Science with a human facewww.icrisat.org November 2013

Traveling “Village Knowledge Fairs” for upscaling proven technologies

We have over 40 years of scientific solutions developed and tested with farmers, national systems and agribusinesses.

We want to make a quantum leap in impact on moving people out of poverty by significantly upscaling these solutions.

To do this we can create traveling knowledge fairs

aimed at producers and consumers

traveling to villages annually

based on farmer to farmer and business to business knowledge sharing.BIG

IDEA

S

2 A concept note forEnsuring nutritional security in rural India

Village Knowledge FairsThese fairs are part of campaigns that are based on:

▪ Targeted marketing campaigns aimed at both producers and consumers.

▪ Linking with state government, farmer associations, community groups, finance agencies and private industry.

▪ Identifying the technologies most relevant for each state/region that are proven, available and ready to be upscaled.

▪ Identifying and involving the necessary support for technologies. This may include seed supplies, smaller packaging, microfinancing etc.

▪ Developing a marketing plan for each state/region. This can include a traveling roadshow for farmers (targeting women as well as men), via:- farmer to farmer video messages- conducting training courses based on

farmer-to-farmer and business-to-business- using mass media for further

communicating the messages.

What will be offered ▪ Solutions to increase farm productivity, such as:

- High-performing crop varieties- Soil and water management practices- On-farm management practices

▪ Agribusiness developments, such as:- Processing options- Linkages to market information

▪ Information and demonstrations on nutrition and products

▪ Advice to help villages set up their own mini incubator platforms that facilitate sharing of knowledge.

Management of the campaignA brand will be built for the fairs.

The village knowledge fairs will become regular events building interest and awareness.

Monitoring and evaluation will be undertaken to track the effectiveness of the campaigns and feedback for continual development.

InvolvementTake joint ownership of this initiative with ICRISAT and be an integral part of the branding of the fairs.

Support can also be garnered through:

- Village-level farmer fairs- Capacity building of farmer facilitators- Village level nutrition awareness- Setting up of local farming and agribusiness

incubators

ContactJoanna Kane-Potaka, Director, Strategic Marketing and Communication, E-mail: j.kane-potaka@cgiar.org