The Making of a Messenger - Part I
Agriculture extension agents are a valuable source of information and expertise for many small-scale farmers across the globe. As global understanding builds around the linkages between agriculture and nutrition, efforts are currently underway to integrate activities promoting nutrition into agriculture extension programming in several Feed the Future countries. Join SPRING and the Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services (MEAS) project in a two-part webinar series exploring these efforts in Malawi and Ethiopia.
The first event, took place on October 29th and focused on MEAS’s assessment of agricultural extension, nutrition education, and integrated agriculture-nutrition programs and systems in Malawi. The assessment aims to inform the design of an activity that will strengthen delivery of coordinated and integrated extension and nutrition outreach services in Malawi’s Feed the Future focus districts. Vickie Sigman, Independent Senior Agriculture Extension Specialist, discussed the various programs and systems in place in Malawi to deliver integrated extension and nutrition outreach services. Service delivery constraints and possibilities for addressing existing constraints were also highlighted. Paul McNamara, Director, Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services Project and Valerie Rhoe, Senior Technical Advisor at Catholic Relief Services, served as respondents as part of the presentation.
The second event examineed SPRING’s recent work in Ethiopia. SPRING collaborated with the USAID Mission and several Feed the Future implementing partners to document the experiences and coordination among Feed the Future partners utilizing public extension agriculture Development Agents (DAs) to deliver nutrition messages and interventions at the community-level. SPRING’s Social and Behavior Change Advisor, Ashley Aakesson, will discuss the processes, challenges, successes, and lessons learned from project staff, government staff including DAs, and community members, and ways current programming and coordination could be adjusted to improve nutrition outcomes.
Presentation (Sigman) (PDF, 1.85 MB)
Response 1 (Rhoe Davis) (PDF, 175 KB)
Response 2 (McNamara) (PDF, 694 KB)
Question Responses (PDF, 430 KB)