| During the visits,
participants learned how to conduct a participatory rural appraisal.
This is a technique that provides facilitation and expertise to
farmers so that they can solve their own problems by evaluating
and analyzing conditions themselves and then planning and acting
accordingly. Team members met with local leaders, explored communities,
and then formed small groups to focus on discussions about crops,
livestock, and gender-specific issues.
A particularly important issue for the farmers is the invasive
South American weed Chromolaena odorata. If left alone to grow,
Chromolaena expands its territory quickly, out competing native
plants and animals. Farmers near Baucau are using a simple and
inexpensive technique to turn the plant pest into green manure,
improving their crops and controlling the weed at the same time.
MAFF staff members were enthusiastic participants in the PRA
training, which reinforced the idea that agricultural and forestry
development programs must start with the farmer rather than with
planners in the capital. As the training progressed, MAFF participants
took on greater leadership in facilitating the group discussions
and exercises. However, farmers were slower to take leadership
roles--many still wait for the government to provide tools and
materials.
USAID supports the activities of CRSP through its partnership
with the University of Hawaii. CRSP works with institutions such
as MAFF to improve food security and agricultural practices among
targeted farm families. Its training focuses on sustainability
and sound soil and natural resource management by transferring
information technology; strengthening human and institutional
capacities, and providing training, sustainable outreach, and
information dissemination programs that support farmers and rural
communities.
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