In the Shadow of Policy. Robert Ross

      Acknowledgements

      In the Shadow of Policy is the outcome of a collaborative project called CAPRI (Cape Rural Innovation Project) that was implemented between 2008 and 2012. The project brought together different institutions to discuss and study rural development and to reflect on the role of rural extension in social and economic transformation in post-apartheid South Africa. The focus of the project was on the Cape provinces, Northern, Eastern and Western, and on initiating collaboration between the provincial departments of agriculture and Wageningen University in the Netherlands. The project was initiated by the three departments of agriculture (DOAs). Over time, the project expanded to include collaborators from the University of the Western Cape and Rhodes University. The project was funded by a grant from NUFFIC (Netherlands University Foundation for International Cooperation) which operates under the mandate of the Ministry of Foreign Aid. NUFFIC administers a capacity-building programme (NICHE) from which the CAPRI project received funding.

      CAPRI funded the Master’s studies at Wageningen University of nine members of staff of the collaborating DOAs. Two PhD students are currently finishing their theses. Another part of the CAPRI project was to engage with rural extension and its frontline workers. Together with the collaborating DOAs, a rural extension training programme was designed and implemented (‘The Big Five’), training over 1 000 extension officers at diploma level, updating their skills and exploring new forms of rural innovation in South Africa. The core of this book consists of the Master’s and PhD theses of the CAPRI-funded graduates. Additional authors have contributed chapters on topics not covered.

      The book could not have been written without the financial support CAPRI received from NUFFIC. Many others need to be mentioned for their valuable role in CAPRI: Marius Paulse, Ruud Ludeman, Nomakhaya Stemele, Joyene Isaacs, Patience Tamba, Gertrude Gayiya and Waldo Weimers. Carin Vijhuizen at NUFFIC needs specific mentioning, as she championed the compilation of this book.

      It is equally important to acknowledge Michael Wessels for his enduring support and patience in assisting most of the authors to write their chapters, commenting on style and argumentation, and correcting spelling.

      The book was reviewed by two anonymous reviewers whose reflections on the book as a whole and critical comments on individual chapters were most helpful. In addition, Marc Wegerif, Alberto Arce and Jan Douwe van der Ploeg commented on earlier draft versions of various key chapters of the book. Their comments and suggestions have improved the book considerably.

      The support and advice rendered by Roshan Cader, commissioning editor for the Wits University Press, has been extremely important. She successfully guided the book through its process from manuscript submission and reviewing, rewriting and final production of the published product.