Caracterizaçao e análise dos modelos de extensão agrária praticados pelos serviços públicos : caso da Associação de Manguiza, aldeia dos antigos combatentes e cooperativa 25 de setembro - Boane

Abstract

This study was carried out in Boane district, Maputo province, in April 2004. The study covered three communities of Producers, namely the Association of Irrigants of Manguiza, the Village of Former Combatants and the 25 de Setembro Cooperative. These three communities form part of the Boane Public Extension Team's action zone. The study aims to study the T&V and FFS agrarian extension models practiced by the Public Extension Services in the three Producer communities. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews, informal conversations and simple observations on the Producers' fields. 70 Farmers, 3 Extensionists and the Rural Extension Team Supervisor from Boane were interviewed in this study. The results obtained show that the Public Extension Services, both in the Associação de Manguiza and Cooperativa 25 de Setembro, and in Aldeia dos A. Combatants are just implementing the T&V agrarian extension model. The implementation of the FFS extension model in the Associação de Manguiza e Cooperativa 25 de Setembro lasted only one year and its interruption was due to the high cost that the model entails, the lack of trained Extensionists to deal with the model and the poor diffusion of the same. It was found that the functioning of the T&V extension model, in the three communities, is deficient, and the conditions for its implementation to respond to the needs of the Producers have not yet been created. The poor functioning of the models is a consequence of the insufficiency of means of transport; reduced fuel quotas for field work; deficient technical capacity of Extensionists; delay in paying Extensionists' salaries; weak monitoring of activities carried out; poor communication between the Extension Team - Producers - Research institutions; poor availability of consultation materials for Extensionists and resistance from Producers to experimenting with new technologies.