Resulta indispensable discutir los contenidos y las metodologías utilizadas para formar extensionistas, muchas veces focalizadas exclusivamente en conocimientos técnicos e implementadas según una lógica transferencista. Así, en este trabajo, a través de la realización de entrevistas, se analizan las necesidades formativas de los extensionistas rurales paraguayos indagando su función, los problemas a los que se enfrentan en su práctica y sus propios intereses formativos.
This paper evaluates the underlying believes related to both models in Paraguayan rural extensionists and the profile of those who prefer each one. We conclude that these models, despite being theoretically opposed, overlap in real situations. Besides, we found that a lower presence of believes related to the transfer of technology model is more likely to be found in older and more experienced technicians and in women
Agriculture and food supply face a repositioning in the context of challenges associated with the Millennium Development Goals. From a development perspective it is of central importance to identify the role that the sector should perform in the fight against poverty and in a world that is increasingly urbanized.
This paper has been prepared under the guidelines provided by the TAP Secretariat at the FAO, as a contribution to the G20 initiative TAP, which includes near 40 partners and is facilitated by FAO. Its purpose is to provide a Regional synthesis report on capacity needs assessment for agricultural innovation, with capacity gaps identified and analyzed, including recommendations to strengthen agricultural innovation systems (AIS) and draft policy recommendations to address the capacity gaps.
The report specifically analyses the NIS in Peru and Colombia in the coffee and dairy sectors due to their economic importance for both countries and the large percentage of small producers in these sectors. In order to analyse the NIS, we have utilised an innovations systems approach to form the analytical framework. This framework focuses on four main areas – understanding the actors in the NIS, their roles and attitudes, the patterns of interaction of these actors, and the enabling environment with a focus on small producer inclusion.
Grants for agricultural innovation are common but grant funds specifically targeted to smallholder farmers remain relatively rare. Nevertheless, they are receiving increasing recognition as a promising venue for agricultural innovation. They stimulate smallholders to experiment with improved practices, to become proactive and to engage with research and extension providers. The systematic review covered three modalities of disbursing these grants to smallholder farmers and their organisations: vouchers, competitive grants and farmer-led innovation support funds.
Some of the most promising and at the same time some of the most challenging areas of future food production are found in the savannas of South America. Integrating cropping, livestock, and forestry in these regions can increase the eco-efficiency of agricultural production. This chapter presents a case study of an integrated crop, livestock, and forestry system in Brazil. The study area is in Goiás State in the Cerrado region, a vast savanna covering almost one quarter of Brazil's land area.
Transgenic maize was approved in Brazil in 2008/2009. In 2012, it occupied 73% of the country maize growing area. This high adoption rate confirms studies indicating that technology use has been the major driving force in Brazilian agriculture. Maize seed market in the world has been a concentrated sector. Although, when this sector is associated with transgenesis, this concentration increases sharply. In one side, there is the idea that companies can benefit from gains of scale and complementarities to maximize their efficiency in research and development (R&D).
La innovación inclusiva es un proceso que involucra la coordinación de diversos actores en contextos específicos, en el cual las instituciones juegan un papel central en los procesos de aprendizaje e innovación colaborativa de la población de escasos recursos. Las preguntas centrales que se tratan de responder son ¿cómo construir procesos de innovación inclusiva? y ¿cómo influyen las instituciones en esos procesos?
En este artículo se hace una reflexión sobre los problemas que enfrenta la planificación del desarrollo local y sobre las críticas hacia la localización espacial de las actividades socioeconómicas, lo cual es extensivo al estudio de los sistemas agroalimentarios localizados (SIAL). Más adelante, se centra la discusión en la aportación latinoamericana al enfoque SIAL, con base en una perspectiva ética que aborda la visión humanista sobre la seguridad alimentaria desde el contexto de la relación global-local.