Policy Advocacy for Rural Advisory Services

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There are few global examples of validated national agricultural extension policies. Policies that affect the provision of agricultural extension and advisory services are more typically written in the larger context of policies for the agricultural sector overall. As an extension professional, you are at the forefront of making development happen. You, therefore, constantly encounter situations where existing policy constraints development interventions or where new policies could better support development. While policy is not your day-to-day function, you are in better position to generate evidence in order to inform good policies and organise the relevant stakeholders in articulating policy needs to the relevant authorities.

Overview

Module outcomes

After completing this module, you will be able to:

  1. Define policy-focused advocacy:
    • Analyse policies that lie at the root of rural advisory services (RAS).
    • Identify the most effective way to use research and field data for policy prioritisation and policy advocacy.
    • Recognise the basic steps needed to create an advocacy strategy and the role of evidence in the process.
  2. Know and apply tools for advocacy:
    • Identify the components of a policy advocacy strategy.
    • Develop a specific advocacy goal that is relevant to your work.
    • Identify key decision makers and influencers that can make your advocacy goal a reality.
  3. Design strategic advocacy activities and targeted messaging to reach and influence decision makers:
    • Draft policy advocacy strategy and work plans to share and implement with colleagues.
    • Effectively advocate across multiple agencies and organisations for a position on a RAS issue.

What to expect

Study units
Name Total videos Total assessments
Study unit 1: Introduction to policy advocacy 2 2
Study unit 2: The policy development process 0 6
Study unit 3: Mobilising for action: The policy advocacy strategy 0 6
Study unit 4: Policy advocacy engagement platforms and tools 0 4

Click on the button below to start the Module:

Introduction

Study Unit 1: Introduction to policy advocacy

Study unit outcomes

After completing this study unit, you should be able to:

  • Analyse policies that lie at the root of rural advisory services (RAS);
  • Identify the most effective way to use research and field data for policy prioritisation and policy advocacy;
  • Recognise the basic steps needed to create an advocacy strategy and the role of evidence in the process.

Study unit overview

This unit aims to present advocacy in a broad sense. Although there are many different ways to explain advocacy as a concept, this unit will focus on advocacy directed at changing RAS policies, positions or programmes.

This unit will also give an introduction to what advocacy is. It will define advocacy and identify examples of advocacy activities. You will be given the tools to explain the differences and relationships between advocacy, awareness raising and lobbying approaches. You will further be able to identify and describe the basic elements of an advocacy strategy.

This study unit is divided into the following sections:

  • Introduction
  • Session 1.1: Defining advocacy
  • Conclusion

Click on the button below to start the lesson for Study Unit 1:

Study Unit 1

Study Unit 2: The policy development process

Study unit outcomes

After completing this study unit, you should be able to:

  • Explain what is meant by policy development and policymaking;
  • Describe the different steps in the policymaking process;
  • Identify policy stakeholders, policy cycles, power mapping techniques and key moments and mechanisms in shareholder mapping;
  • Identify opportunities through understanding constraints, identifying policy entrepreneurs and policy process targetting;
  • Provide examples of different fundraising methods.

Study unit overview

This study unit will look at what defines a policy and the role of RAS in identifying and analysing policies within the agricultural environment. You will learn about problem identification and policy formulation, adoption and implementation in order to define the entire policymakingpolicymakingDefinition: Creating a set of principles and rules aimed at affecting the way a system, programme or organisation is run....
 process.

Shareholder (stakeholder) mapping will be used to identify those involved in the policy making process and how they should be incorporated within the development cycles. All of these factors will help in identifying barriers and opportunities in order to better use or raise additional resources through fundraising.

This study unit is divided into the following sections:

  • Introduction
  • Session 2.1: Understanding RAS policy environment
  • Session 2.2: The policymaking process
  • Session 2.3: Shareholder mapping
  • Session 2.4: Identifying opportunities and barriers
  • Session 2.5: Fundraising: Mobilising resources
  • Conclusion

Click on the button below to start the lesson for Study Unit 2:

Study Unit 2

Study unit 3: Mobilising for action: The policy advocacy strategy

Study unit outcomes

After completing this study unit, you should be able to:

  • Explain how to plan and implement an advocacy campaign;
  • Identify an advocacy audience and the channels of influence to reach them;
  • Create advocacy goals, alliances and SMART objectives;
  • Use activities and communication tools to create effective BCC and IEC messages for your audience;
  • Understand how reputation effects selection and use of policy champions in mobilising support.

Study unit overview

This unit will look at how to identify policy problems using an evidence-based approach. In addition, you will learn how to identify the audience affected and how to understand them better, in order to develop a message that speaks to their needs. You will be shown how taking this into account results in a more flexible policy with clear future and present goals and objectives. Lastly, the module looks at equipping and training policy champions; individuals with skills or influence enough to ensure the success of a campaign or policy and add credibility to the message being delivered.

This study unit is divided into the following sections:

  • Introduction
  • Session 3.1: Identifying policy problems, solutions and evidence
  • Session 3.2: Understanding your audience
  • Session 3.3: Defining advocacy goals and objectives
  • Session 3.4: Developing advocacy messages
  • Session 3.5: The face of the advocacy campaign/messenger/policy champions
  • Conclusion

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Study Unit 3

Study unit 4: Policy advocacy engagement platforms and tools

Study unit outcomes

After completing this study unit, you should be able to:

  • Use and identify tools in policy advocacy;
  • Explain the role media types in policy advocacy;
  • Measure the success of advocacy initiatives and maintain success.s

Study unit overview

Selection of the most appropriate medium for advocacy messages depends on the target audience. The choice of medium varies for reaching the general public, influencing decision makers, educating the media, generating support for the issue among like- minded organisations/networks, etc. Some of the more common channels of communication for advocacy initiatives include press kits and press releases, press conferences, fact sheets, a public debate, a conference for policymakers, etc.

This study unit is divided into the following sections:

  • Introduction
  • Session 4.1: Policy dialogues
  • Session 4.2: Using the media for policy advocacy
  • Session 4.3: Plan to measure success
  • Conclusion

Click on the button below to start the lesson for Study Unit 4:

Study Unit 4