Forging New Partnerships: Lessons from the Dissemination of Agricultural Training Videos in Benin

Purpose: This article evaluates the dissemination and use of rice training videos by radio stations, farmers, farmer associations and extension services in Benin. It pays attention to positive deviants and process innovation within a 'hands-off experiment'. Design/methodology/approach: Using questionnaires and checklists we interviewed leaders of radio stations, extension services of nine municipalities and organized focus discussions with 13 farmer associations. Interviews focused on the processes of video dissemination/acquirement and the use and usefulness of the video. Findings: The commercial radio of Glazoué developed persuasive adverts and sold most of the 240 VCDs to farmers and extension services, whereas the community radios distributed most VCDs free of charge. About 20% of all the VCDs were sold, suggesting that farmers are eager to invest in acquiring knowledge. Extension services acquired the rice videos in various ways, indicating the need to inject videos via multiple pathways into the agricultural innovation system. Watching the farmer-to-farmer videos during staff meetings gave extension agents more confidence to interact with farmers. Practical implications: Videos do not need to be distributed to all farmer associations in the same village, as dissemination may take place between different associations. Farmers appreciate watching videos with their families if they are available in their local language. When suitable language versions are not available, group viewing is more appropriate. Originality/value: The farmer-to-farmer rice videos have created a momentum in Benin and across Africa, especially in the current context of rapid changes in the agricultural systems. The newly established non-governmental organization Access Agriculture aims at further supporting video-mediated learning in developing countries. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]