Agricultural Extension

Agricultural extension (also known as agricultural advisory services) plays a crucial role in boosting agricultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural livelihoods, and promoting agriculture as an engine of pro-poor economic growth. Extension provides a critical support service for rural producers meeting the new challenges confronting agriculture: transformation in the global food and agricultural system, including the rise of supermarkets and the growing importance of standards, labels, and food safety; growth in nonfarm 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 extension systems and analyzing their impact and has several research programs studying extension projects. IFPRI’s agricultural extension research is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 4 and SDG 8.