Supporting Small-Scale Farmers and Rural Organisations: Learning from Experiences in West Africa

A Handbook for Development Operators and Local Managers

Sylvain PERRET & Marie-Rose MERCOIRET (editors), 2003, Pretoria, Protea; Johannesburg, IFAS; Montpellier, CIRAD
ISBN Protea: 1-919825-92-4
ISBN CIRAD: 2-87614-505-7
Protea series of publications on French Social Sciences

Rural people are increasingly expected to become the main participants of their own development. However, they seldom have the required knowledge for making sound decisions in such a changing and uncertain context. They lack the skills and self-confidence to make change happen. Their activities and choices are limited by poor access to most markets; inept local institutions; and lack of external support.

This handbook is based on experiences of rural development support at local level in West Africa. It highlights approaches and methodologies that were proven successful. It aims to empower development operators and local managers in defining new roles and approaches to planning, training, experimentation, support of local organisations, extension, natural resource management, gender and financing.

Sylvain Perret is a researcher at CIRAD. He is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.

Marie-Rose Mercoiret is a researcher at CIRAD. She is based at the CIRAD scientific headquarters at Montpellier (France), in the Department Territories, Environment and People.