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Agricultural extension in transition worldwide

Policies and strategies for reform










​Blum, M.L., Cofini, F., Sulaiman, R.V. 2020. Agricultural extension in transition worldwide: Policies and strategies for reform. Rome, FAO. 




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    Worldwide, extension and advisory service (EAS) systems have undergone reforms since the 1990s. However, the reforms of the last two decades in many countries have largely failed, as there has not been significant increase in accountability, efficiency, empowerment or impact. To fill this gap, this document, based on a systematic and extended literature review, delves into public EAS systems in developing countries, with a special focus on smallholder farming and institutional reforms. To begin with, it reviewed the status quo of global EAS systems in terms of institutional change and typologies and regional characteristics of EAS systems based on the analysis of 80 countries. This is followed by discussions on issues related to human resources, mandates, financial resources, infrastructure, and policy environment. The discussions are illustrated with six country case studies. Then, the document analyses the major challenges faced by institutional reforms in developing countries regarding accessibility, accountability, affordability, adaptability, sustainability, and coordination. Next, the document summarises the experience and lessons-learnt from EAS reforms across the developing countries. Finally, based on the previous discussions, it gives recommendations on strengthening and reforming public EAS systems.
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    Smallholder farmers face a variety of challenges and capacity gaps in accessing digital agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS). Recent studies have revealed that smallholder farmers’ low digital literacy, along with insufficient digital human capital development and infrastructure investments in rural areas, has become paramount barriers and constraints for them to access and effectively realize the potential of digital AEAS. Therefore, smallholder farmers need to be empowered by innovative approaches to enable them to access digital AEAS and achieve economic, environmental, and social gains sustainably, thus leaving no one behind in the era of digital technology advancements.

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