Subscribe IFPRI on Agricultural Extension
Agricultural extension (also known as agricultural advisory services) plays a crucial role in promoting agricultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural livelihoods, and promoting agriculture as an engine of pro-poor economic growth. Extension as a rural support service is needed to meet the new challenges agriculture is confronted with: changes in the global food and agricultural system, including the rise of supermarkets and the growing importance of standards and labels; growth in non-farm rural employment and agribusiness; constraints imposed by HIV/AIDS, and other health challenges that affect rural livelihoods; and the deterioration of the natural resource base and climate change. IFPRI has developed a framework for designing and analyzing extension, and has several research programs studying extension projects.