Agricultural extension in transition worldwide:

policies and strategies for reform

The purposes of this course areto review the major reforms tochange the public sectoragricultural extension systems.

9 MODULES WITH:• Objectives• Introduction• Definitions• Discussions• Tools• Exercises• References

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This course is envisaged for policy-makers, senior management and seniorextension staff in agricultural extension. It can also be very useful forstudents studying agriculture, rural development and particularly extension.

Workshops on reform policies in extension can be held on request andtaylored to your particular needs. For any further information, please contactMs. Magdalena Blum. E-mail Magdalena.Blum@fao.org.

We greatly appreciate your feedback on this course.

William M. Rivera (main author)ProfessorInstitute of Applied AgricultureUniversity of MarylandCollege Park, Maryland, USA

Magdalena Blum (conceptualization, coordination, review of modules)Agricultural Training and Extension OfficerResearch and Extension DivisionNatural Resources Management and Environment DepartmentFood and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy

Rasheed Sulaiman V (review of modules)Director Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP)Hyderabad, India

© FAO 2009

Research and Extension DivisionNatural Resources Management and Environment DepartmentFood and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy

Agricultural extension in transition worldwide:

policies and strategies for reform

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99 MMOODDUULLEESS WWIITTHH::• Objectives• Introduction• Definitions• Discussions• Tools• Exercises• References

© FAO/22216/A.Proto

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You can access this course on our website

http://www.fao.org/nr/research/res-home/en/

www.fao.org/nr/research/res-home/en/

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Agricultural extension in transition worldwide:

policies and strategies for reform

• MODULE 6Module 6 emphasizes the role of government in its social and extensionresponsibilities, in coordinating a multi-purpose set of institutions, andthe promise of information communication technologies (ICT) inenhancing diversified pathways toward pluralistic extension systems.

• MODULE 7Module 7 underlines the importance of linking farmers to markets, andpoints towards renewed efforts to stress this aspect of public sectorextension. It considers the task of promoting the organizing of farmersand integrating them into value chains by way of linking them tomarkets.

• MODULE 8Module 8 deserves a separate course by itself, and deals with threeimportant issues: administrative and field management of extensionservices, the promise of information and communication technologies inmanagement, and the education and training of extension staff andagents.

• MODULE 9 Module 9 is the conclusion of the course. The various reforms discussedin the course are reconsidered along with major lessons learned. Alsodiscussed are the tensions that exist between and among the reforms asto whether they promote privatization type reforms orparticipation/empowerment types of reforms. Participants arechallenged to compare and contrast the reform proposals and principleswith a view to considering how to modernize agricultural extension inthe context of Agricultural Innovation Systems.

• MODULE 1Module 1 provides background to the institutional evolution and forcesthat have, and continue to, change the shape and purpose of publicsector agricultural extension services.

• MODULE 2Module 2 reviews decentralization and its several meanings, andexamines its advantages and disadvantages.

• MODULE 3Module 3 covers the privatization of extension, when governmentswithdraw from public sector extension services, and considers thevarious funding and delivery options open to government.

• MODULE 4Module 4 examines various funding and delivery options namely effortsat cost recovery services and the use of outsourcing to foster various waysof supplementing agricultural extension services and training.

• MODULE 5Module 5 considers the advancement of participatory extension andthe closely related, albeit different, promotion towards demand-ledextension.

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