<div><div>Max Kelly (2012): NGOs, Pluralism and Advisory Services—Timor Leste, The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Published online 19/12/2012, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1389224X.2012.741527" style="line-height:18px;color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12px;font-family:Arial,sans-serif" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1389224X.2012.741527</a><span style="line-height:18px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:12px;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">.</span></div>
</div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div>ABSTRACT </div><div>Purpose: This article analyses the role, approach, issues and opportunities faced by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the promotion of agriculture in Timor Leste from</div>
<div>independence through to the countrywide roll out of a public extension service in 2009.</div><div><br></div><div>Design/methodology/approach: The research draws on semi-structured interviews with NGO personnel, local, national and international, actively involved in agricultural development to</div>
<div>ascertain how organisations engage with communities, their objectives, inputs, coverage and impacts. The analysis is based on the framework developed by Birner et al. (2009) for pluralistic</div><div>advisory services, and the discussion is framed by contemporary NGO discourse.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Findings: This article argues that NGOs have a central role in agricultural development, with particular advantages that can be built upon, however there must be explicit acknowledgement of</div><div>
the complex nature of the NGO and civil society, and a critical awareness of the need for strategic thinking, communication and coordination for effective aid.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Practical implication: NGOs play a central role in agricultural development. There is a need for a more nuanced understanding of the opportunities and limitations of the NGO sector, both as</div><div>
service providers but also more broadly as part of civil society.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Originality/value: Funding directed to the NGO sector for implementation of development projects is prolific. There is substantial discourse on partnerships between NGOs and other actors.</div><div>However, little of the debate appears within discussions on agricultural service provision.</div>
<div><br></div><div>KEY WORDS: Timor Leste, Non-governmental organisations, Pluralistic agricultural advisory</div><div>services, Civil society<br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>===================================<br>
<b>Dr Max Kelly</b><br>Lecturer, International Development<br>Faculty of Arts,<br><b>Deakin
University</b><br>Warrnambool, VIC 3280<br>Australia.<br><br>Phone: +61 (0) 355633316<span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""></span><br>Mobile +61 (0)409 350719<br>E-mail: <a href="mailto:max@deakin.edu.au" target="_blank">max@deakin.edu.au</a><br>
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