The World Agroforestry Centre is hosting this conference together with numerous partners.

After many years of under-investment in agriculture particularly in extension, research, education and training, the tide has changed and governments and the international community are mobilized and committed to urgent action and making funding available to support agricultural and rural development. Revitalizing extension and advisory services, examining their potential and strengthening their linkage with other actors in agricultural value chains and the wider innovation system are fundamental to the future of agricultural and rural development.

Within the past decade or more, there have been reforms to extension and advisory services to make them more pluralistic, demand-driven, cost effective, efficient and sustainable. The success and impact of these changes have not been fully studied and the time has come to reflect on the lessons learned to inform future policy and practice so that extension and advisory services can play a valuable role in assisting countries to respond to the diverse needs of their agricultural and rural communities.

Given the renewed interest in agriculture and the important role of extension and advisory services in increasing access to knowledge and markets especially for millions of small-holder farmers; there is need to take stock of promising initiatives and opportunities, define and promote mechanisms for up-scaling successful models and improve policy and practice to support the global effort to reduce hunger, and improve livelihoods especially of millions of small-holder farmers.

Concerted action is needed to support small-holder producers, including resource poor farmers and women, to develop their capacities and build self-reliance. There is also need for coordination of development actors who articulate and advocate improvements in agricultural extension and advisory services and keep them as priorities on the national, regional and global policy and development agenda.

Download conference documents:
• Flyer
• Registration form
• Guidelines for abstracts and papers
• Registration form for a booth
• Deatiled information about the conference (i.e. concept note)
 

Go to the Conference website