Pluralistic Service Systems
1
May HaniPolicy Officer – Institutions and Services
Magdalena BlumExtension Systems Officer
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Rome, 11-13 May 2016
Expert consultation“New Directions for Inclusive Pluralistic Service Systems”
Pluralistic Service Systems
OBJECTIVES
Pluralistic Service Systems
Objectives To open a debate and suggest action on Inclusive
Pluralistic Service Systems (PSS) to inform policy and development planning
with a focus on - Governance, accountability, coordination and- Financing mechanisms and sustainability
Create a common understanding on challenges and issues related to inclusive PSS
Formulate actionable recommendations in terms of policies and transformative investments
Pluralistic Service Systems
AGENDA
Pluralistic Service Systems
What brought us here?
Pluralistic Service Systems
Why a focus on inclusive services?
80% of the poor live in rural areas majority of them are small farmers
75% of them depend on agriculture and natural resources
80% of world food is produced by smallholders 43% of the agricultural labor force are women Improving livelihoods of small men and women
farmers is key to reducing rural poverty
Pluralistic Service Systems
Overall policy framework
Framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG1) on eliminating extreme poverty
FAO Strategic programme on reducing rural poverty
Access initiative – strengthening organization and ensuring access to resources, information, services and markets- Enhancing service provision targeting the poor
Pluralistic Service Systems
Services and livelihoods Rural advisory services that contribute of
enhancing livelihoods of small farmers- Productivity- Profitability and income- Market access- Resilience- Learning- Social and economic opportunities
Services that are inclusive, gender sensitive, demand-driven and market-oriented
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Participants’ views on Inclusive Pluralistic Advisory Services
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Advisory Services are inclusive when … Responding to local demands and opportunities
of all types of farmers/rural producers All farm household activities are included in the
services (livestock, fisheries, high value crops, farm management, …)
No one individual service is likely to be broadly inclusive, if it is to be tailored enough to meet farmers’ needs.
To be truly inclusive, there needs to be close collaboration, participation and downward accountability to end users
Pluralistic Service Systems
Advisory Services are inclusive when … They have certain qualities/characteristics
- Affordable, easily and equally accessible, sustainable, gender equal, downward accountability to end users, demand driven, ….
- holistic, bottom-up approach, and horizontal communication They are participatory in the sense of
- Stakeholders and users involved in establishing priorities, decision making, delivering services, monitoring and evaluation
Inclusion/Exclusion can occur at the point of entry and in the process of delivery. Services can be exclusive in terms of - Particular population/users- Some needs/demands- Types of providers / services they offer- Means needed (e.g. restricted mobility can limit access)
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Inclusion is about … Engaging with different actors, systems, disciplines, for
different purposes, with a common goal. Recognizing that the risks (climate or conflict related)
are of different characters for different groups in society Recognizing where there are gaps in the overall
landscape of service provision Understanding if and how local government and others
might be held accountable for inclusive services
Understanding how culture and context influence participation in different services
Looking at incentives and disincentives for inclusion in the political institutions that steer service provision
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Working Definitions
Pluralistic Service Systems
Services are considered inclusive, if they target resource poor and vulnerable farmers,
especially women and youth are tailored to the multiple capacities, needs and
demands of these farmers are characterized by continuous dialogue and
learning between farmers and service providers are based on complementary services by different
providers
Inclusive Services
Pluralistic Service Systems
Advisory Services
Advisory services are understood as encompassing all intangible services to farmers, including
information, knowledge, brokering and advice, on issues such as production, inputs and technology, credit, nutrition, processing, marketing, organization and business management
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Why new directions?
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Where do we stand? Considering heterogeneity of farmers and their
needs/demands Recognizing the role of rural women and youth in
agriculture and rural economies From linear, bi-lateral approaches to a system
perspective From production focus to improving livelihoods From universal public services by a single provider
to diverse state and non-state providers Changing role of the State in a pluralistic
environment
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Questions Plurality is evident - Is there a system? In a changing institutional environment, how to
ensure that the poor don’t fall through the cracks? How can farmers and their organization be
empowered to amplify their voice and role in decision making?
What kind of coordination would be needed? And by whom?
How can service providers be made accountability to farmer?
How to achieve complementarity among service providers?
Pluralistic Service Systems
Questions What form of policy environment is conducive to
achieve relevant, efficient and effective services? How can development agencies support
governments and non-state actors - in enhancing quality, inclusiveness and
sustainability of services?
- in taking up new roles, collaboration and partnerships?
What mechanisms for coordination and accountability can be supported?
What financing mechanisms and partnership opportunities can help to achieve inclusiveness and sustainability?
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Our challenge
Do we have the knowledge and evidence to give answers to these questions?
This group has the expertise and mandate to come up with doable recommendations and suggestions for action that would make a difference
We are looking forward to working with you over the next three days
