SAFE Strategic Plan
2010-2020
.
November 2010
Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE)
P.O.Box: 24135 code 1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel.: +251-116-477-665/671/672
Fax: +251-116-477-666
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Contents
Background and Rationale .................................................................................................. 3
SAFE Vision 2020 ................................................................................................................. 6
SAFE Mission ....................................................................................................................... 6
Organizational Goals ........................................................................................................... 6
Operational Objectives ....................................................................................................... 7
SAFE’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats ............................................. 12
Planned Activities, Expected Outputs and Anticipated Outcomes................................... 17
Annex I. Timeframe and Milestones (2010-2020) ............................................................ 28
Annex II. Expansion of New University Programs (2010 – 2020) ..................................... 29
Annex III. Improving Qualifications of Female Faculty Members (2010 – 2020) ............. 29
Annex IV. Student Intake/Graduates (2010 – 2020) ........................................................ 30
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Background and Rationale
The Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE) is the brainchild of the late
Norman. E. Borlaug, Nobel Peace Laureate and President of Sasakawa Africa Association
(SAA). SAA, whose founders were Norman E. Borlaug, the late Ryochi Sasakawa, and
former US President, Jimmy Carter, was established in 1986 to serve as the lead
management organization of the Sasakawa Global 2000 (SG 2000) agricultural projects
in sub-Saharan Africa. The mission of SG 2000 is to promote the adoption and scaling up
of improved agricultural technologies that increase productivity and incomes of
resource-poor smallholder farmers in Africa. The Nippon Foundation of Japan, the
Chairman of which is Yohei Sasakawa, funds all SAA/SAFE programs.
In Africa, the delivery of new technologies to smallholder farmers is still largely the
responsibility of publicly funded extension services. However, the public extension
organizations in SAFE’s target countries lack the capacity to support many of the value
chain activities implicit in market-led smallholder development. Most extension workers
are technicians with a limited understanding of agricultural science. Ninety percent of
them hold less than a BSc degree. Their average age is over 40 (with the exception of
Ethiopia, which has made a major effort to recruit new young extension workers). Most
extension agents in SAFE’s target countries are men (80-90%), which because of social
and cultural barriers in many communities limit their ability to work with women
farmers. Thus a concerted effort is needed to strengthen the skills and credentials of
mid-career extension staff, and to increase the ranks of qualified women extension
professionals.
After working with African farmers, extension specialists and researchers for some time,
SG 2000 realized how important it was to upgrade the technical and human relations
skills of mid-career agricultural extension professionals. SG 2000 recognized that
improved technology alone, though essential, was not sufficient for moving agriculture
forward. It identified a critical missing link: of the need for well-trained agricultural
extension staff that are equipped to handle new initiatives and programs for agricultural
modernization. In 1991, the SAA Board established the SAFE initiative to support efforts
directed at strengthening extension education. To implement the SAFE initiative, SAA
teamed up with Winrock International, a USA non-government development
organization that has more than fifty years of experience in human resource
development and enhancement of agricultural university training.
SAFE now has 21 programs in 9 countries in the following African universities and
colleges: University of Cape Coast and Kwadaso Agricultural College in Ghana, Haramaya
University,& Hawasa University, Bahir Dar University, Mekele University, Wollo
University & Jima University in Ethiopia, Polytechnic Institute for Training and Applied
Research (IPR), Samanko Agricultural College & University of Segou in Mali, Ahmadu
Bello University, Bayero University, Adamawa State University, University of Illorin &
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Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto in Nigeria, Sokoine University in Tanzania,
Makerere University in Uganda, Polytechnic University of Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina
Faso, University of Abomey-Calavi in Republic of Benin and Lilongwe University in
Malawi.
Table 1: Distribution of participating training institutions across the nine countries
Country
Ghana
Ethiopia
SN
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Uganda
9
Burkina
Tanzania
Benin
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Nigeria
Malawi
Mali
University
University of Cape Coast, Ghana (B.Sc.)
Kawadaso Agric. College, Ghana (Diploma)
Haramaya, Ethiopia (B.Sc.)
Hawasa, Ethiopia (B.Sc.)
Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia (B.Sc.)
Mekele, Ethiopia (B.Sc.)
Wollo University, Ethiopia (B.Sc.)
Jimma University, Ethiopia (B.Sc.)
Makerere University, Uganda (B.Sc.)
Makerere Univ., Uganda (B.Sc.) – Distance
Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso (B.Sc.)
Sokoine University, Tanzania (B.Sc.)
Abomey-Calavi, Benin (B.Sc.)
Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria (B.Sc.)
Bayero University, Nigeria (B.Sc)
University of Illorin, Nigeria (B.Sc)
Adamawa State University, Nigeria (B.Sc.)
Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria (B.Sc.)
Lilongwe University, Malawi (B.Sc.)
IPR/IFRA, Mali (Maîtrise)
Samanko Agric. Centre, Mali (Diploma)
University of Segou, Mali (B.Sc.)
Since
1993
1999
1996
2006
2011
2012
2013
2013
1997
2007
2004
1998
2004
2003
2007
2011
2011
2014
2005
2003
2006
2014
With over 20 years of experience in building the capacity of mid-career extension staff in
Africa and in the development of demand-driven curricula with African universities and
colleges, it remains clear that the importance and relevance of SAFE programs continue
to increase. There is still an enormous need to mobilize agricultural extension services in
support of achieving food security and a number of rural development goals. Addressing
such urgent issues as food security, market development and climate change will be
effective only if strong agricultural advisory services are in place. Smallholder producers
must have access to efficient input and output markets, information and knowledge,
and new production and processing technologies in order to increase their productivity.
They must also increasingly influence policies that affect their lives and livelihoods.
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Human resource development is a catalyst for achieving such changes in agriculture.
Extension has moved beyond simply providing farmers with information about
standardized technological packages. Extension specialists now provide advice and
guidance that facilitate communication and coordination among many different
stakeholders in natural resource management and market supply chains. They must be
able to assist farmers in developing a range of options to address uncertainties brought
about by climate change, as well as government policies that are sometimes changed on
short notice and with limited supportive evidence, and which can affect the entire
agricultural value chain. Dealing with these kinds of issues requires skills beyond the
capabilities of most front-line extension agents working today. This lack of capacity is
not surprising, given that the average educational level of extension staff in many
countries is declining due to general waning of educational and training standards, a
drop in the number of institutions that emphasize agriculture and rural development,
and competition for quality staff from better paid job markets.
There is urgent need for universities and colleges of agriculture in Africa to review
existing curricula, develop demand-driven programs, and acquire modern training
materials to help them equip extension students and field staff with vital skills and
knowledge to cope with current issues in agriculture. The curricula in universities and
colleges must be responsive to emerging needs of African farmers along the whole
agricultural value chain to ensure that coping with the realities faced by smallholder
farmers remain at the center of rural development efforts.
SAFE Operational Principles and Values
SAFE training rests on four fundamental principles or beliefs. These comprise the values
of the organization and motivate to various degrees all partnerships and interventions
made to improve extension education in SAFE countries of operation.
The first is an abiding belief in life-long learning, and that professional education and
the building of skills needed to function as an effective extension agent is not
necessarily completed with initial formal schooling. For this reason, SAFE training
focuses exclusively on working with promising mid-career professionals to build new
skills needed in response to changing circumstances, fresh opportunities, and the
availability of new agricultural technologies that can help farmers become more
productive and profitable.
A second operational principle is that SAFE embraces the idea of educational programs
and university/college curricula being demand driven and reflect emerging needs of
farmers covering the entire agricultural value chain, and therefore of the extension
agents who serve them. SAFE training must be relevant, timely and highly focused on
meeting the needs of clients.
A third underlying principle is related to the second in that mid-career students are
immersed in experiential learning, rather than just theory. All mid-career students
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develop “Supervised Enterprise Projects” (SEPs), which are six to nine-month fieldoriented action research projects that enable trainees, under the joint supervision of
experienced university/college professors and employers to put theory into practice in
real-world situations. In so doing, the gap between theory and practice is narrowed, and
graduates are able to build the human relations, methodological and technical skills
they need to better serve farmers.
And fourth, mid-career training curricula should be designed and implemented in ways
that develop the leadership skills of students. By virtue of their maturity, experience
and enhanced skills, mid-career graduates are well placed to provide needed leadership
in the rural communities where they work and live. In a very real sense, they become
agents of change, serving as conduits for new ideas and encouraging farmers to
experiment with new approaches and technologies that can improve their productivity
and transform their lives.
SAFE Vision 2020
Effective extension delivery systems in Sub-Saharan Africa that are based on farmer
needs and demands along the entire agricultural value chain, with a special focus on
poor and marginalized farmers, most of whom are women.
SAFE Mission
SAFE`s mission is to promote more effective, demand-driven agricultural and rural
development advisory services through appropriate training for mid-career advisory
staff and to strengthening agricultural education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa to
develop and sustain responsive formal continuing education programs as well as the
maintenance of collaborative working relations among farmers, national agricultural
extension training institutions, the Ministry of Agriculture and related Ministries and the
private sector.
Organizational Goals
SAFE has set for itself several important goals around which it organizes its operational
objectives and its various action plans. While these goals have evolved since SAFE’s
inception in 1993, they remain consistent with realizing the organization’s vision and
fulfilling its mission. Each goal is accompanied by one or more operational objectives
that describe in general terms what needs to be done to bring the goal closer to
realization. The following are SAFE’s key goals:
1) To create an enabling environment in which agricultural universities and colleges
meet the needs of extension staff for upgrading their knowledge and skills by
facilitating communication and interaction between training institutions,
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extension service providers and farmer organizations. SAFE will bring key
stakeholders together to periodically and systematically review and develop
relevant curricula.
2) Increase the adoption and adaptation of demand-driven, value chain oriented,
experiential extension training by agricultural education institutions.
3) Ensure the existence of a critical mass of well-trained agricultural and rural
development advisory service providers and improve the quality of service
delivery to small and marginalized farmers.
4) Promote professional qualifications of female faculty and female mid-career
graduates to improve the gender balance at training institutions and in
agricultural advisory services.
5) Ensure the long-term sustainability of the SAFE program by focusing on future
cost-effectiveness, continuing relevance, and institutionalization in participating
agricultural training institutions.
Operational Objectives
SAFE has embraced a number of operational objectives pertaining to its five major goals:
Relative to Goal 1, that of creating an enabling environment:
Objective 1.1: Identifying all relevant stakeholders and work with them to
continuously assess and upgrade the skills and knowledge of extension staff.
Objective 1.2: Systematically review and revise the mid-career agricultural
extension curricula of participating training institutions to ensure relevance over
time.
Objective 1.3: Develop agricultural extension curricula for new participating
training institutions and acquire instructional materials.
Relative to Goal 2, that of increasing the adoption and adaptation of demand-driven,
experiential training programs:
Objective 2.1: Assess and document training needs in a value chain context prior to
modifying existing curricula and/or launching new programs.
Objective 2.2: Identify needed instructional materials and the most cost-effective
modes of delivering them to mid-career students.
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Module revision/development
The current programs are based on face to face instruction and learning. The move
towards part-time modes of delivery calls for the development of self directed learning
materials that students can follow at their own pace. Much of the learning in part-time
programs is student-centered. SAFE is now facilitating the development of modules and
instructional materials. A module means a complete instructional material for a full
course.
Capacity building (TOT for lecturers, e.g. on instructional materials development)
The development and use of self directed learning materials calls for skills that are not
currently available among faculty. There will therefore be need for developing the skills
among teaching staff. SAFE is currently supporting the training of lecturers in the design
and development of instructional learning materials and modules.
Objective 2.3: Ensure that Supervised Enterprise Projects (SEPs) are based on real
life circumstances encountered along the agricultural value chain, and that all SEPs
benefit from joint supervision by university/college professors and the employers of
mid-career students.
Before mid career students develop proposals for their SEPs, they conduct systematic
farmer needs assessment. The need assessment is the first step of the SEP process.
Objective 2.4: Support participating universities and colleges to acquire teaching
equipment and materials necessary for effective training of mid-career students
Relative to Goal 3, that of ensuring a critical mass of well-trained advisory service
providers and improving the quality of service delivery:
Objective 3.1: Determine the critical mass of trained extension staff needed to
meet the projected needs of a growing rural population working in agriculture.
Objective 3.2: Increase as needed the number of universities and colleges engaged
in mid-career training of agricultural extension professionals.
Objective 3.3: Explore and broaden modes of delivery to improve cost-effective
access and participation of mid-career students.
Objective 3.4: Ensure gender-sensitive selection of appropriate and qualified midcareer training candidates.
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Objective 3.5: Ensure that all mid-career training is implemented in the context of
SAFE’s operational principles and values, and according to its quality standards and
best practices.
Objective 3.6: Work with employers to help ensure that graduates are reabsorbed
after receiving their training.
The programs are run as partnership between employers and universities through
formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) wherein employers agree to
reabsorb their staff after the completion of the study.
Objective 3.7: Institute a dynamic and on-going monitoring, evaluation and learning
(ME&L) system designed to gauge the effectiveness of mid-career training and
contribute to future decisions about program development.
SAFE as a learning organization has instituted a system of ME&L comprising of
annual retreats, curriculum reviews, technical workshops, external and internal
evaluations, tracer studies, data base, MSc and PhD studies, SEPs workshops,
annual reports and publications.
Relative to Goal 4, that of promoting professional qualifications of female faculty and
female mid-career graduates:
Objective 4.1: Strengthen credentials of female faculty. SAFE will do this by helping
to identify promising candidates and providing a limited number of targeted
scholarships and other kinds of financial support for advanced studies.
Table 2. Proportion of male and female Extension Lecturers at Participating
Universities (as of 2014)
SN
1
2
3
4
5
Country
Ghana
Ethiopia
Uganda
Tanzania
Mali
6
Nigeria
Number of Faculty Staff (male and female percentage)
Male
Female
University/College
University of Cape Coast
9
Kwadaso Agricultural College
4
3
Haramaya University
26
4
Hawasa University
9
1
8
4
Makerere University
17
5
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Rural Polytechnic Institute for Training
10
8
and Applied Research
Samanko Agric. Training Center
17
2
Ahmadu Bello University
13
2
Bayero University
17
2
Total
9
7
30
10
12
22
18
19
15
19
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7
8
9
Burkina
Benin
Malawi
University of Bobo Dioulasso
University of Abomey Calavi
Bunda college
Sub Total
Percentage (%)
6
6
5
147
79%
3
2
36
19%
9
9
7
186
Objective 4.2: Ensure that appropriate systems and safeguards are put in place to
enable gender sensitive selection when recruiting candidates for mid-career
training.
"In Ethiopia, Nigeria and Mali, various socio cultural differences prevent women from
benefitting adequately from extension services. The low number of female extension
agents in these highly restrictive cultures (Bambara, Peulh, Fulani, Hausa, etc.) where
women are supposed to associate only among themselves and only female agents can
reach them has been a major cause for the neglect of rural women in the agricultural
extension service coverage.
In the Northern part of Nigeria for example, majority of the rural women are in Purdah,
it is difficult for a male extension worker to access them.
Family and communal fields are given pride of place in the Bambara culture of Mali
because the extended family stay together and they feed from it. Both sexes make their
contributions towards the upkeep of the field especially during the clearing, planting and
harvesting periods. Accessing women at these periods is extremely difficult.
In Uganda on the other hand, rural women do not have problems with participating in
extension activities because majority of them are already organized in groups (mixed
groups). However, their major constraint is passiveness in groups as the few
participating men often take over group management. This is also due to cultural
positioning in gathering. Each country has ethnic groups and socio cultural norms which
restrict contact between male agents and rural women."
Relative to Goal 5, that of ensuring the long-term sustainability, cost-effectiveness,
relevance and institutionalization of the SAFE program:
Objective 5.1: Market the SAFE program as a viable means of filling gaps in the
technical knowledge and skills of agricultural advisory service staff.
Objective 5.2: Diversify and increase the SAFE funding base by engaging with
potential financial partners interested in advancing and sustaining agricultural
education in Africa.
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Objective 5.3: Develop strategies for capitalizing on opportunities presented by
countries/states and institutions that have the financial and human resources
needed to establish effective mid-career training programs.
Cost sharing model
The SAFE partnership arrangement is based on cost sharing model. In countries like
Nigeria and Mali, governments have gone a step further to provide financial resources
directly to the SAFE program.
Objective 5.4: Continually sensitize training institutions of the need for regular and
on-going staff development programs.
A limited number of scholarships are made available to selected faculty to augment
investments by participating institutions. In addition, SAFE supports short term training
on selected emerging value chain issues and facilitate exchange visits to faculty
members.
Objective 5.5: Foster mainstreaming (institutionalization) of SAFE programs in
partner training institutions to ensure program sustainability.
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SAFE’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
As part of its strategy development, SAFE evaluated its organizational strengths and
weaknesses, as well as the opportunities it enjoys and the threats it faces to its
continued viability. Identifying and exploring these different elements enables SAFE to
capitalize on its strengths, address areas of weakness, seize on new opportunities and
cope with and adjust to factors that threaten the organization.
Strengths
SAFE has a number of important strengths that will serve it well as it strives to fulfill its
mission and achieve its goals and objectives. All of these strengths are either inherent in
the nature of the organization, or have grown and evolved (or been intentionally
developed) over its more than 20-year history:

SAFE is very experienced in developing training programs that are responsive to
real-world needs.

It has formally established operational Memorandums of Understanding with
more than 20 universities and colleges in 9 countries.

SAFE has long experience in working with universities and colleges across SubSaharan Africa to transform their agricultural curricula, adding flexibility and
relevance to the more traditional academic offerings.

Since its inception, the organization has benefitted greatly from having a reliable
donor that supports its core operations.

SAFE has clearly demonstrated its ability to catalyze and develop key capacity
building partnerships.

By its very nature, SAFE is a learning and adaptive organization, readily changing
its modes of operation as circumstances dictate. (For example, the SAFE curricula
recently been revised to embrace agricultural value chain concepts and other
emerging issues).

SAFE enjoys a high degree of credibility with its various stakeholders (extension
providers, universities, colleges and others) in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The organization has a long-term presence on the continent, and a long-term
planning horizon, both of which make it an appealing partner to its stakeholders.

SAFE has experienced, talented and uniquely qualified staff that will enable it to
deliver on its goals and objectives.

SAFE enjoys a very effective and productive partnership with Winrock
International.
SAFE continues to enjoy a very close working relationship with the Sasakawa
Africa Association, one of the premier NGOs working in Africa to strengthen
agricultural extension for the betterment of small and marginalized farmers.

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Weaknesses
All organizations have weaknesses as well as strengths, and SAFE is no exception.
Indeed, in some instances a given strength can also be seen as a weakness. What
follows here are the key weaknesses identified by the organization that can impede its
success, and all are to be addressed in one way or another in the context of its new
strategy:

Little attention has been given to formally conducting impact assessment of the
SAFE program in years past and to learning from a regular and coordinated effort
to document successes and shortcomings.

SAFE has made no organized, concerted effort to market its program as a costeffective means to improve the knowledge and skills of mid-career extension
advisory staff. Such a program is urgently needed to help ensure the
sustainability of the overall initiative.

Limited accessibility to full-time SAFE programs, especially for those outside
public service organizations and for women professionals who have many
competing demands on their time.
Modes of delivery
The majority of programs at universities and colleges are based on full time residential
instruction. There are several limitations in this model: 1) intakes are limited by available
space in terms of dormitories, classrooms; library and computer facilities; 2) these
programs also require that those that are in full time employment get study leave to
attend the program and if they cannot get study leave, they have to resign their jobs to
attend the programs. This creates financial risks to themselves and to their dependants.
In addition, employers find it difficult to release their staff for full time programs due to
work requirements and budget. Long periods of absence mean loss of valuable service to
their employers. So far, this model has worked well for those under government
employment, but has largely excluded potential candidates from the private sector who
cannot afford long periods of absence from their work; 3) Over and above all many
women professionals find it hard to leave their family responsibilities for extended
periods of time.
SAFE has examined options for improving accessibility and worked towards alternative
models that seem to hold promise. These include part-time (evening and/or weekend
courses), summer vacation, sandwich courses and distance modes of delivery. In these
models, mid-career candidates would not have to leave their places of work for long
periods of time; this also means that there is minimum distraction in terms of the
organizations they work for; minimum distractions for women candidates and their
families and candidates will maintain their jobs and income. This also means that selfsupporting students have a chance to work and pay their fees. An additional advantage
is that students can learn at their own pace. Consequently, SAFE has recently introduced
a semi-distance version of the program, but its success is to be verified.
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
While having a reliable donor for its core activities since the beginning has been
a blessing and a source of considerable strength, reliance on one source of
funding can also be seen as a weakness that should be addressed. Additional,
complementary funding is needed to enable program expansion as well as to
ensure longer-term sustainability.

The fact that most African farmers are women, and that extension advisory
services in most African countries have few female extension agents, points to
an urgent need to increase the number of female SAFE graduates. To date, the
organization has lacked effective strategies for improving the gender balance of
SAFE students and graduates and, if it is to achieve success over the longer term,
SAFE must redress this situation in the course of implementing its new strategy.

Strange as it may sound for an organization dedicated to improving the
professional skills of others, SAFE has made few investments in improving the
capabilities of its own staff. Its staff strive to stay current and bring
internationally recognized best practices to bear on their efforts, but an
organizational initiative and reward structure is needed to ensure that SAFE staff
remain among the best extension education professionals in Africa, and indeed,
in the world.
Opportunities
After decades of neglect and mismanagement, agriculture on the African continent
appears to be undergoing something of a renaissance, and agricultural extension must
find ways to keep pace and encourage the momentum of change now taking place in
many countries. These changes are giving rise to significant opportunities upon which
SAFE should capitalize:

African governments, individually and collectively through the African Union, as
well as many international and national agricultural development institutions are
now giving a much higher priority to agriculture – especially smallholder
agriculture – as an essential means for reducing poverty across the continent,
improving food security and protecting the environment. Implicit in this
‘movement’ is the need for more effective extension advisory services, which is
giving rise to new opportunities for SAFE to promote its mission and activities.

Similarly, there is a growing recognition by many governments of the important
role of women in African agriculture, an awareness that is increasingly reinforced
by many international and national development institutions. Again, the
opportunity exists for SAFE to make meaningful contributions to redressing the
current gender imbalances found in most extension advisory organizations
today.

Along with the renewed and more enlightened interest in African agriculture is a
growing availability of new funding sources for SAFE’s work, sources that should
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be accessed systematically and when it makes sense to do so (i.e., without
unduly distorting the core SAFE mission and program of work).

Another important opportunity is presented by the growing trend towards
networking and the sharing of information, ideas and experiences among
training institutions across sub-Saharan Africa (both Anglophone and
Francophone). SAFE is well positioned to encourage this nascent networking and
to glean from it a wealth of practical knowledge about what kinds of training are
most effective and why.

The rapid expansion of ICT throughout Africa is opening up opportunities for
SAFE to become more cost-effective, especially through the increased use of
distance learning.

In most African countries, extension advisory service delivery is still done mainly
by governments. Yet there is a growing role in extension for a variety of private
sector organizations. These relatively new entrants into the extension
marketplace may present SAFE with opportunities for partnering in various
training initiatives, or they may themselves feel the need for specialized training
that SAFE could provide, perhaps on a ‘fee-for-service’ basis.

There is solid evidence of an increasing demand for the type of training being
offered by SAFE. Requests are being received for expanding existing programs
and launching new ones, and should additional funding become available, SAFE
will want to carefully analyze such opportunities to grow its program, and pursue
those that contribute to the long-term sustainability of the initiative.

Educational delivery methods have evolved rapidly over the past decades and
especially more recently with the advent of ICT (the latter a fairly recent
phenomenon in Africa). SAFE has the opportunity to implement new alternative
delivery modes in its operational framework, including the development of
modular course offerings and distance education. Exploring such options and
implementing those that fit the needs of SAFE stakeholders and students are an
explicit part of this strategy.

Farmers and farmer groups are increasingly engaged in activities that add value
along the agricultural value chain, and that move smallholders in the direction of
commercial (rather than subsistence) agriculture. These value-adding activities
and the trend towards commercialization imply a need for greater
entrepreneurial skills, both on the part of farmers and their organizations, and
on the part of extension advisors. Thus SAFE has an opportunity to modify its
offerings, augmenting technical skill development with improving business
management skills that can in turn be imparted to farmers.
Threats
Many of these same opportunities can also constitute significant threats to SAFE, to its
ability to fulfill its mission and achieve its goals and objectives over the longer term:
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
There are a host of agricultural development NGOs and other organizations
currently in search of funding for their operations, and while the availability of
funding has increased from various sources, so too has the competition for those
funds. Because of its long reliance on a single donor, SAFE lacks experience in
mobilizing resources for its work. In order to compete effectively, the
organization must establish a professional and systematic approach to raising
funds – often in partnership with others – for specific activities.

Funds from local sources, mainly governments, are not readily available to SAFE,
primarily because it is seen as an already relatively well-funded international
NGO. Local funding tends to be used to bolster local entities over international
organizations. Thus the importance of SAFE working in close partnership with
key local organizations.

While progress has been made towards institutionalizing the SAFE program in
several universities, some universities and colleges have yet to make the
necessary commitments to the program to keep it going without the direct
involvement of SAFE staff, as well as funds from the program (however limited
such funding may be). SAFE must actively address this issue with its partner
universities and colleges, perhaps working with them to mobilize needed
resources to sustain institutionalization.

Yet another threat to the SAFE initiative is the fact that national government
policies regarding extension services can (and have in at least one focus country)
change quickly and without much warning. This unpredictability in its operating
environment makes nearly everything more problematic – long-term planning,
the development of effective partnerships, fund raising, and so on. SAFE
management and staff must pay close attention to political trends and work
closely with local representatives to more fully understand and anticipate
potential policy shifts regarding the provision of extension advisory services.

While the rapid expansion of ICT across Sub-Saharan Africa opens opportunities
for SAFE to become more cost-effective, it also brings with it the potential for
competition from other distance-learning providers. SAFE must carefully monitor
developments in this regard and seek to market its unequalled content expertise
relative to the offerings of other, perhaps less qualified, organizations that may
be trying to capture ‘market share’ through the use of ICT.

Finally, another opportunity that can also be seen as a potential threat is the
growing private sector involvement in extension service delivery. To the extent
that national extension systems become more pluralistic, universities and
colleges currently (or potentially) engaged in SAFE extension training may
witness a decline in enrollment. Hence the importance for SAFE to seek common
ground and partnership with new private advisory service providers, and to
encourage the strengthening of their services via appropriate training through
SAFE-sponsored programs.
Page | 16
Planned Activities, Expected Outputs and Anticipated Outcomes
A number of specific actions or activities will be undertaken in order to achieve each of
SAFE’s operational objectives. Most of these activities will lead to specific and
quantifiable outputs, which in turn are linked to a number of anticipated outcomes.
These activities, the expected outputs associated with them, and the anticipated
outcomes of the work to be done over the plan period are summarized in the following
table.
Page | 17
Planned Activities, Expected Outputs and Anticipated Outcomes
Activities Related to Each Goal
Expected Outputs
Anticipated Outcomes
Goal 1: To create an enabling environment in which agricultural universities and colleges meet the needs of extension staff for upgrading
their knowledge and skills by facilitating communication and interaction between training institutions, extension service providers and
farmers organizations. SAFE will bring key stakeholders together to periodically and systematically review and revise relevant curricula.
Objective 1.1: Identifying all relevant stakeholders and work with them to continuously assess and upgrade the skills and knowledge of
extension staff.
Activities:
More focused
 Identify potential new country level stakeholders and establish  Profiles of 21 existing institutions
interventions by all
database
available by 2014, rising to 32 by end
actors.
2020.
 Organize/conduct introductory visits to stakeholders
Systematic tool for
 Stakeholders in four focus countries
 Organize/conduct interactive sessions/experience sharing
periodically assessing and
(Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mali, Uganda) will
visits for stakeholders
upgrading staff skills
review and confirm the knowledge
 Conduct gap analyses with stakeholders
within participating
gaps of their staff by the end 2015.
 Quantify human resource requirements at country levels
institutions will be in
place.
Objective 1.2: Systematically review and revise the mid-career agricultural extension curricula of participating training institutions to
ensure relevance over time.
Activities:
 Paradigm shifts
 21 demand driven curricula covering
 Conduct internal curriculum evaluations of existing programs
towards need based
the entire agricultural value chain
curricula covering the
 Propose revisions as needed
and
flexible
to
allow
specialization
entire value chain
 Organize stakeholders workshop for validation
developed
by
end
2014,
rising
to
32
agriculture in
 Revise the curricula and submit to the university for approval
universities and
by end 2020.
 Conduct need assessment for emerging needs
colleges
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Objective 1.3: Develop agricultural extension curricula for new participating training institutions and acquire instructional materials.







Demand driven curricula approved in  Paradigm shifts
towards need based
8 new universities by end 2014 and
curricula covering the
other 11 new institutions by end
entire value chain
2020.
agriculture in
 Core instructional materials for
universities and
training program identified by end
colleges
2014 for 8 new programs and for 11
additional programs by end 2020
respectively.

 Revised/new programs advertised at

the beginning of 2014/2015

academic year for 8 new programs

and by end 2020 for 11 additional

programs respectively.
 Programs launched by end 2014 for
3 new programs and by end 2020 for
16 additional programs respectively.
Goal 2: Increase the adoption and adaptation of demand-driven, value chain oriented, experiential extension training by agricultural
education institutions.
Objective 2.1: Assess and document training needs in a value chain context prior to modifying existing curricula and/or launching new
programs.
Planning team to develop survey methodology
Partner universities identify and select survey team
Review survey tools with survey team
Conduct the survey
Analyze survey data and compile report
Propose curricula including modes of delivery
Organize stakeholder workshop to debate on the proposed
curricula
Revise the proposed curricula based on workshop outcomes
Submit the proposal to universities for approval
Identification of instructional materials
Advertise the program
Launch program upon approval

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 Paradigm shifts
towards need based
curricula along the
entire value chain
agriculture in
universities and
colleges.
 More focused and cost
effective interventions
by all actors.
Objective 2.2: Identify needed instructional materials and the most cost-effective modes of delivering them to mid-career students.
Activities:
 Identify instructors
 122 modules on core courses
 A shift towards
modular based
developed and produced by end 2014
 Organize and run orientation course/s on instructional
instruction by
and 110 new modules developed by
materials development
universities and
end 2020.
 Develop instructional materials
colleges
 Produce instructional materials
Objective 2.3: Ensure that Supervised Enterprise Projects (SEPs) are based on real life circumstances encountered along the agricultural
value chain, and that all SEPs benefit from joint supervision by experienced university/college professors and the employers of mid-career
students.
Activities:
 Improved efficiency of
 At least 450 student projects
 Develop and distribute guidelines on SEPs that includes need
advisory services and
implemented per year starting from
farmers livelihoods
assessment, proposal development, implementation, field
2014.
 The SAFE pedagogical
supervision and evaluation.
 11 MSc research project reports on
approach (including
 Organize orientation seminars on SEPs for lecturers and
SEPs available by end 2014 and 20
SEPs and experiential
employers
additional MSc research project
student-centered
 Organize SEPs workshops involving students and stakeholders
reports available by end 2020.
teaching) will spread
Activities:
 Planning team to develop survey methodology
 Partner universities identify and select survey team
 Review survey tools with survey team
 Conduct the survey
 Analyze survey data
 Compile report and make recommendation

Profiles of training needs along the
entire value chain agriculture
available for different contexts (8
reports by end 2014 and additional
11 reports by end 2020 respectively).
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(including SG2000 staff)
to other academic
departments in the
 Conduct joint field supervision involving lecturers and
faculties of agriculture
stakeholders (including SG2000 staff)
 Assign postgraduate students to evaluate SEPs under the
supervision of University professors and SAFE/SG2000 staff
Objective 2.4: Support participating universities and colleges to acquire teaching equipment and materials necessary for effective
training of mid-career students
Activities:
 Conduct inventories at each partner institution to determine
 Inventory status reports available for  Improved instructional
each of the 21 partner institutions by
delivery in partner
what resources are available
end 2014 and for other 11 new
agricultural training
 Submit reports to university authorities
institutions by end 2020.
institutions and
 Purchase needed equipment as funds become available
assured sustainability.
 At least four enterprise centers
 Improve the operational effectiveness of the enterprise
established in focus countries by end
centers
2015.
Goal 3: Ensure the existence of a critical mass of well-trained agricultural and rural development advisory service providers and improve
the quality of service delivery to small and marginalized farmers.
Objective 3.1: Determine the critical mass of trained extension staff needed to meet the projected needs of a growing rural population
working in agriculture.
Activities:
 Improved perception
 Status reports on skills and
 Collect country level disaggregated data of extension staff
on staff development.
knowledge level of extension staff of
 Determine staff level needed per country
each country available.
 Conduct skills audit vis a vis emerging needs
 Number, level and nature of training
 Identify and exploit opportunities to fill the gap
known at country level.
 Increased number of qualified
extension staff.
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Objective 3.2: Increased as needed the number of universities and colleges engaged in mid-career training of agricultural extension
professionals.
Activities:
 Reviewed and refined engagement
 More training
 Review and refine SAFE phase-in and phase out strategies
institutions
strategy available by end 2014.
 Review and refine expansion plan
empowered to
 Two potential new Universities in
 Identify potential new universities and colleges
efficiently delivery
Ethiopia and Nigeria identified and
training programs.
 Diversify engagement strategies to capitalize on opportunities
engaged starting 2015.
presented by countries/states, financial partners and
 11 new universities engaged by end
institutions which are already well endowed
2020.
Objective 3.3: Explore and broaden modes of delivery to improve cost-effective access and participation of mid-career students.
Activities:
 Identify and characterize different modes of delivery.
 All relevant academic staff in 2
 More accessible
programs to miduniversities (Abomey and Makerere)
 Include this aspect in need survey to identify stakeholders’
career candidates
trained by end 2014.
(including women) preferences.
 Appreciable increase
 Negotiate with universities authorities to gain acceptance of
in enrollment
 Successful modes of delivery
the distance or semi-distance modes of delivery.
including women
promoted in partner institutions
 Select four universities to experiment with distance or semi(gender balance).
starting 2016.
distance modes of delivery.
 Appreciable
 Promote use of successful modes of delivery.
improvements in
 Conduct training for university staff in the use of distance or
service provision to
semi-distance modes of delivery.
smallholder farmers
 Develop modules.
and marginalized
groups.
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Objective 3.4 Ensure gender-sensitive selection of appropriate and qualified mid-career candidates.
Activities:
 Review and establish target/quota and selection requirements
 4 reports/guidelines on gender
 Measurable
Improvement in the
sensitive selection available in each
 Identify opportunities to sensitize stakeholders to identify
professional quality of
focus country by end 2011
female candidate.
women in agricultural
 Records of yearly intakes available
 Take advantage of opportunities of meetings, conferences,
extension services.
seminars, workshops, etc to raise gender sensitive selection.
 Improved enrollment
 Broaden selection base to include candidates from related
of female mid-career
fields.
candidates.
 Monitor the number of women participating in the program.
 Follow up progress of female students’ performance.
 Track the selection process.
Objective 3.5: Ensure that all mid-career training program is implemented in the context of SAFE’s operational principles and values, and
according to its quality standards and best practices.
Activities:
 Organize orientation to university/college staff on SAFE
 Report on SAFE principles on quality
 Measurable
improvements in
principles.
standards prepared starting 2011.
the performance
 Review and evaluate existing and proposed SEPs.
 Six internal evaluation report
of mid-career
available by end 2014.
 Assign postgraduate students to evaluate SEPs under the joint
graduates.
 One SEPs workshop report available
supervision of University professors and SAFE/SG2000 staff.
per institution per year starting 2010.
 Review and evaluate teaching methodologies.
 Conduct internal and external evaluation of the overall
programs.
 Conduct joint field supervision of SEPs by employers and
university lecturers.

11 MSc research project reports on
SEPs available by end 2014 and 20
additional MSc research project
reports available by end 2020.
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
At least 15 abstracts of SEPs posted
on SAFE website per year per training
institution as from 2010.
Objective 3.6: Work with employers to help ensure that graduates are reabsorbed after receiving their training.
Activities:
 Secure employers’ commitments through signed MOUs.
 Develop and maintain tracer information on graduates.


Signed MOUs between
universities/colleges and employers
available by end 2014.
Updated tracer information available
yearly.
Improved partnership
between employers and
training universities
Objective 3.7: Institute a dynamic and on-going monitoring, evaluation and learning (ME&L) system designed to gauge the effectiveness of
mid-career training and contribute to future decisions about program development.
Activities:
 Institute a system of ME&L comprising of annual retreats,
 Two reports of impact studies (for
 Better informed
curriculum reviews, technical workshops, external and internal
planning and
Ethiopia and Ghana) available by end
evaluations, tracer studies, data base, MSc and PhD studies,
implementation
2015.
SEPs workshops, annual reports and publications.
processes overtime
 Updated tracer information yearly.
 Develop impact indicators.
 Conduct impact studies.
 Establish database on number of graduates and employment.
Goal 4: Promote professional qualifications of female faculty and female mid-career graduates to improve the gender balance at training
institutions and in agricultural advisory services.
Objective 4.1: Strengthen credentials of female faculty. SAFE will do this by helping to identify promising candidates and providing a limited
number of targeted scholarships and other kinds of financial support for advanced studies.
24 | P a g e
Activities:
 Identify qualified female faculty members
 Provide strategic scholarships for female faculty members
 Facilitate exchange visits for female faculty members
 Lobby with university authorities to recruit female mid-career
graduates
 Facilitate in-service training in areas of strategic interest
 Establish data base to show trends



5 female faculty members completed
a PhD study by end 2014 rising to 10
by end 2020.
2 exchange visits conducted annually
for female faculty members
organized per year starting 2011.
Database established by end 2014.
 Measurable
improvements in
women empowerment
for leadership position.
 Measurable
improvements in the
gender balance in
tertiary education
faculties over time.
Objective 4.2: Ensure that appropriate systems and safeguards are put in place to enable gender sensitive selection when recruiting
candidates for mid-career training.
Activities:
 Annual report on sensitization
 Use opportunities of meetings, workshops, seminars, etc to
 Measurable
improvements in
visits/meetings with key employers
sensitize stakeholders
the gender balance
per each of 4 focus countries available
 Identify and collaborate with different organizations that are
in government
by end 2011.
involved in gender issues
agricultural
 One report reflecting the procedure
 Identify and develop simple promotional materials
extension services
followed in selecting mid-career
 Monitor the number of women participating in the program
faculties
student
available
annually.
anticipated.
 Follow up progress on female graduates performance on the
 Tracer information updated yearly.
job
Goal 5: Ensure the long-term sustainability of the SAFE program by focusing on future cost-effectiveness, continuing relevance, and
institutionalization in participating agricultural training institutions.
Objective 5.1: Market the SAFE program as a viable means of filling gaps in the technical knowledge and skills of agricultural advisory
service staff.
25 | P a g e
Activities:
 Compile profiles of stakeholders at country levels
 Organize introductory visits to stakeholders
 Organize interactive sessions/experience sharing visits for
stakeholders
 Establish database on number of students/graduates and their
distribution
 Review gaps in technical knowledge and skills of agricultural
advisory staff
 Update the website regularly
Profiles of stakeholders at country
 Appreciable increase
in the number of midlevels available by 2011.
career student to join
 Report on sensitization
the program.
visits/meetings with all key
stakeholders available annually
 Demand for the
starting 2011.
program increased
 Profile of stakeholders participated in
overtime.
SEPs annual workshops in all
institutions available starting 2011.
 Tracer information updated yearly.
Objective 5.2: Diversify and increase the SAFE funding base by engaging with potential financial partners interested in advancing and
sustaining agricultural education in Africa.
Activities:
 Identify potential partners
 Lobby with them to support and participate in the program
 Formalize partnerships through signed MOUs
 Measure partners’ participation and progress
 Develop proposals for funding


 Programs
Report on profiles of potential
mainstreamed and
partners available per country by end
sustained over time
2015.
at country levels
 Signed MOUs between partners
available starting 2015.
 Proposal and related document
available.
Objective 5.3: Develop strategies for capitalizing on opportunities presented by countries/states and institutions that have the financial and
human resources needed to establish effective mid-career training programs.
26 | P a g e
Activities:
 Identify organizations and institutions that have opportunities
for self-funding and engage with them (dialogue)
 Ensure strong institutionalization of the SAFE program through
MOUs
 Develop proposals for funding



Profiles of well-resourced
stakeholders in all SAFE countries
available annually.
One prototype self-financing/cost
sharing programs established in
Nigeria by end 2011.
Signed MOUs between partners
available annually.
 Substantial increase
in local contributions
to programs
 Substantial increase
in number of training
institutions
implementing need
based and responsive
training programs
Objective 5.4: Continually sensitize training institutions of the need for regular and on-going staff development programs.
Activities:
 Continuously assess training needs of university staff vis-à-vis
 Gap analysis reports available for all
 Measurable
improvement of
emerging needs
institutions by end 2015.
teaching quality and
 Lobby with universities to ensure that the gaps are addressed
 Staff development plans at
program sustainability
department level available for all
 Identify other opportunities to fill gaps
over time.
universities/colleges annually starting
 Conduct monitoring of the needs and gap-filling activities at
2014.
the department/faculty level
Objective 5.5: Foster mainstreaming (institutionalization) of SAFE programs in partner training institutions to ensure program sustainability.
Activities:
 Ensure that the programs are implemented according to SAFE
principles and quality standards
 Establish ME&L to track the progress of universities and
colleges towards mainstreaming the SAFE program



Reports on comprehensive need
assessment available before
launching of programs.
Signed MOUs available before
launching of programs.
Monitoring reports available yearly.
 Programs better
sustained after
external support
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Annex I. Timeframe and Milestones (2010-2020)
Goals
Goal
1
Objectives
Activities
Year 2010
1 2 3
4
Objectives
Activity 1
1.1
Activity 3
Objectives
2.1 - 2.4 Activity 4
1
3
4
Goal
5
6
7
11
Activity 6
12
14
17 18
Objectives Activity 8
3.1 - 3.6
Activity 9
8
9
10
13
16
15
19
24
21
20
22 24
20
26
25
24
26
22
22
24
26
26
28
Objectives
Activity 12
4.1 - 4.3
Objectives Activity 13
28
29 30
31
5.1 - 5.5 Activity 14
Annual Budget
8
9
10
Activity 5
Activity 11
Year 2013 -2020
2
8
Activity 10
Goal
4
5
8
Activity 7
Goal
3
Year 2012
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
Activity 2
Goal
2
Year 2011
-
1,980,000
32
33
34
35
2,045,000
20,597,000
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Annex II. Expansion of New University Programs (2010 – 2020)
Annex III. Improving Qualifications of Female Faculty Members
(2010 – 2020)
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Annex IV. Student Intake/Graduates (2010 – 2020)
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