**-2-**

la Province du Nord-Ouset (MIDENO) has<sup>been implementing</sup> a project to improve agricultural production in the province.3 In terms of agricultural extension, the project has hired almost 200 new<sup>extension agents, one-fouith of whom are</sup> women. The overall representation of women in the extension service is now 18.3 percent, among the highest among developing<sup>countries.'</sup> 6. A recent survey of the effectiveness of the extension service found that all farmer respondents, both male and female, were able to<sup>correctly name</sup> the local extension agent and his<sup>or her post. All respondents had received</sup> visits from the extension agent, with<sup>a higher percentage of women than men</sup> receiving advice on food crop farming<sup>techniques,</sup> adopting improved techniques and benefiting from increased yields.<sup>An earlier survey showed that women were</sup> twice as likely as men to be full-adopters of recommended practices for maize and that full-adopters received a 90 percent increase in maize<sup>yields.</sup> 7. The stark contrast in results is<sup>reason enough why MIDENO's</sup> activities deserve attention as an<sup>example of innovative programming for women</sup> in the extension domain. However, there<sup>are two other reasons as well. First,</sup> MIDENO may be unusual, but it need<sup>not be unioue. This is because the setting</sup> in which MIDENO's efforts took place<sup>was simn.rt to those found elsewhere, not</sup> only in Cameroon, but in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. The agricultural setting of the North West Province may be<sup>more diverse and have greater agricultural</sup> potential than that found elsewhere, but<sup>at the same time farming systems,</sup> constraints, and division of labor<sup>is similar to the predominant pattern in</sup> Africa. Similarly the policy setting<sup>in the agricultural</sup> sector in which MIDENO operated created problems and potentials<sup>found frequently in Africa. As a</sup> result, even though the MIDENO experience<sup>is a single case, it would appear to</sup> have wide applicability within the continent.

8. The second additional reason MIDENO deserves<sup>attention is that by</sup> virtue of being an integrated development<sup>effort, it coordinated several</sup> development activities in agriculture.<sup>These activities differed in their</sup> approach to women and in their success<sup>in reaching women farmers. By looking</sup> at the various experiences comparatively, it is possible to develop insights into the reasons MIDENO is innovative<sup>and successful in reaching women with greater</sup> precision and confidence.

9. The paper is organized into three chapters. Chapter I deals with both the agricultural and the policy<sup>setting in which MIDENO was designed and</sup> implemented. The major aim of the chapter<sup>is to make the case that the factors</sup> impinging on MIDENO's development efforts are not significantly different than those that might confront agricultural<sup>development initiatives elsewhere in</sup> Africa.

10. Chapter II is devoted to the MIDENO<sup>case. The emphasis is on</sup> describing the steps that MIDENO took<sup>to upgrade the -tension service and the</sup>

> 3 **The** following rcaults **are** presented fully **nd** docuinted completely **in** Stiction **.**

> 4 **In Swanson and** Rass **.'s** (1981) **survey,** only two developing countries, **Thailand nd the** Philippines, **had a** higher percentage of **vomen** in agricultural **exten ion** progeass.