Deborah Duveskog, SLU Esbern Friis-Hansen, DIIS Evaluating Empowerment in the Rural Small-holder Context: Lessons from East Africa

The small-holder context.. Changing rural context No package solutions Globalised markets Incresed trends for decentralisation and demand driven services Requires farmers that are able to take control!

Farmer Empowerment.. “A process that increases the capabilities of smallholder farmers and farmer groups to make choices and to influence collective decisions towards desired actions and outcomes on the basis of those choices” (DANIDA 2004) “Before, if somebody asked me what I do I used to say “nothing”. Now I proudly answer; “I am a farmer”. Kellen Wambui, Mureri FFS, Nakuru, Kenya

Theoretical Framework Empowerment (Sen, Narayan, World Bank, DANIDA) 1. Opportunity Structures  Institutional climate  Social and political structures 2. Agency of the Poor Assets and Capabilities Collective levelIndividual level Development Outcomes Learning process (FFS case) Critical Consciousness Action & Transformation Enhanced well-being Opportunity structures

Farmer Field Schools (FFS).. …a laboratory for critical reflection

Observation Agro-eco System Analysis (AESA) Analysis PresentationSynthesis /discussion

AESA…

Participatory development of indicators! Of 1) Well-being and of 2) Empowerment! Methodology

Household Survey 1. Well being ranking indicators : Access to land, work, use of workers, animal ownership, house, dressing, health /medical, food security 2. Empowerment indicators : Access to services, access to markets, membership in organisations, personal empowerment. 3. Attitude: “Likert Scale” perception of power to change / make decisions at household & community level KENTZNUGA FFS graduates Non-members Methodology

Participatory methods.. Individual interview Focus group discussion Visual tools Methodology Qual Quant

Attitudes.... I have a clear plan for how to improve my farm! When I talk other farmers take my ideas serious! In my village other people recognise me as somebody important! Attending community meetings is a waste of time! I am proud of being farmer! I believe that I can change my life to the better! Methodology

Statistical Analysis (SPSS) `Factor Analysis’ of Attitude Questions Household decision making capacity Decision on farming activities and practices Decision on household expenditure Gender equity and trust Men and Women are equally involved in leadership in the village Conflicts between man and wife in the HH rare Trust people in groups in matters related to lending money Power to influence community Part of the decision-making process for community action You can make this village a better place to live Individual agency and control Have power to make important decisions Help friends and neighbours in unfortunate situations Trust in local authorities Trust local government officials and politicians Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis; Rotation Method: Equamax with Kaiser Normalization Results

Empowerment Factors * FFS membership Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis; Rotation Method: Equamax with Kaiser Normalization KenyaTanzaniaUganda HH decision making capacity*** NA Gender and trust*** Individual agency and control *** Trust in authoritiesNA *** Power to influence community Results

Indication of significance (Creamérs`V) : * p < 0.01; ** p <.005; *** p <.001 Statistical Analysis (SPSS) Link between FFS participation and empowerment Results

Qualitative scope Output themes of individual and group interviews; Farming Decisions Relation to service providers Power / Part of decision making Local Organisation View of future.. Community relations trust Leadership Gender relations Challenging traditions Results

Conclusions Methodology Quant. on empowerment possible! but in combination with Qual. Merge perceptions & more direct expressions of emp. Difficult to understand critical consciousness Mutual learning process Content Link between FFS and empowerment Need to unpack the term empowerment

Thanks! Esbern Friis Hansen Deborah Duveskog