Life Long Learning for Farmers (L3Farmers): Open, Distance and Technology-Mediated Learning for Extension for Smallholders

Abstract

PCF3 // The following paper summarises the authors’ report to the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) which was based on meetings at the 2nd Pan Commonwealth Forum; a COL-initiated virtual conference (L3Farmers) on open, distance and technologymediated learning strategies for agricultural extension and possible collaboration between the National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES), Consultative Group on International Research (CGIAR) and COL which involved over 90 agricultural researchers and developers across the globe; and desk studies. It discusses the transformation of extension for smallholders in low income countries, suggests how open learning and technology can help to achieve this, and outlines a plan of action in accord with COL’s Three year Plan, 2003-2006 and its aim of ‘addressing the massive need to improve knowledge and skills of small-scale farmers to enable them to participate in the increasingly complex food/market chains, and improve their livelihood’ (www.col.org/programmes/reporting/3year_plan.htm).