Summer 1999 39 Facilitating Change in Senegalese Rice Production: Learning Serer Women Farmers’ Decision Making John R. Vreyens, Ph.D. Training Coordinator International Agricultural Programs University of Minnesota Outstanding research paper from the 15th Annual Meeting of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, Trinidad~Tobago, March 22-26, 1999 Abstract Extension education has evolved from being a process of dissemination of information, to a process of actively advocating for change, to facilitating the change process. To be a facilitator of the change process requires deeper knowledge of the internal dynamics of a community and the factors impacting people’s decision making. The purpose of this case study is to describe an extension education program in which the extension educator’s role was as a facilitator in the change process. Using Rogers’ innovation-decision process as the conceptual framework, ethnographic research techniques were used over three growing seasons to collect data revealing the factors impacting this process in women farmers. The rice production system is described as well as the major findings on factors impacting the five steps of the innovation decision process. The process of facilitating change in this case study is described leading to conclusions of what is required to be an effective facilitator of change for sustainable development. The paper advocates developing new competencies and teaching new skills to the next generation of extension educators so that they can be effective advisors to farmers strengthening the feedback loops in the research process. Introduction One of the challenges we in the field of extension education face moving into the 21st century is the search to make development sustainable. There are too many examples of development efforts which collapsed when funding ceased or international consultants returned home. The key to sustainability lies within the people and communities being acted upon. (See Cernea, 1985; Pretty, 1998; Swanson, 1984). Extension education has evolved from being a process of dissemination of information, to a process of actively advocating for change, to facilitating the change process. (See Boone, 1989; McDermott, 1987; Rasmussen, 1989; Rogers, 1983; Shaner, Philipp, and Schmehl, 1981). The skills required to accomplish these different roles are not the same. The extent to which one has intimate knowledge of the people and communities within which one works also will vary. To be a facilitator of the change process requires a deeper knowledge of the internal dynamics of a community and the factors impacting people’s decision making. The role of facilitator or advisor implies active participation on the part of the extension educator to learn from the farmer. The challenges in the day-to-day decision making by the farmer must be known so that changes or ideas can be presented to the farmer which address their situation. A standardized recommendation may be irrelevant but in facilitating change a standard recommendation can be adapted in collaboration with farmers to increase the probability of sustainable change. Purpose The purpose of this case study is to describe an extension education program in which the extension educator’s role was as a facilitator in the change process. The specific objective uses Rogers’ innovation-decision process as the