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Book (series)Evolution of country-specific investment requirements of agricultural and rural extension and advisory services 2018
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No results found.The developing world witnessed an extraordinary period of food crop productivity growth over the past 50 years, despite increasing land scarcity and rising land values. Although populations had more than doubled, the production of cereal crops tripled during this period, with only a 30 percent increase in land area cultivated. The Green Revolution brought high-yielding varieties of cereal grains, expansions of irrigation infrastructure, modernization of management techniques, distribution of improved seeds, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, yet was characterized by regional differences in performance (Wik, Pingali and Brocai, 2008). Within this context two important externalities emerged: the environmental and the socioeconomic impacts of the change. The slowdown in yield growth that has been observed since the mid-1980s can partially be attributed to degradation of agricultural resources. At the same time, transition from traditional agriculture, just like the industrial revolution in the 19th century and the informatics revolution in the turn of the 21st century, also increased economic disparities, with a widening gap between rich and poor. The poorest producers are the most vulnerable to losing their farmland due to debt, while the increased level of mechanization removed a large source of employment from the rural economy (Oasa, 1987). Faced by these risks, farmers are often returning to subsistence cultivation, rendering them more vulnerable to weather variability due to climate change. Some regions were able to adopt Green Revolution technologies faster than others for political and geographical reason, so inter-regional economic disparities also increased. For many of the currently more than 1.1 billion people that are living in poverty, economic growth based primarily on agriculture and on non-farm rural activities, is essential to improve their livelihoods. The majority of the poor (over 70 percent live in rural areas), includes subsistence farmers, herders, fishers, migrant workers, artisans and indigenous people (IFAD, 2011). Promoting agricultural growth in rural areas and giving rural people better access to land, water, credit, health and education, is essential to alleviate poverty and hunger, to feed the growing population and address its changing consumption patterns. (FAO, 2009). Yet, agricultural growth will depend in the future less on input and land increase, but increasingly on total factor productivity, i.e. the performance of institutions, including research, extension and advisory services, and infrastructure (roads, ICTs, etc.) (Fuglie, 2012). -
Brochure, flyer, fact-sheetMaking extension and advisory services work for youth 2022
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No results found.The global youth population has reached the unprecedented figure of 1.2 billion. This exceptional number has enormous potential: with farming populations ageing across the world, the agricultural sector needs to attract youth to ensure generational turnover and foster competitiveness. With their energy, ability to learn and innovative attitudes, youth can accelerate the transition to more sustainable agrifood systems that can feed the world’s growing population. For this to happen, important push factors are needed, including education and skills, access to productive resources and services (especially land, finance, and business development services), connectivity, and youth agency. But more is needed. Rural youth often operate in contexts where decent employment and entrepreneurial opportunities remain limited. Pull factors are thus also essential: private sector development, more demand for youth labour and products in value chains, improved working conditions and business enabling environments in rural areas. Integrated, multi-stakeholder approaches are needed to empower youth within agrifood systems. In this regard, extension and advisory services (EAS) are key, not only to enhance skills and access to information and support, but also to facilitate innovation, and act as brokers of employment opportunities in rural areas. Sadly, most EAS providers are not prepared for these tasks. Their design and delivery results in them reaching mostly wealthier and already established farmers. While public EAS providers are often short of resources, private providers may be less interested in serving youth, who are often perceived as a more ‘risky’ clientele. The advice EAS offer is neither tailored nor provided in youth-friendly formats. Which is why youth must be involved in EAS not only as clients, but also as providers. -
Brochure, flyer, fact-sheetMaking extension and advisory services market-oriented 2021
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No results found.Food production and consumption patterns have changed significantly in recent decades. Food supply chains have become ever more integrated and globalized. This has imposed additional constraints on the majority of small-holder farmers. The required shift from subsistence farming to more commercially-oriented farming is a slow process and often hampered by several challenges: weak management and business skills, limited ability to manage risks, the quality and quantity of production, poorly organized producers, lack of capital, poorly developed markets, and high costs of intermediaries and transactions. The publication shows how pluralistic actors in extension and advisory service (EAS) systems can support rural producers and provide a broader range of services to overcome the challenges.
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