About the Neuchâtel Initiative

Origins

During the 1980s and early 1990s there was a broad consensus among development partners that agricultural extension systems play a major role in the economic and social development of Africa. However, a heated debate was going on about which system was most suitable for the continent.
Some donors preferred pluralistic, participatory, farmer-controlled approaches involving Farmers’ Organisations and NGOs, whereas the World Bank pushed their favourite, the Government operated and controlled T&V (training&visit) extension system.
The most affected were, on the one hand, the recipient governments who had to deal with as many systems as donors were operating in their country, and the farming families on the other hand, being confronted with many different approaches.
So, in 1995 representatives of the World Bank, the French Cooperation and SDC took the initiative to call for an informal consultation of donors with the objectives:

  • to get a dialogue started among donors

  • to identify key issues relevant to sustainable extension systems

  • to find common grounds for joint activities


This consultation was held in the city of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, thus the name of the initiative. And although it remained an informal network, the Neuchâtel Initiative continued to exist, and is now a living and active Community of Practice.

Milestones

First informal consultation (1995)

  • Consultation meeting in Neuchâtel (Switzerland) with donor representatives

  • Establishment of dialogue and search for the key issues relevant to sustainable extension approaches



Consultation meeting in Cape Coast, Ghana (1997)

  • Meeting in with the participation of different stakeholders
  • At this meeting it became clear that the very diverse expectations of all stakeholders concerned with extension (governments, donors, NGOs, CBOs, farming families) cannot be met at a joint meeting



Development of a "Common Framework on Extension"

  • Involved donors agree on a "Common Framework on Extension” and prepare a draft document
  • Meeting in Ségou (Mali) in 1998 where the draft is presented to, and discussed with, representatives of the other stakeholders, finally resulting in a common understanding
  • In 1999 publication of the resulting first NI booklet in French and in English



Work on current issues of interest to specific donors (1999/2000/2001)

  • Varying teams of donor representatives work on specific issues and submit their findings to dis-cussion.
  • Joint missions involving various donors look at extension programmes in the field and prepare case studies.

  • These efforts led to further publications by the NI group and related institutions:
  • Guide for Monitoring and Evaluation and Joint Analyses of Pluralistic Extension Support (2000)
  • Extension, poverty and vulnerability (2001) by ODI, UK
  • Common Framework on Financing Agricultural and Rural Extension (2002)
  • During this time annual consultation meetings were held in 1999 in Uppsala (Sweden), in 2000 - the five year anniversary of NI - again in Neuchâtel, and in 2001 in London


Activities 2002-2004

  • Involvement and participation of the NI group in a World Bank conference on institutional approaches to extension and rural development (2002)
  • Establishment of this website to make the common documents easily accessible to a wider audience
  • Initiation of new joint activities on:
  • The demanding villager: How can extension systems become really demand responsive
  • Publication of booklet on "Extension and the Poor"

 

Activities 2005-2007

  • Publication of booklet on demand-driven agricultural advisory services
  • Initation of joint work on market-oriented agricultural advisory services
  • Joint work on redefining form, structure and mandate of the Neuchâtel Initiative

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© Neuchâtel Group - 2002

AGRIDEA, Team for International Cooperation, Eschikon 28, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland
Phone: +41-52-354 97 35, fax: +41-52-354 97 97, e-mail: daniel.roduner@agridea.ch