Photo shows a practical training on crop monitoring in the field (Laurie Kälin)

Technical Assistance Groups (TAG) (Tajikistan)

Description

Technical advisory groups working on a 'fee for service' basis provide an effective service to farmers to achieve measurable yield increases, based on regular crop monitoring, crop management advice and effective use of inputs (fertilisers, water, pesticides, etc.)

Aims / objectives: The TAG concept is designed to achieve the following key objectives: (1) Provide an effective agronomic advisory service to farmers to achieve measurable yield increases, based on regular crop monitoring, crop management advice and effective use of inputs (fertilisers, water, pesticides, etc.), (2) Support the development of agricultural input supply and distribution, and (3) Operate as independent entities on a competitive 'fee for service' basis (fee per ha), working towards achieving self sustainability.

Methods: TAGs are the central component of the framework and follow a very simple operational structure, basically consisting of a “Senior Agronomist” (SA), a “Organisation Manager” (OM) and a defined number of “Field Agronomists” (FA). The SA will register an advisory business as well as the OM and FA. The cooperation will be regulated by cooperation contracts. The SA will engage directly into service contracts with farmer clients to whom they will provide crop management recommendations throughout the entire production cycles. TAGs will be based in defined geographic areas, operating with local staff (SA, OM, FA) and build up a customer base large enough for financial self sustainability.

Stages of implementation: (1) TAGs are registered as enterprises, (2) TAGs develop business plans, (3) TAGs develop work plans and field records, (4) each TAG signs contract with cooperation partners (TAFF and GIZ-PSD project), (5) TAGs get first payment from cooperation partners (555 USD per TAG), (6) TAGs sign consulting contracts for 500 ha, farmers pledge to pay for advisory service 24 TJS/ha in the whole season, (7) quality control of advisory contracts concluded: visit of contracted farms to ensure the farmers understand the TAG-system, (8) TAGs do market analysis for the regional availability of suppliers for pesticides, fertiliser etc., mechanisation contractors, banks, buyers, (9) second payment from cooperation partners, 5 TJS per ha up to 500 ha contracted area per TAG, (10) third payment from cooperation partners, same conditions as previous point, (11) fourth payment from cooperation partners, 12 TJS per ha contracted area (only if field advisors are contracted and have received first salary, first field records are made and filed to the TAG documentation), (12) first payment from clients/farmers, 12 TJS per ha contracted area, (13) second payment from clients/farmers, 12 TJS per ha contracted area, (14) fifth payment from cooperation partners, 5 TJS per ha contracted area (only if contracts are fully pay through clients, TAG must handover documentation of their work).

Role of stakeholders: Cooperation partners provide expertise and training, support to the organisational and sustainable development of TAGs and financial support. NGOs (Agricultural Extension Service Providers) will be invited to enter into contract agreements for the provision of training to TAGs. TAGs consist of a “Senior Agronomist” (SA), a “Organisation Manager” (OM) and a defined number of “Field Agronomists” (FA).

Location

Location: Yovon, Hissor, Vakhsh, Djomi, Konibodom, Zafar, Kuljob, Vose, Khatlon, Soghd, RSS, Tajikistan

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 69.048, 38.289

Initiation date: 2011

Year of termination: n.a.

Type of Approach
Photo depicts training on pesticide use in cotton (Laurie Kälin)

Approach aims and enabling environment

Main aims / objectives of the approach
The Approach focused mainly on other activities than SLM (productivity increase)

The main objectives of the approach were to: (1) Provide an effective agronomic advisory service to farmers to achieve measurable yield increases, based on regular crop monitoring, crop management advice and effective use of inputs (fertilisers, water, pesticides, etc). (2) Support the development of agricultural input supply and distribution. (3) Operate as independent entities on a competitive 'fee for service' basis (fee per ha), working from the start towards achieving self sustainability.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: low agricultural production, lack of technical knowledge
Conditions enabling the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
Conditions hindering the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
  • Institutional setting: weak capacity of governmental agricultural extension services Treatment through the SLM Approach: establishment of independent agricultural extension services
  • Knowledge about SLM, access to technical support: little or no access of farmers to effective agronomic technical assistance services Treatment through the SLM Approach: establishment of technical advisory groups TAGs

Participation and roles of stakeholders involved

Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles
What stakeholders / implementing bodies were involved in the Approach? Specify stakeholders Describe roles of stakeholders
local land users/ local communities Entered contracts with TAGs to employ their advisory services
SLM specialists/ agricultural advisers All senior agronomists are male. They were selected on the basis of their perceived experience and agronomy knowledge. Field agronomists were selected by their respective SA. Some of the field agronomists are female. Received training provided by the cooperation partners (training of trainers)
NGO AIN, ATAC and SAS Consulting (and other agricultural extension NGOs)
international organization GIZ-PSD project, TAFF Tajik Agricultural Finance Framework (EBRD)
Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach
none
passive
external support
interactive
self-mobilization
initiation/ motivation
x
planning
x
implementation
x
the land users pay the TAGs for their services with a service fee
monitoring/ evaluation
x
Research
x
Flow chart

The Technical Assistance Group (TAG) Framework

Author: Laurie Kaelin
Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology

Decisions were taken by

  • land users alone (self-initiative)
  • mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists
  • all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach
  • mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users
  • SLM specialists alone
  • politicians/ leaders

Decisions were made based on

  • evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
  • research findings
  • personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

Technical support, capacity building, and knowledge management

The following activities or services have been part of the approach
Capacity building/ training
Training was provided to the following stakeholders
  • land users
  • field staff/ advisers
Form of training
  • on-the-job
  • farmer-to-farmer
  • demonstration areas
  • public meetings
  • courses
  • technical advisory service
Subjects covered

Innovative approaches to crop management, effective use of agricultural inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, water, etc), basics of advisory work, cotton growing, modern ways of plant protection, cooperation with other service providers, improving the performance of the TAG team, and improving the TAG business were key focus points.

Advisory service
Advisory service was provided
  • on land users' fields
  • at permanent centres
Technical Assisstance Groups (TAGs); Key elements: TAGs provide know-how on modern crop production and crop management techniques to individual farmer clients., TAGs establish links with input providers and buyers of produce, TAGs are financially self-sustainable through the service fee they collect from farmer clients

Advisory service is quite adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; The value of crop rotation to conservation and improvement of soil health is clear to the TAG. Problems associated with erosion and fertiliser leaching are being discussed in field training sessions.
Institution strengthening
Institutions have been strengthened / established
  • no
  • yes, a little
  • yes, moderately
  • yes, greatly
at the following level
  • local
  • regional
  • national
Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.
Type of support
  • financial
  • capacity building/ training
  • equipment
Further details
The TAGs were registered as formal entities. They were supported by the coordination partners financially and through training sessions.
Monitoring and evaluation
economic / production aspects were regular monitored by project staff, land users through measurements; indicators: Measurement of yields by TAG and farmers, accumulation of data over time area treated aspects were regular monitored by project staff, land users through observations; indicators: Approx. 17,000 ha being covered by TAG area treated aspects were regular monitored by project staff, land users through measurements; indicators: Nearly 900 Dehkan Farms serviced no. of land users involved aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: Communication between TAG, land users, input suppliers and project staff management of Approach aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: gender of contracted farmers socio-cultural aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: Measurement of yields by TAG and farmers, accumulation of data over time economic / production aspects were regular monitored by project staff, land users through observations; indicators: Agronomic measurements of crop progress by TAG and project staff technical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements; indicators: Comprehensive collection of land use activities technical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: None management of Approach aspects were regular monitored by None through measurements; indicators: None There were several changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: Introduction of record keeping for field activities to serve as a decision making tool in the future. Introduction of systematic crop progress evaluations enabling much improved crop management. Communication between farmers and input suppliers is streamlined, with the expected outcome of improvements in quality and timing of input usage. There were several changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation: New tools introduced for record keeping and crop progress monitoring. Improvements in timing and quality of field activities (cultivation, fertilisation, irrigation etc). Improved access regarding timeliness and quality of production inputs.
Research
Research treated the following topics
  • sociology
  • economics / marketing
  • ecology
  • technology

Market analysis of regional availability of suppliers of pesticides, fertiliser etc., mechanisation contractors, banks, buyers.

Financing and external material support

Annual budget in USD for the SLM component
  • < 2,000
  • 2,000-10,000
  • 10,000-100,000
  • 100,000-1,000,000
  • > 1,000,000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Approach costs were met by the following donors: international (GIZ-PSD, TAFF): 20.0%; national non-government (TAGs): 80.0%
The following services or incentives have been provided to land users
  • Financial/ material support provided to land users
  • Subsidies for specific inputs
  • Credit
  • Other incentives or instruments
Financial/ material support provided to land users
TAFF/GIZ-PSD project will provide a voucher to the senior agronomists to pay for additional NGO services, which they might need based on individual requirements. The voucher will cover 80% of the cost
partly financed
fully financed
Establishment of TAGs at the beginning

x

Labour by land users was

Impact analysis and concluding statements

Impacts of the Approach
No
Yes, little
Yes, moderately
Yes, greatly
Did the Approach help land users to implement and maintain SLM Technologies?

In the longer term land users benefit from agronomic advise to improve sustainable land management (e.g. fertiliser use, irrigation efficiency, crop rotation).

x
Did the Approach empower socially and economically disadvantaged groups?

Employment of male and female agronomists through TAG, partly funded by service receivers (farmers). Expected increases in land productivity as a result of advice will lead to higher farm income.

x
Did the Approach lead to improved livelihoods / human well-being?

Employment of agronomists through TAG, is partly funded by the service receivers (farmers). Expected increases in land productivity as a result of this agronomy advice will lead to higher farm income.

x
Main motivation of land users to implement SLM
Sustainability of Approach activities
Can the land users sustain what hat been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

Conclusions and lessons learnt

Strengths: land user's view
  • Quality agronomic advice (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Ongoing training und upskilling of agronomists. Establishment of a strong core of agronomic advisors who themselves will train new agronomists as their advisory businesses grow)
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
  • Systematic and professional approach to the provision of services (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Ongoing training of TAGs and NGOs)
  • TAGs are registered service providers (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Return clients, increase in client numbers)
  • Networking between TAGs and input suppliers (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Facilitation and improvement of communication, training)
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome

References

Compiler
  • Philippe Zahner
Editors
Reviewer
  • David Streiff
  • Alexandra Gavilano
  • Joana Eichenberger
Date of documentation: May 20, 2011
Last update: Nov. 2, 2021
Resource persons
Full description in the WOCAT database
Linked SLM data
Documentation was faciliated by
Institution Project
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International