objectives. The inclusion, in the Introduction. of summaries of III seven case studies is most
useful. This will make life easier for readers who are not really interested in the minute
details of each project but do want a broad overview.
To enhance clarity, annexes have been included. Howev~, with some of these lII\tlexes
only those readers who are literate in statistics will frod them useful. Useful references are
also included at the end of each case study. Notwithstanding the flaws mentioned, the
publication is a useful practicll contribution to the 1I[e& of developmmt studies.
Reviewed by R Mupedziswa, School of Socill Work, HII[II[e.
Agricultural Extension in Africa, Nigel Roberts (ed), World Bank, WashingtonOC, 1989
(1l4pp, US$1l,95).
This monograph has been compiled from papers presented at two workshops on agricu1tur1l
extension in Africa. The fmt was held at Eldoret, Kenya, in June 1984. It is focused on
Extension and Resell[ch. The second seminar, on Agriculturll Extension and its link with
ResearchinRural Development, was held at Yamoussokro, Coted'lvoire, in Febnuuy 1985.
The articles in this volume deal with the practicll applications of the different methods of
agricultUral extension in Africa.
The book is another addition to the debate on the extension strategies that are most
appropriate for the diverse conditions of African agriculture, lIIld discusses the relative
merits of the various extension methodologies of the developing world. The editor's
defence of the training and visit system is very informative. Other issues discussed include
the cost-effectiveness of extension; the weaknesses of African systems in genel"ating
technology; the tendencyof govemmentSel"Vices torespondmoreto bureaucraticimpel"atives
than to farmers' needs; the difficulties in forging more productive partnerships between
researchers, extensionists, andfarmers; thelimitedparticipationoffarmersin themanagcmmt
of extension; the ineffectiveness of public services; and the fragility of institutions and
infrastructure in most of SubSaharan Africa.
Teachers, lecturers and students of agriculture, extension pnctitionel'S, policy mak~
in rural development, and aid administrators who want to invest in rurll deve10pnent and
extension, will find this book interesting and informative. It is a good guide to the more
effective extension approaches in Africa, where one approach can not be talren as the
answer.
Chapter 1, an appraisal of the extensionmethodoiogies most commonly found in Africa,
lays the foundation for the papers that follow. The strengths and weaknesses of the four
major approaches to extension: the commodity-based apJIOach, the training and visit
system. and farmer participator)' extension, are each illustrated with speciflC case studies.
This makes the monograph down-to-earth and very diffel"entfrom otberrecords oftec1micll
wOIkshops. Instead of just describing the diversity of the approaches to extension in Africa,
the papers in this book give theperspective or conditions in which thac approaches opente.
The examples enable people, who may be using different names for the same approach
elsewhere in Africa, to understand and identify with the st:ratcgies being discussed.
80 Book ReykM
Commodity-based extension is dealt with in Chapters 2 and 3, using the examples of the
cash cropIl cotton and tobacco. In both cases the approach is top-down and the extensionislJ
provide all the necessaryresources. Thcnext set of chapters are anexpositionofthe training
and visit system. In Chapter 4, the editor argues in support of this system, but both sides of
the case are well-lXesented. InChapter 5, Gentil raises anumbel' of questions on the T ml
V system, and a case study is provided.
Chapters 7 and 8 discuss, elaborately, fanna- participatory extension methodologies, ml
Belloncle proposes group instruction. Chapter 9 is a case study of a Village Producen
Association in Mali. The theory behind fanning system research and on farm research is
given in Ch~ 10. Chapter 11 is a case study of fanning systems research in Senegal.
Morris discusses the merits and demmts of T and V and the fanning system research
methodologies under East African conditions in Chapter 12. He concludes that the two
systems are complementary and are useful inthe generationanddissemination of technology.
InChapter 13 the economic return on public investment in extension reforms is considered,
and the management of fIeld personnel is discussed. 1be fmal chapter, Chapter 14, is a
review of issues in extension that require continuous attention.
Although each chapter is clearly separated by section breaks and simple language is used,
the lXesentation is marred by a lack of illustrations and otha-visual aids. Diagrams, picb.Jres
and other aids break the monotony of reading print continuously, help reduce the number
of words used and enhance comprehension. However, overall, readers, especially academics,
will find the book informative, educative and interesting.
Reviewed by Livai Chenjerai Matarirano, Agritex, Harare.
The End of the Third World: New IndustrlaJislng Countries and the Decline of III
Ideology, Nigel Harris, Penguin, London, 1987 (pp231, £3,95).
Inrecent months there has been much talk about Zimbabwe trying to join the ranks of the
Newly Industrialising Countries (NICs). For those interested in pursuing such a course in
this country, Nigel Harris' The End or the Third World should be required reading.
TheNlCs are a group ofThird World countries which have transformed their economies
ova- the last two decades. Starting out as mainly primary producers they have moved to the
production and export of a wide range of goods. There is little argument arnongst economislJ
that such transformations have taken place in the six countries studied by Harris: South
Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brazil and Mexico, Indeed the rate of increase in
production in these nations has been prolffic. South Korea, for instance, advanced from a
minuscule builder of ships (20000 tons per year in the 1960's) to a 23% share of the world
market by 1983 (4 million tons). Taiwan, which like South Korea oriented its ecooomy
toward exports, organised a sophisticated electronics industry which by 1982 made the
Taiwanese the leading Third World electroniCs manufacturer. The city-states of Hoog
Kong and Singapore, as well as the two Latin American giants Brazil and Mexico,
underwent similar changes to become large-scale exporters of goods ranging from textiles
and office machina-y to weapons' systems.
......