Extension Engineers from Formosa from the perspective of small producers. Representations, expectations and realities

Abstract

Small farmers' behaviors, practices and attitudes usually are meaningless if they are only seen from technicians' point of view. Recognizing the importance of enhancing and strengthen rural extension practices, contributing to understand the subjective reality of small farmers becames crucial if we want to generate improved strategies of action. Thus, we carried out a qualitative research in Misión Tacaaglé (province of Formosa, Argentina), which allowed us to describe the social representation that small farmers have of rural extensionists, one of the most important actor implied in rural development projects. The research metodology included participant observation and open and semi-structured interviews. Specifically, in this paper I describe (1) meanings related to rural extensionists, (2) the responsibilities assigned to these professionals, and (3) the characteristics farmers value in them. Conclusions point out the importance of understanding small farmers' point of view, in order to generate more effective strategies of intervention. Finally, small farmers' tendency to passive acttitudes and its ambivalent representation of rural extensionists are emphasized, whith leads us to comment on the necessity of generating horizontal and dialogic relationships between small farmers and rural extensionists.