Agriculture Extension
Historically, the concept of agriculture extension was developed around the practice of “extending” research-based knowledge to farmers in rural areas so as to improve their lives (Davis 2008). In this top-down approach, researchers developed new technologies and innovations, which extension workers then passed along to farmers. Extension services disseminating information to farmers were often managed by governments.
Now a wide array of organizations are providing an increasingly broad range of extension and advisory services (EAS) to farmers and others involved in agriculture value chains. Organizations now involved in EAS include governments, research centers, universities, civil society, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector (Sahlaney et al. 2015). Dr. Kristin Davis, the current Executive Secretary of Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services, wrote in 2008, “Today’s understanding of extension goes beyond technology transfer to facilitation, beyond training to learning and includes assisting farmer groups to form, dealing with marketing issues, and partnering with a broader range of service providers and other agencies.”
Many of these organizations providing EAS are shifting away from the top-down approach to a more holistic approach that includes a better understanding of how and where farmers get their information and technologies (Swanson and Rajalahti 2010). In efforts to improve EAS services in hard-to-reach, rural smallholder communities, and to gain a better understanding of local resources and needs, organizations might consider EAS programing facilitated by community agriculture extension workers and modeled after CHW and CAHW programs with proven success. --- TN #83
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There is often a critical gap between knowing what could be helpful and then making that information known so that it can be put into practice. Filling that gap is the specialty of an organization called Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services (MEAS; https://meas.illinois.ed). MEAS has...
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Key Resource04/11/2015 Active learning and exchange of knowledge are key to farmer adoption of beneficial agricultural innovations. Community health worker (CHW) and community animal health worker (CAHW) programs have led to a rich body of knowledge about extension, much of which is applicable to efforts aimed towards...
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13/03/2020 This article is from ECHO Asia Note # 41. With a new decade upon us, the ECHO Asia team is pleased to highlight the next chapter in its engagement with the Asia regional network. Many of you are well aware of the goings on of ECHO Asia, but for some it may come as news that we have launched a new...
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26/11/2019 Session: Farmer to farmer follow up is playing a complementary role to formal extension services in facilitating the spread of agriculture technologies and the improvement of food security across rural village, Kiramutse, Southern Province of Rwanda. This session will discuss the importance of...
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01/01/2001 This book is composed of seventeen chapters, featuring unique extension systems and approaches. Although not every type of system can be included, these case studies provide a cross-section of extension approaches found internationally. Students of extension education realize that some extension...
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Agricultural development can be done successfully, at scale, and in a sustainable, productive, equitable and resilient way. Food can be equitably produced and distributed, agricultural systems can become resilient to stresses and shocks, and markets and value chains can provide incomes and reduce...
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01/01/1981 This handbook is a guide for the village level worker. It can also serve as a teaching aid and text to teachers of village level workers. It is intended for use by personnel in home economics extensions, community development, home economics clasroom teaching, health education, and other programs...
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01/01/1994 This guide was produced by Extension Officers for all those who work with groups expecially in livestock development. Farmer's groups, like any other development groups have similar dynamics which need to be handled at group level. The use of role playing, case studies, stories, etc. are meant...
- There is enormous potential for digitalisation to help achieve food and nutrition security and resilience to climate change, as well as promote engagement of youth and women in agribusiness in Africa. But this potential will not be fulfilled by chance. At such a defining moment for this...
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This paper outlines three agricultural and rural extension market reforms and two non-marketing reforms, at all times emphasizing stakeholder, and particularly enduser, participation in the approaches employed in these reforms. It also recognizes the need for non-farm microenterprise development...
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Summary : At the start of 2020, COVID-19 broke out with huge consequences for resilience of smallholder farmers and other vulnerable groups dependent on agriculture. Extension and advisory services can help strengthen resilience of their clientele by increasing their access to both tangible...
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Key Resource Sustainable Agriculture covers a wide range of topics: soil and water conservation, using organic matter to sustain soil fertility, pest management, cropping systems, livestock management, and many others. For agriculture to be sustainable, it must take into account not only the physical...
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Summary : At the start of 2020, COVID-19 broke out with huge consequences for resilience of smallholder farmers and other vulnerable groups dependent on agriculture. Extension and advisory services can help strengthen resilience of their clientele by increasing their access to both tangible...
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20/07/2002 Agricultural extension The ICT gloval plans Networking in sub Saharan Africa Farmer to farmer radio for Dekhon farmers in Tadjikistan Internet in the South Linking farmers through radio Using the Internet for advocacy