Band 017: Ehret, Wilhelm: Reorientation of Extension

In this book, the author documents a reorientation process of five years which he accompanied as a «participative action researcher». First, the methodology of extension was changed, followed by a reorientation of the entire organization including the integration of sectors such as agriculture, health, rural water supply and sanitation.The first four cycles of the reorientation were documented, each comprised of planning, implementation and evaluation. Essential criteria for a process of reorientation were identified. These criteria must complement each other and be considered at the same time in order to achieve an impact:

1. Vision creation: At all levels of the organization, staff must develop a perspective (vision) of the purpose of their project.

2. Capacity building: For implementing a different approach to extension, field staff need to be trained in specific extension methods which embrace the paradigm of participation in development interactions.

3. Coaching: As «new" extension methods are implemented, extension workers need a support system which enables them to learn how to apply such interactive approaches and, gradually, upgrade their performance in «helping people help them-selves».

4. Organizational learning climate: As an organization's approach changes towards an increased level of clients' participation, the content as well as the organizational structures and procedures must be adjusted so that responsive, demand-driven services can be rendered to clients.

The reorientation process also revealed that achieving participation at the extension-client-interface is easier than establishing participative management within an organization. Finally, the specific situation of NGOs, their potentials and limitations, has been analyzed with the conclusion that NGOs lose their comparative advantages as they become bigger and, thus, more government like.