This paper begins by saying that the Production Education concept of Xavier University [Philippines] is designed to produce graduates who will go back to the rural areas as producers and as rural leaders. To achieve this difficult task of reversing or stemming the outflow of youthful talents from our rural areas requires that agricultural graduates be thoroughly grounded in the correct philosophy of man, a correct philosophy of land, and a clear understanding of how man's work or labor can clearly transform an unyielding land into a bountiful resource. The paper thus describes how the university-based organizational structures evolved to implement the basic concept mentioned above and that over time. The training widened its focus not only on university students but also on the small farmers from Mindanao [Philippines], and eventually on the small farmers of the Third World. Two such structures were discussed here: the Xavier University Extension Service and SEARSOLIN [Southeast Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines].

The coverage of improved sanitation in Vietnam is still low, especially in rural areas. As a result, water-borne diseases remain key threats to public health. While the government has committed itself to increasing the proportion of people with access to improved sanitation, it cannot afford to subsidise sanitation for the entire population. Thus, improving rural sanitation continues to rely heavily on financial contributions from household-level private users, which depend on their willingness to pay (WTP) for such services. Knowing people’s WTP is crucial when assessing the economic viability of projects, setting fees, evaluating policy alternatives, gauging financial sustainability, and designing socially equitable subsidies. However, such information on household-level demand is scarce to non-existent in Vietnam. We assessed the WTP for septic tanks among the rural population in Vietnam and identified the some factors that influence the level of WTP. The study was conducted in Hanam province, in northern Vietnam. Researchers randomly selected and surveyed 600 households, conducting personal interviews with the main breadwinners or decision-makers in each. Contingent valuation was used to obtain relevant economic data. This method consists in asking individuals how much they would be willing to pay for a change to the quantity or quality (or both) of a particular commodity. We found that 63% of the studied households were willing to pay for construction of a septic tank. The average WTP level was VND 16 million (US$ 800), which amounts to about 15% of the households’ annual disposable income. Economic hardship was found to be the major reason for not installing a sanitary latrine. Health, cleanliness, and prestige were found to be three major motivating factors for constructing septic tanks. Regression analysis showed that the odds for spending money on improved sanitation services were higher in households with better income, as well as in households whose head had better knowledge of sanitation.

The 2021 report draws on research funded by A4NH on food system transformation and promising consumer- and food-environment- oriented policy options to include in the food systems transformation agenda in low- and middle income countries. It provides analysis to inform policies, programs and investments to promote inclusive food system transformation.

This chapter draws attention to the link between VCD and smallholder livelihood strategies that comprise a complex mix of subsistence and market-oriented activities and that are diversified to meet multiple livelihood goals and mitigate risks; and the authors address the related implications for the design and assessment of value-chain interventions. They question some of the underlying assumptions of NGOs, government agencies, and private-sector agents seeking to link smallholders to higher-value markets.

This paper proposes a third generation communication technical assistance programme to help governments bring about a better operational linkage between development programmes and communications sources. Development workers must be encouraged to apply all appropriate communications resources in ensuring the systematic flow of relevant information during the planning and implementation of development programmes. Communication workers must be motivated to activity support their country's development efforts and be trained to handle development messages properly. Communication support is only one element in the development process, but an important one for helping people understand, accept and properly apply new technology.