Abstract

In this study a review of documented material on Namibian agriculture produced during 1999- 2001 was undertaken and levels of farmers’ participation in the original empirical activities identified. The results were evaluated against Pretty and Vodouhe’s seven categories describing participation in development projects. It was found that 2/3 of the published material was derived from work in which farmers had apparently played no role at all. Where it was enlisted, the participation by communal farmers in agricultural programs was mostly at the lower levels, while participation by commercial farmers was usually at the higher levels. Dialogue workshops with communal farmers conducted in three major communal farming regions confirmed this finding. The opposite result was obtained when a questionnaire was used to gather information from agricultural professionals on their perception of farmers’ participation in agricultural programs. However, the study found sufficient evidence to conclude that the extent and levels of participation by communal farmers in the work of agricultural professionals was far too low and that this situation was probably a contributing factor to persistent crisis in communal agriculture. The implication of these findings for Namibia’s resource-poor farmers is discussed. Continuous training and orientation programs to enable positive changes in the attitudes of agricultural professionals towards farmers’ effective participation in agricultural development programs were suggested.

Keywords: Participation, Communal Farmers, Extension, FSR/E, Development, Food Security

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