translating research output into the grower's reality : tobacco training … · 2017-07-18 ·...

TRANSLATING RESEARCH OUTPUT INTO THE

GROWER'S REALITY : Tobacco Training And Extension For Smallholder Growers In Zimbabwe

Susan Dimbi & Goodson Khuddu TOBACCO RESEARCH BOARD

KUTSAGA

2016

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OUTLINE

• Introduction

• Training and extension then - pre-2000

• Of change being inevitable : 2001-2010

• Back to Basics: The decade 2001-2010

• Training and Extension Now…

2016

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The Tobacco Research Board’s Mandate

“To direct, control and

carry out tobacco research

within Zimbabwe …

… offer advice & assistance

to any person growing

tobacco….”

Done since TRB inception in 1950

2016

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TRB’S TRAINING & EXTENSION MODEL

Scientists take out and discuss research results

directly with the growers

Now

Then

2016

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TRAINING & EXTENSION METHODS

• Researchers ensure

recommendations are

implemented as intended.

• Growers given the

opportunity to input directly

into TRB’s research program

2016

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TRAINNING & EXTENSION : PRE 2001

• Field days

• Field demonstration

trials

• TRB Circus Meetings

2016

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KUTSAGA FIELD DAYS

Andrew Brooker Dr Bill Ryding

Dr. Ken Flower Anne Jack

2016

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KUTSAGA FIELD DAYS

Andrew Brooker Dr Bill Ryding

Dr. Ken Flower Anne Jack

• Hosted on-station by Kutsaga or

• Hosted by a growers with good crops

• Tobacco growers invited for field discussions

2016

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FIELD DEMONSTRATION TRIALS FIELD DEMONSTRATION TRIALS

at Warwick Farm at Wildene Farm

Anne Jack (TRB) & Phil Goldhawk (ZFC)

Mike Dawes & Dr. Ken Flower (TRB)

2016

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FIELD DEMONSTRATION TRIALS FIELD DEMONSTRATION TRIALS

at Warwick Farm at Wildene Farm

Anne Jack (TRB) & Phil Goldhawk (ZFC)

Mike Dawes & Dr. Ken Flower (TRB)

• Field trials set up on farm

• Growers given access

throughout the season

• Periodically, discussions - growers and TRB researchers held at sites

2016

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TOBACCO RESEARCH BOARD – CIRCUS MEETINGS

Circus : a travelling company of

acrobats/clowns…give performances ,

typically in a large tent in a series of

different places.

TRB Circus : a travelling group of researchers

…give tobacco talks, in country clubs at a series of venues.

2016

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TOBACCO RESEARCH BOARD – CIRCUS MEETINGS

Circus : a travelling company of

acrobats/clowns…give performances ,

typically in a large tent in a series of

different places.

TRB Circus : a travelling group of researchers

…give tobacco talks, in country clubs at a series of venues.

Day 2

Day 3

Day 1

Les Cousins – Tobacco Reporter

1999

2016

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CIRCUS MEETINGS & FIELD DAY TOPICS

1. Latest developments in research eg.

• New fertilizers, Irrigation systems

• New varieties, Agrochemicals

• Disease management strategies

2. GAP & Timing of operations etc etc….

2016

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How successful were these

methods?

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• Methods adequate and effective,

• Until 1996 - < 3 000 tobacco growers in

Zimbabwe - # rose to ~7 000 (1999)

• Predominantly large scale,

• Seasoned

• All could directly interact with a TRB researcher

through the available channels

No. Of flue-cured tobacco growers 1980-2000

2016

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No. Of flue-cured tobacco growers 1980-2000

0

3000

6000

9000

19

80

19

81

19

82

19

83

19

84

19

85

19

86

19

87

19

88

19

89

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

1994

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

1547 1257 1186

1426 1486 1493

2604 2338

2921

5101

8334

7194

No

. O

f re

gis

tere

d g

row

ers

Year

2016

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and then there was change.....

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No. Of Growers 1990-1995 vs 2005 - 2015

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

1493 2604 2338

2525

31761 26412 29018

51685 60047

78756

86975

75538

No

. O

f re

gis

tere

d g

row

ers

1990 - 1995 2005 - 2015

Year 2001

Land

redistribution

12 fold

2016

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RESEARCHERS & GROWERS – THE NUMBERS

35

39 37

45 42

49

42

34

23

29

36

32

37

42 41

37

47 49

43 45 52

189

755 643

1397

1349

2129

1851

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

0

10

20

30

40

50

60 Number of Researchers

Grower:Researcher ratio

Nu

mb

er

of

Re

sea

rch

ers

Re

sea

rch

er

: G

row

er

ratio

2016

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TRB RELEVANCE – WAS THIS IT?

• End of the ‘business as

usual’ approach to

training & extension.

• Innovate - Develop

strategies to enable

more coverage with

reduced staff

• Maintain quality of training & the direct grower-

researcher interaction

2016

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• In 2007 - An additional new form of training and extension tool introduced (~26 000 growers at the time)

• Kutsaga Improved Productivity Sites - (KUTSAGA TIPS)

• More appropriate for the predominantly new & inexperienced growers

AN ADDITIONAL TRAINING TOOL ADOPTED…

2016

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TOBACCO IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY SITES

• Based on a ‘back to basics’ training approach

Designed to:

• Give season long training sessions to the ‘I’ve never grown tobacco before’ growers

• Enable good coverage

2016

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What are Kutsaga TIPS ?

• Group-based learning

hubs in all tobacco districts

Improved

Productivity Site

Key

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What are Kutsaga TIPS ?

• Group-based learning

hubs in all tobacco districts

Improved

Productivity Site

Key

• Tobacco crop used as training aid

• Learners provided with the relevant & practical tobacco growing skills &

• Taught best tobacco production practices & GAP

Kutsaga TIP site

2016

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COURSE CONTENT

• Emphasis on both

agronomic & economic aspects of

profitable tobacco

production &

• Growers constantly

reminded…’Tobacco

growing is a business’

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The Target Trainees at Sites

• The grower - at

selected site

• The area AGRITEX officer(s) (govt

extension officer)

• Neighboring

growers Training on tray filling and

seed sowing

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THE MODUS OPERANDI …

• 1st step : Devoted growers selected to host sites

• The grower provided with all inputs

Off-station training

2016

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• A field crop

established on

farm

• All trainees given

information

packages

GROWERS PROVIDED WITH INFORMATION

2016

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Information repackaged to suit clientele

Handbooks 1 ha – Production guide

Pest & Disease identification guide

Planning Diaries

2016

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THE COURSE CONTENT

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TRAINING : SEEDLING PRODUCTION

1. Float trays system

2. Timing of operations

3. Pest and disease control

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TRAINING : LAND PREPARATION & PLANTING

• Timing of operations

• Proper fertilizer placement

• Choice of herbicides & placement

• Pest & Disease prevention

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TRAINING : FIELD CROP MANAGEMENT

• Timely weeding

• Pest and disease control

• Timely topping

• Sucker control & timing

2016

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‘ENERGY EFFICIENT’ BARN CONSTRUCTION

Rocket Barn

Kutsaga Counter

Current Barn 1

New

• Rocket & KCC1

recommended

• Advised on

choice of barns

• Provided with

barn plans – if

needed

2016

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FUEL WOOD PRODUCTION

Eucalypt seedlings a Kutsaga

• Growers provided

with seed(lings)

• Encouraged to

establish a

woodlot

2016

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TRAINING : REAPING AND CURING

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TRAINING : GRADING AND BALE PRESENTATION

• Done both on-farm & at the tobacco auction/ contract floors.

• Emphasis on proper grading and bale presentation

• Discussion on pricing & leaf styles

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CERTIFICATION & PRIZES

• Done for successful

candidates

• Successful host farmers &

AGRITEX awarded

certificates

• Ceremony – an annual

event at kutsaga

• ~ 800 stakeholders in the

tobacco industry attend

Trained grower receiving a

certificate from the Minister of

Agriculture

2016

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TIPS GRADUATION CEREMONY – JULY 2016

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There is recognition for hard work………

4th place grower presented with a

tobacco bailing box.

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BEST TIPS GROWER 2015/16

1st Prize : walks off with an

off-road motorbike

2016

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the achievements...

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TIPS – NO. OF GROWERS INTERACTED WITH

150 167 210 625 715 1008

2970

11880

14327

17 538

10 10 15

22

35

66 71

73 73

104

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

2000020

07

20

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

20

16

# of growers that attended

TIPS training sessions

No. Of Sites

2016

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TIPS – NO. OF GROWERS INTERACTED WITH

150 167 210 625 715 1008

2970

11880

14327

17 538

10 10 15

22

35

66 71

73 73

104

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

2000020

07

20

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

20

16

# of growers that attended

TIPS training sessions

No. Of Sites

•500 Sites

•1250 AGRITEX graduates

•500 grower graduates

•49 000 growers reached out to at sites

2016

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Improved Smallholder Tobacco Productivity ?

• Yields as high as 3.3 t/ha

at some of the sites (Nat

Ave. 1.7 t/ha)

• Leaf from some plots

sold for as high as

$5.45/kg

Grower of the Year –

2014/15

2016

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ANY POSITIVE CHANGES IN

HABITS?

• Survey done

• Questionnaire used

• Sample size – 70 growers

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HABITS BEFORE & AFTER TIPS TRAINING

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Use

herbicides

Early land

prep

Early plant

(Oct-Mid

Nov)

Test soils Float Sys Grade

Seedlings

Own

seedbed

Wood fuel

BEFORE TIPS TRAINING

AFTER TIPS TRAINING

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Kutsaga TIPS complementary to

other activities.....

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CALENDAR-BASED TRAINING SESSIONS

• Growers have a standing

invitation to come for

training at Kutsaga.

• Growers can group and

invite TRB for training

• Sessions on current

tobacco production

activity

• ~ 3 000 growers/annually

Training on float seedling

production

2016

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CALENDAR-BASED TRAINING SESSIONS

• Growers have a standing

invitation to come for

training at Kutsaga.

• Growers can group and

invite TRB for training

• Sessions on current

tobacco production

activity

• ~ 3 000 growers/annually

Training on effective land

preparation at Kutsaga

2016

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KUTSAGA FIELD DAYS

• Also in collaboration with contractors, AGRITEX etc

• Successful growers exhibit their excellent work.

• eg 30 field days held in a season Field day

• Held frequently around the country

• some 6 000 growers interacted with

2016

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Partnerships with other stakeholders........

Government

Agricultural

Extension Agents

(AGRITEX)

Tobacco

Contractors

Agrochemical

Companies

Tobacco

auction floors

Tobacco Industry

& Marketing

Board

TRB

TRB

2016

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Partnerships with other stakeholders........

Government

Agricultural

Extension Agents

(AGRITEX)

Tobacco

Contractors

Agrochemical

Companies

Tobacco

auction floors

Tobacco Industry

& Marketing

Board

TRB

TRB

Agronomists from a tobacco

Contracting Company being trained

Training of trainers.....

2016

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Grower/TRB Discussion Forums

• Held at Kutsaga or at a grower’s field

• Various topics of interest to the growers discussed

Field discussion at Kutsaga

On alternatives to fumigant

nematicides in the

seedbeds

2016

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Field Demonstration Trials

• On-farm variety trials in all

tobacco districts

• Crop managed by the

grower & farm accessible

to other growers in the area

• Enables growers to select

the best varieties for their

area

Field demo trial - Trelawney

2016

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AGRICULTURAL SHOWS

Zimbabwe Agricultural Show 2016

2016

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USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Mobile Apps – with advisory • Call Researchers For Advise & • Regularly Receive Tips In partnership with a mobile phone company

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THE WATERING HOLES : AUCTION & CONTRACT FLOORS

Justify & Tich – speaking on varieties and herbicide use

2016

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CONCLUSION

• The Zim tobacco industry has

experienced change over time...

• ..TRB’s T&E methods that have stood

the test of time plus a dash of

innovation......

• Have enabled TRB remain relevant & the Zim grower to continue to get

value from research …

Then…

Now…

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Thank You!

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