Education


 Both basic and continuing education are essential for the structural transformation of the
 economy. There is a need to expand educational opportunities and choices to include not
 just public programs but various private programs as well. The recent expansion of
 primary education will be an important contribution to future market development and
 food security. An educated work force with educated consumers and producers is
 extremely important to a well functioning market. With the rapid expansion of primary
 education, however, resources for other education activities will be limited. Efforts will
 need to be made to find cost-effective alternatives to standard educational activities. The
 market may play a limited role in education through dealer/supplier education of their
 customers through advertisement, field days and demonstrations. Closer links between the
 extension service and private input dealers may be advantageous to both in their efforts to
 educate smallholders on the choosing and using of technology.

 Sources of Technology

 As previously indicated, agricultural production is not only the main source of food for
 the population, it is also its main source of income. Technology is a critical part of
 increasing agricultural productivity, which, in turn, increases both food production and
 income. Adoption of technology will depend on the return that technology provides the
 household versus its cost. By having access to the widest varieties of technology, farmers
 and non-farm business can obtain the best and least expensive technology appropriate to
 their needs.

 Technology should come from both public and private sources, ideally with competition
 between both. An example of this competition has already taken place in the hybrid maize
 market. An introduction of a triple cross semi-flint hybrid maize (NSCM41) in 1983 was
 made by National Seed Corporation through a licensing arrangement. This release helped
 motivate new research from the Agricultural Research System that led to the release of
 flint hybrid varieties MH17 and MH18 in 1990. In addition to formal research programs,
 efforts should be made to encourage petty patents and other technology-generating
 procedures for local processing and manufacturing within the informal sector. This use
 of technology could have a significant impact on increasing labor demand.

 As seen in Chapter 2, even with strong market development in the economy, some
households will not be able to provide adequate means to sustain their families. As economic
growth expands through market-led development, fewer of these households should need
assistance. To keep popular support for market development and to protect those household that
are slipping through the system, an effective safety net should accompany and support market
development. Annex F provides details of present safety net structures in the country and
suggests ways to improve them.