their own organlizationis: The historic and decisionmaking (and not just information economic contexts are radically that justifies interventions that have been different. POs in each country should proposed to them), and more information instead be helped to find their own on development cooperation itself. It is institutional so]utions, thereby also important for POs to be able to strengthening their interactions with the 54 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS various social groups in their countries definition, difficult as that may be, POs (and not just with their governments). must obviously be involved in it. Industrial countries should reflect on the * Should there be time limits within which coherency of their policies regarding POs must attain a certain degree of development cooperation (as well as on autonomy? Can a PO that receives long- other matters, such as trade and the term support be considered viable and environment), instead of exporting their representative? models. * NGOs are often considered supporters of * Seek a middle ground between idealism POs, but that POs often possess skills and cynicism: One must not expect from that are underexploited. POs in developing countries a perfection * Support given by NGOs must be under not of this world, otherwise the control of POs, which must remain disappointment can lead to an excessively the managers of this cooperation. critical attitude in a few years. Nor * What place do women have in POs? should one "use" POs just because they are fashionable, and exhibit them at all the meetings without giving them the tools to Relationship between POs make progress toward their own goals. It and Governments might be helpful to draw up an ethos governing partnerships with POs. * Governments are often against the * Support to POs entails patience, restraint, development of POs. Development and a sense of proper timing. agencies can help demystify the role of POs by demonstrating that they are in everyone's interest, even if they Discussion sometimes require a redistribution of tasks. Study trips by civil servants to The discussion focused relatively less on the countries in which the farmer's group presentations than on additional movement is highly developed can often information, new ideas, and questions of be useful in breaking down resistance to general relevance. The points are summarized the idea. below, although they do not represent a . POs are involved in evaluating projects consensus but a collection of individual and policies, but there do not appear to be observations. any sanctions for civil servants who perform poorly. They are often Emergence and Functioning of POs transferred to another department, but remain involved in rural development. If * The requirements for creating POs are this is the case, what is the use of such more or less known: a suitable regulatory participation? environment, dissemination of . POs can negotiate subsidies with their information, and support to newly govemment, but they must keep in mind created organizations. It is the will to do that most of the time these subsidies are these things that is lacking. financed out of taxes on agriculture. * Can we define criteria to recognize a They are, in fact, only transfers from one good PO that would be a candidate for group of farmers to another, and must various types of programs and support? therefore be carefully thought through. If there is an effort to come up with a 55 Latin American governments often demonstrate their authenticity, since they consult first and foremost the large-scale have few financial and human resources, producers and international firms, but and this is an enormous task. rarely the small producers who are, in Development partners wishing to work fact, in the majority. Donors should with POs should do the information therefore ensure that the consultation gathering and get to know the various between governments and POs is truly POs. pluralistic. POs and Cooperationi anid Development Conclusions * There is currently a lively interest in POs, A strong consensus emerged on the following but this interest is fragile. We have seen points: other subjects come into fashion and then * It is important to encourage the go out of style just as quickly. We should, emergence and strengthening of POs, but therefore, not let this opportunity pass, not to expect miracles; pragmatism and but exploit it seriously. In Cameroon. we perseverance are needed. have had the unfortunate experience of * Governments and their services must be having an innovative PO-support project persuaded that the development of POs is go wrong because the various partners, not contrary to their interests. POs will including the POs, did not take it have a hard time succeeding in the face seriously. This failure has damaged the of government opposition. credibility of the "flexible funding" * There is a need to promote the approach in the entire region for years to participation of POs in the design of come. development and cooperation policies in * There are already successful instances areas relevant to them, and to mobilize (for example, in Senegal) of World Bank the financial resources to permit such funds managed directly by POs with the participation. agreement of their government. Such * The implementation of development approaches should be further developed. programs (or components thereof) * Rapid change should not be expected, should be contracted to POs. because development agencies have a * Every project should provide some portfolio of ongoing projects that are opportunity to respond to farmers' difficult to modify, and the processing of initiatives and, if possible. to develop new projects often takes 1 8 to 24 funds that would be managed months. autonomously by POs. especially in the * POs should not focus exclusively on areas of training, information, and agricultural policies, but should also be communication. concerned with weighing in on decisions * Procedures for project submission and that are being made on related subjects, accounting for expenditures must be such as infrastructures (for example, simplified for projects involving rural roads) and macroeconomic issues. collaboration with POs. * There is a danger that opportunistic POs * The proliferation of structures to could proliferate if the topic becomes accommodate multiple participants fashionable. Genuine POs, however, should be avoided, in favor of cannot be constantly required to information exchange and closer collaboration. 5 6 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS * The democratic workings of POs, and the management of funds entrusted to them, must be transparent if they are to inspire confidence, which in turn will be the basis of further progress in streamlining procedures. Participants Oyou Gaston Ahoua Jim Alrutz Pr6sident Director for Africa SCAGBO/APROCACI CLUSA Agboville (RCI) 717 P.O. Box 13888 C6te d'Ivoire Nairobi, Kenya Phone: 517 450/517150 Phone: 254 2 52 1736 Fax: 517150 Fax: Email: Email: Jalrutz@Africaonline.lo.ke Vilson Jose Alba Alhassane Bah Cordinator M.A.E./S.N.P.R.V. Forun Sul-lut 199 374 Ubaldino Do Amabal Labe Curitiba CEP 80.060-190 Guinee Brasil Phone: (224) 51-16-68 Phone: 5-5-41-262-1842 Fax: (224) 41-14-78 Fax: 55-41-262-3679 Email: afofana.snprv@eti-bull.net Email: deser@avalon.sul.com.br Rafael Alegria Moncada Sjoerd Bakker Socio Operativo Internacional Program Manager ISPA and Pro-ISPA Via-Campesina STOAS/ISPA 3628 Ba Guanacosta P.O. Box 78 10 Agro-Business Park Tegucigalpa Francisco Morazan Wageningen 6700 AB Honduras The Netherlands Phone: (504) 220-1218 Phone: 00 40 32 230 77/236241 Fax: (504) 220-1218 Fax: 230177 Email: viacam@gbm.hn Email: ispa@mail.dntis.ro 57 58 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Elvira Cezara Balahur Dobrescu Marty Boonman Director Liaison Officer for Latin American POs ISPA Association Agriterra 5 Aleea M. Sadoveanu 43-2 Willemsplein IASI 6600 Arnhem 6811 KD Romania The Netherlands Phone: 40 32 2 30 177 40 32 2 36 241 Phone: 00-3-1-26-445-5445 Fax: 4032 230177 Fax: 31-26-445-5978 Email: elvi@mail.dntis.ro Email: boonman@agriterra.org Solomon Bekure Pierre Marie Bosc Cluster Leader Rural Development Ghana Researcher World Bank CIRAD P.O. Box M27 BP 5035 Avenue Agropolis Accra, Ghana Montpellier 43032 Cedex I Phone: 233-21-229681 France Fax: 233-21-227887 Phone: 33-0-467-61-5622 Email: Sbekure@worldbank.org Fax: 33-0-467-61-1223 Email: bosc@cirad.fr Innocent Bemelingue Coordonnateur Christian Bourdel FUPROCAM Ing6nieur chercheur Yaounde, Cameroum CIRAD Phone: (237) 23-25-87 (237) 28-57-42 BP 5035 Avenue Agropolis Fax: (237) 20-88-05 Montpellier 34032 Cedex 1 Email: manjambe@genet.cm France Phone: 04-67-61-71-70 Jim Bingen Fax: 04-67-61-1 2-23 Associate Professor Email: bourdel@cirad.fr Michigan State Univ. 323 Natural Resources Buld Baba Galle Camara Dept of Resource Development Directeur G6neral East Lansing, Mich. 48824-1222 MAE/SMPRV U.S.A. BP 576 Phone: 517 353 1905 Conakry, Guinee Fax: 517 353 8994 Phone: (224) 41-14-78 Email: bingen@pilot.msu.edu Fax: (224) 41-14-78 Email: afofana.snprv @ eti-bull.net Maarten Boers ICCO Ruth Campbell 151 22 Zusterplein Project Coordinator Zeist 3700 HD ACDINVOCA The Netherlands Suite 1075 50 F St N.W. Phone: (00 31) (0) 30 69 27 846 Washington, D.C. 20001, U.S.A. Fax: 0031 0 30 692 5614 Phone: (202) 879-0239 Email: mbo@icco.nl Fax: (202) 783-7204 Email: Rcampbell@acdivoca.org PARTICIPANTS 59 Maikut Chebet Alex Danau Producer and General Farmers Colletif Strategies Alimentaires Uganda National Farmers Association 184 D Boulevard Leopold II 6213 Plot 27 Nakasero Road Bruxelles 1080 Kampala 256-41 Belgique Uganda Phone: 32 24 72 06 60 Phone: 340 24618 230705 Fax: 32 2 412 0666 Fax: 230748 255242 Email: CSA@skynet.be Email: unfa@starcom.co.ug Bassiaka Dao Marie Helene Collion Secretaire Senior Agricultural Specialist CCOF World Bank, AFTR3, J6- 129 BP 277 1818 H Street N.W. Bobo Dioulasso B.P. 89 Bobo Diouolasso Washington, D.C. 20433. U.S.A. Burkina Faso Phone: (202) 473-4994 Phone: 30 65 27 Fax: (202) 473-8229 Fax: 30 65 28 Email: mcollion@worldbank.org Email: Brehima Coulibaly The Anh Dao Secretaire General Rechercheur Centre de prestation service Niomo Agrarian System Vietnam Agricultural BP 14 Research Institute Niono, Mali F 203, D7, Thiong Mai Phone: (223) 352014 Hanoi, Vietnam Fax: (2230 352014 Phone: 84-4-8522650 Email: pcps.niono@datatech.todnet.org Fax: Email: dttuan@bdvn.vnmail.vnd.net Jean Coulibaly Pr6sident Jean Delion AOPP du Mali Senior Rural Development Specialist 3066 218 poste 771 Bamako Work Bank, AFTR2, J6-105 Segou, Mali 1818 H Street N.W. Phone: (223) 21-35-64 Washington. D.C. 20433, U.S.A. Fax: Phone: (202) 473-5010 Email: Fax: Email: jdelion@worldbank.org Torger Dahl Head of International Department The Royal Norwegian Society for Alain Derevier Development Executive Secretary GFAR Box 115 1 Bragtheviers World Bank, RDV, S8-039 Skjetten 2026 1818 H Street N.W. Norway Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. Phone: 47 64 83 2000 Phone: (202) 458-7914 Fax: 47 64 83 2001 Fax: (202) 522-1142 Email: td@norgesvel.no Email: aderevier@worldbank.org 60 AGRICUlTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Moussa Para Diallo D. Jean-Baptist Donoraud Pr6sident Tresorier General Federation Paysans du Fouta Djallon (Guinee) Union Fromages 52 Pita Timbi Madina/PITA BP 621 Gagnoa GAGNOA Rep. of Guinea Gagnoa Cote d'lvoire Phone: (224) 52 62 22 C6te d'Ivoire Fax: (224) 41 14 78 Phone: (225) 77-20-98 Email: afofana.snprvceet-bull.net Fax: (225) 77-24-00 Email: Ibrahima Tanou Diallo Chercheur Olivier Durand Centre de la Recherche Agronomique de Charge de mission "Organizations Bareng/lRAG Professionnelles agricoles" BP 41 Pita MAE Timbi Madina 20 Rue Monsieur Rep. de Guinee Paris 75007 Phone: (224) 526287 (224) 411062 France Fax: (224) 415758 Phone: 33-1-53-69-3064 Email: irag@mirinet.net.gn Fax: 33-1-53-69-3319 Email: Olivier.durand@diplomaatie.fr Fadel Diame Executive Director John Awuku Dziwornu FRAO Vice Chairman 4318 Sica & Amitie # 3 4318 Allees Seydou Ghana Nat. Assoc. of Farmers or Fishermen Nourou Toll Box MB 37 Dakar CP 13 Dakar-Fann Accra, Ghana Senegal Phone: 665707 Phone: 221-824-1400 Fax: 233-21-665282 Fax: 221-824-5755 Email: Email: Frao@cyg.sn Warf@cyg.sn Appolinaire Etono Ngah Bigne Diomande Directeur National Tresorier General de l'UGVC San-Pedro INADES-FORMATION UNECA-CI 11535 491 San Pedro Yaounde, Cameroun San Pedro Phone: (237) 21-17-48 C6te d'lvoire Fax: (237) 21-11-44 Phone: 71 15 96 71 43 37 Email: ifcam@camnet.cm Fax: 85 12 31 Email: Vicente Fabe Amadou Makhtar Diop President Technica and International Programs Director PAKISAMA RODALE INSTITUTE J9C Salvador Street, Loyola Heights 611 Siegfriedale Road Quezon City, Philippines Kutztown 19530 Phone: (632) 436-16-89 U.S.A. Fax: (632)-436-3477 Phone: (610) 688-1453 Email: Fax: (610) 683-8548 Email: adiop@Rodaleinst.org PARTICIPANTS 61 Ndiogou Fall Christian Fusillier Membre C.A. Charge de Programme CNCR/FONGS I.R.A.M. Lot No. 5 Quarltier 10e 49 Glaciere Thies B.P.269 Paris 75013 Senegal France Phone: 221-951-1237 Phone: 33 1 44 08 67 67 Fax: 221-951-2059 Fax: 33 1 43 31 66 31 Email: Fongs@telecomplus.sn Email: iram@globenet.org Christian Fauliau Bara Goudiaby Appui aux Organisations Professionelles et Coordonnateur Universite Paysanne Africaine Formation Agricole (Afrique de l'ouest) APM-AFRIQUE Banque Mondiale BP 51 Bignma BP 1718 01 BP 1850 Banque Mondiale Dakar, Senegal Abidjan 01 BP 1850 Phone: 994-10-90 Bignona 994-11-83 Bignona C6te d'Ivoire 837-33 82 Dakar (d) Phone: 225-44-2227 Fax: 994-11-83 (Bignona) Fax: 225-44-7979 Email: Email: cfauliau @worldbank.org Samba Gueye Alain Felix Secretaire General Responsable Developpement Rural Afrique CNCR de l'Ouest 63 Bd Burguiba x Trout de Terra AFD Dakar, Senegal 5.7 Rue Roland Barthes Phone: 827-60-88 Paris 75012 Fax: 827-41-01 France Email: Cncr@telecomplus.sn Phone: 33 1 53 44 32 82 Fax: 33 1 53 44 38 62 Ced Hesse Email: Felixa@afd.fr Research Assoc. Drylands Pastoral Programme International Institute for Environment and Alvaro Fiallos Development Vice President 4 Hanover Street UNAG Edinburgh EHZ ZEN 4526 CST I euadra al este, 2 1/2 euadra al sur Scotland Managua. Nicaragua Phone: 44 131 624 7043 Phone: 505-228-1404 Fax: 44131 624 7050 Fax: 505-228-1404 Email: ced.hesse@iied.org Email: PRIIUNAG@IBW.COM.NI Henri Hocde Hector Fripp Chercheur Presidente CIRAD-TERA C.N.F.R. 855 1171 Valparaiso 1171 Mcdo San Jos6 2150 Montevideo, Uruguay Costa Rica Phone: 92 40 605 Phone: 506 216 Fax: 92 406 15 Fax: 506-216-02-72 Email: cnfr@chasque.apc.org Email: hhocde@sol.racsa.co.cr 6 2 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Walter Huppert Alexis Kemanhon Senior Planning Officer, Rural Development Sous-Directeur GTZ DOPAC P.O.B. 5180 DAG-HAMMARSKJOLD WEG BP V 82 D-65726 Eschborn D-65726 Abidjan, C6te d'Ivoire Germany Phone: (225) 22-16-37 (225) 81-62-96 Phone: (+496196) 79-1409 Fax: Fax: (+496196) 79-7108 Email: Email: w.huppert@cgiar.org Malik Khokhar Karim Hussein Sustainable Agr. Senior Consultant, Social and Rural Development WBIEN Information. Training and Rural Development 1100 1745 Pennsylvania Avenue Lion House Ditchlingcommon Industrial Washington, D.C. 20006, U.S.A. Hassolks BN6 8SL Phone: (301) 951-1233 United Kingdom Fax: Phone: (44) 1444 248088 Email: skhokhar@worldbank.org Fax: (44) 1444 248763 Email: k.hussein@itad.com Shashi Kolavalli Consultant Monique Ilboudo 521 521 N. Orchard Charg6e du Service de la Legislation Rurale El Dorado 67042, U.S.A. Ministere de l'Agriculture Directions de la Phone: 316 322-5518 Promotion Cooperative et de la Legislation Fax: Rurale Email: skolavalli@aol.com 360 Av. Charles de Gaulle Ouadougou 01 B-P 360 Kouakou Kouame Burkina Faso Chef de service Phone: (226) 324575 361321 ANADER Fax: (226) 310870 305742 BP 183 Abidjan Bd. De la Paix Email: zoundi@hotmail.com Abidjan, C6te d'lvoire zoundi@fasonet.bf Phone: 211688/218998 Fax: Chantal Sylvie Imbeault Email: Chargee de Projet CECI Kouakou Phares Kouame 270 180 Ste. Catherine Est Tresorier General Montreal, Quebec H2X I K9, Canada Union Anouanze Daoukro Phone: 514-875-9911 Ouelle, C6te d'Ivoire Fax: 514-875-6469 Phone: Email: chantal-Sylviel@ceci.ca Fax: Email: Henry Jouve President Zohouboud Richard Kouame A.F.D.I. President 11 Rue de la Baume APROCA CIIUCAO Paris-8eme 75008 BP 739 17 17 Jardins de la Riviera France Abidjan, C6te d'Ivoire Phone: 01 45 62 25 54 Phone: 43 3729 Fax: 01 42 89 58 16 Fax: 43 3729 Email: afdi.nationale@globenet.org Email: PARTICIPANTS 63 Kouakou Phares Kouame Silvio Marzaroli Tresorier General, Delegue de l'Union Secretario Executivo Continental Union Anouanze De Daoukro RIAD BP 27 Ouelle Daoukro 461 Ituzango Daoukro, C6te d'lvoire San Jose de Mayo, Uruguay Phone: Phone: 598-340-2274/ 598-993-42440 Fax: Fax: 598-340-2274 Email: Email: Silviomr@nmaragatos.com Michael Kuchinsky Nora McKeon Africa Focus Security Project Coordinator Programme Officer Civil Society Org. World Institute FAO Suite 1000 1100 Wayne Ave Via delle Terme di Caracalla Silver Spring, MD 20910, U.S.A. Rome 100 Phone: (301) 608-2400 Italy Fax: (301) 608-2401 Phone: 003906-57053852 Email: mkuchinsky@bread.org Fax: 003906-57055175 Email: nora.mckeon@fao.org Benoit Pierre Laramee Directeur Regional David Meneses CECI Jefe Departamento de Investigaciones Region B.P. 109 Huetar Norte Bamako, Mali Ministerio de Agricultura y Canaderia (MAG) Phone: 223 21 48 44 100 metros Sur, Liceo San Carlos Fax: 223 21 65 23 Cicedad Quesado, Costa Rica Email: direction-cecimali@cefils.com Phone: (506) 460-13-62 (506) 216-03-02 Fax: 460-10-23 Alain Le Masson Email: davmenl4@hotmail.com Checheur Pr. Productions Animales CIRAD-EMVT Marie Rose Mercoiret BP 5035 Campus International de Bai. Chercheur Montpellier 34032 CIRAD France BP 5035 Avenue Agropolis Phone: 33 (0) 467 59 38 03 Montpellier Cedex 1 64320 Fax: 33 (0) 467593825 France Email: alain.le_masson@cirad.fr Phone: Fax: 33-4-67-61-1223 Pierre Lessard Email: mercoiret@cirad.fr Directeur Etudes et Developpement Ecomomique Leonardo Montemayor CECI 41 Highland Drive 180 Ste. Catherine Est Blue Ridge 1109 Montreal, Quebec H2X I K9, Canada Quezon City, Philippines Phone: 514-875-9911 Phone: (632) 647-1451/ Fax: 514-875-6469 Fax: (632) 647-1093/ Email: PierreL@CECI.CA Email: aster@pworld.net.ph 64 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Leonardo Montemayor Jane Ngige Secretary General/Vice-President Agricultural Services Federation of Free Farmers /International Biosystems LTD. Federation of Agricultural Producers Box 28758 319 North Wing Nairobi, Kenya Batasan Hills, Phone: (254) 2 74 1671 Quezon City, Philippines 1126 Fax: (254) 2 630 845 Phone: (632) 931 5001 Email: modelact@nbnet.com Fax: (632) 931 5773 Email: lqm@pworld.net.ph Oumar Niangado De1egue de la Fondation Novartis Michael Moran B.P. E 1449 Porte 489 Rue 595 Executive Director/ Business Dev./LAC Boulkassoumborgou ACDINVOCA Bamako, Mali Suite 1075 50 F St N.W. Phone: (223) 241470 Washington, D.C. 2001, U.S.A. Fax: (223) 24 14 70 Phone: (202) 879-0231 Email: niangado.o@datatech.toolnet.org Fax: (202) 783-7204 Email: mmoran@acdivoca.org Charles G. Nouatin Secretaire Executive Daniel Mulwanda Federation des Unions de Producteurs du Project Officer Benin (FUGRO/BENIN) Zambia National Farmers' Union 2252 Gotto Abumey P.O. Box 30395 Boticon 2252 Gotto Abumey Lusaka 10101 Republique du Benin Zambia Phone: 00 229 510700 Phone: 260-1-252649 Fax: 00229 510700 Fax: 260-1-252648 Email: fuproben@leland.bj Email: znfu@zamnet.zm Bankole Ogunbameru M. Naivoson National Coordinator Extension Programs President Federal Agricultural Coordinating Unit Maison des Paysans P.O. Box 325 Gwagwalada-Abuja 561 Bentanimena Nigeria Tulear 601 Phone: 09-882-1051 090-804425 Madagascar Fax: 09 234-5268 09 234-5267 Phone: 94 41018 Email: ous_sade@hotmail.com Fax: 94 41898 Email: P. Paul Ouedraogo Coordonnateur Ibrahim Nebie CCOF/FENOP Agricultural Extension Specialist 09 BP 977 Ouagadougou 09 Ouagadougou World Bank Ouadougou, Burkina Faso 622 Immeuble BICIA 3eme etage Phone: (00226) 361151 Ouagadougou Fax: Burkina Faso Email: Phone: (226) 30 62 37 Fax: (226) 30 86 49 Email: inebie@worldbank.org PARTICIPANTS 65 Kore Raymond Oupoh Yves Petillon Pr6sident du C.A. Ex-Director Cooperative Agricole Moderne de Soubre C.E.C.I. (C.A.M.S.O) 1150 Beatty 1164 Soubre Montreal, Quebec, H4H lYI, Canada Soubr6, C6te d'lvoire Phone: (514) 362-0152 Phone: (225) 72-23-54/58 (225) 96-65-31 Fax: (514) 875-6469 Fax: Email: petillon@videotron.ca Email: Ronald Phillips Paul Pafromi Coordinator Vice-President CLUSA MPZS (Mouvement Paysan Tchad Zone 307x Ridgewen Soudanienne) Lusaka, Zambia B.P. II E.F.L Doue Phone: 260-1-235747 Phone: 235 69 14 96 Fax: 260-1-235749 Fax: 235 69 14 96 Email: clusa@zamnet.zm Email: paop@intnet.td Marek Poznanski Olivier Parat CSA Collectif Strat6gies Alimentaires Assistant Technique 184 D Bldg L6opold II Projet Sud Ouest Bruxelles 1080 BP 561 Betanimena Belgique Toliara 601 Phone: 322 412 0606 Madagascar Fax: 322 412 0666 Phone: 94 41018 Email: CSA@skynet.be Fax: 94 41898 Email: parato@dts.mg Felicity Proctor Rural Development Advisor Rashid Pertev DFID/WB Assistant Secretary-General 1818 H Street N.W. IFAP Washington. D.C. 20433, U.S.A. 60 rue St. Lazare Phone: (202) 458-7279 Paris 75009 Fax: (202) 522-3306 France Email: fproctor@worldbank.org Phone: 33-1-45260553 Fax: 33-148747212 Yves-Cofri Prudencio Email: rashid.pertev@ifap.org Specialiste Services Agricoles Banque Mondiale Denis Pesche 1818 H Street N.W. Secr6taire Ex6cutif Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. Inter-Reseaux Phone: (202) 473-4540 32 Rue le Peletier Fax: (202) 473-8229 Paris 75009 Email: Yprudencio@worldbank.org France Phone: (33) 1 42 46 57 13 Fax: (33-1) 42465424 Email: intereso@oimaginet.fr 6 6 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Ricardo Quiros Robert-Jan Scheer Asesor Tecnico Rural Development Advisor Mesa Nacional Campesina (M.N.C.) NETM Ministry of Foreign Affairs Apartado Postal 2190-1002 Casa Kolou P.O. Box 20061 Blanco, 2 plartas Ave. 11, Calle 5 The Hague 2500 FB San Jose P.C. 1002 The Netherlands Costa Rica Phone: 31 70 3486397 Phone: 506-221-06-02 Fax: 31 70 348 5956 Fax: 506-223-1911 Email: r.scheer@dru.minbuza.nl Email: Mesanac@sol.racsa.co.cr Franz Schorosch Jose Ramos Consultant Advisor, Latin America 4724 S. Chelsea Lane The Royal Norwegian Society for Bethesda, MD 20814, U.S.A. Development Phone: (301) 656-8561 5908 Folkstone Rd Fax: (301) 656-6633 Bethesda, MD 20817, U.S.A. Email: Fschorosch@aol.com Phone: (301) 581-0583 Fax: (301) 581-3659 Vore Gana Seek Email: JLR.NDR@EROLS.COM Director Rodale Senegal Pierre Rondot BP A 237 Community Development Specialist Senegal World Bank, RDV S8-110 Phone: 221 951 1028 1818HStreetN.W. Fax: 221 951 1670 Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. Email: rodale@sonatel.senet.net Phone: (202) 458 4485 Fax: (202) 522 3308 Steinor Setjegard Email: prondot@worldbank.org International Secretary NORGES BONDELAG The Norwegian Jean Claude Sabin Farmers' Union I V.P. APCA 9354 Gronland Schweigaards gt. 34 C APCA et FIPA 0135 Oslo 9 Avenue George V Norway Paris 75008 Phone: (47) 22 05 45 37 France Fax: (47) 22 17 17 87 Phone: (01) 53571162 Email: steinar.seljegard@bondelaget.no Fax: (01) 53571007 Email: Alexandre Serrano Program Manager Leopold Sarr CLUSA Sr Agricultural Services Specialist 423 Bairro Mukala Expansao World Bank Manpula, Mozambique 3296 3 Place de l'Independance Phone: 258-6-215825/7273 Dakar, Senegal Fax: 258-6-215826 Phone: (221) 823 36 30 Email: Aserrano@Nampula.imoz.com Fax: (221) 823 62 77 Email: lsarr@worldbank.org PARTICIPANTS 67 Nawa Simasiku Eugene Terry PO Adviser Farmer Mumamble Depot World Bank, RDV S8 033 Lusaka, Zambia 1818 H Street N.W. Phone: 235747/8 Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. Fax: 235749 Phone: (202) 473 8544 Email: CLUSA@Zamnet.ZM Fax: (202) 522 3308 Email: eterry@worldbank.org Serge Snrech Administrateur Ibrahim Tiemogo OCDE-Club du Sahel Coordonnateur de Programmes 94 Rue Chardon Lagache C.T.A. Paris 75016 Post Bus 380 2 Agro-Business Park France Wageningen NL 6708 PW Phone: 33 1 45 24 82 79 The Netherlands Fax: 33 1 45 24 96 79 Phone: 31 31 74 67173 Email: serge.snrech@oecd.org Fax: 31 317 46 0067 Email: tiemogo@cta.nl Seydou Soro Directeur General Woyioue' Yvette Tiendregenbo Poyga URECOS-CI Bureau de Promotion des Activit6s des 635 Route Du Lycee H.B. Femmes (BPAF) Korhogo BP 635 Direction Vulgarisation Agricole C6te d'Ivoire Ouagadougou Phone: 86-24-82 Burkina Faso Fax: 86-05-71 Phone: 307091 Email: urecosdg@africaonline.co.ci Fax: 226 310870/ 305742 Email: Barbara Spangler Director Governmental Trade Relations Hilde Timmerman American Farm Bureau Federation Coodinateur Suite 800, 600 Maryland S.W. Reder Voor Allen Boerenbond Washington, D.C. 20024, U.S.A. 247 8 Minderbroeder Str Phone: (202) 484-3613 Leuven 3000 Fax: (202) 484-3652 Belgium Email: barbaras@fb.com Phone: 32 16 242091 Fax: 32 16 242136 John Swanson Email: iva@boerenbond.be Agriculture Development Officer USAID Kirsten Vaerdal 2-011-095 Ronald Reagan Building President 1300 Pennsylvania Ave Norges Bondeleng The Norwegian Farmers' Washington, D.C. 20523-21, U.S.A. Union Phone: 9354 Gronland Schweigoardsgt 34 .C Fax: 0135 Oslo Email: Norway Phone: (47) 22 05 45 00 (47) 22 17 17 87 Fax: Email: Kirsten.vaerdal@bondelaget.no 68 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS Benjamin Valenzuela Joshua Walton Secretario Vice President/Afr. Asociaci6n Nacional de Empresas ACDI/VOCA Comercializadas (ANEC) 50 F Street N.W. 208 V. Riva Palaco Washington, D.C. 20001. U.S.A. Culiacan, Mexico Phone: (202) 879-0257 Phone: (67) 165920 (67) 131411 Fax: (202) 626-8726 Fax: Email: jwalton@acdivoca.org Email: seprodac@docs.ccs.net.mx Charles D. Whyte Meite Vameike USAID/AFR/SD Coodonnateur de Projet 1325 G Street N.W. Centre Canadien d'Etude et de Cooperation Washington, D.C. 20005, U.S.A. Internationale (CECI) Phone: (202) 219-0464 845 Quartier Rendentiel Fax: (202) 219-0508 Korhogo, C6te d'Ivoire Email: cwhyte@afr-sd.org Phone: 86-13-80 Fax: 86-15-84 Tiemoko Yo Email: MEITCECI@AFRICAONLINE.CO.CI Directeur des Programmes de Recherche et de l'Appui au Developpement Johan Van Rooyen CNRA Executive Director 01 BP 1740 17 Rte de Dabou AGRIBUSINESS CHAMBER Abidjan, C6te d'Ivoire P.O. Box 1508 Schoeman Street Phone: (225) 45 4170/ 45-31-16 Pretoria, South Africa Fax: (225) 45-33-05 Phone: 2712 322 7181 Email: CNRA@africaonline.co.ci Fax: 27 12 3200 787 Email: johan.lbk@agriinfo.co.za Willem Zijp Principal Agricultural Services Specialist Joaquin Francisco Vasquez Mateo World Bank, RDV S8-141 Vice President 1818 H Street N. W. Fenocin Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. 1008 Versalles y Carrion Phone: (202) 473 2456 Quito 12-12-08448 Fax: (202) 522 3308 Ecuador Email: wzijp@worldbank.org Phone: 593-2-228191 Fax: 593-2-228193 Emerson Zitaj Email: Fenoci@fenoci.ecuanex.net.ec Operations Director Zimbawe Farmer's Union Frans Von Hoof P.O. Box 3755 Liaison Officer (Africa) Harare, Zimbabwe Agriterra Phone: 263-4-700-855/ 306184 43-2 Willemsplein Fax: Amhem 6811 KD Email: kbmzfu@africaonline.co.zn The Netherlands Phone: 31-26-354-2008 Fax: 31-26-445-5978 Email: vanhoof@agriterra.org PARTICIPANTS 69 Enumanuel Zonhon Sibiri Jean Zoundi Vice-President Charge de recherches, Chef service liaison, COPAO Recherche-developpement BP 28 Toulepleu Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Guiglo. C6te d'lvoire Agricoles (INERA) Phone: Cel (225) 99-72-28 (225) 22-16-37 8645 Boulevard de la Jeunesse Fax: Ouadougou 04 BP 8645 Email: Burkina Faso Phone: (226) 344012 340270 Fax: (226) 340271 Email: zoundi@hotmail.com zoundi @ fasonet.bf