Agricultural innovation and rural advisory services
Access to agricultural information and knowledge, both traditional and research-based is important. It allows small-scale farmers to sustainably develop their livelihoods, to build up resilience and to improve their skills.
The dismantling of state-run research and extension services in many countries has often left the rural population without sufficient access to relevant knowledge. This has seriously hampered their capacity to innovate and to keep up with their changing environments. The international ODA system and the stakeholders at country level are beginning to rediscover the crucial role of agricultural knowledge dissemination for enhancing food security of small-scale farmers.
Key documents:
Targeting Women in Rural Advisory Services
Agriculture + Rural Development Network Brief No 1
Jane Carter and Nara Weigel, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, December 2011
PDF, 2122 KB
This short paper draws from the inputs of A+RD Network members to an e-discussion held in September 2011.
10 challenges faced by Swiss actors in Rural Advisory Services projects
Agriculture + Rural Development Network Brief No 2
Summary compiled by Yonas Mekonen, GPFS/SDC,
January 2012,PDF, 451 KB
Based on the study “Capitalisation of experiences in Rural Innovation and Advisory Services” by M. Fischler, N. Weigel and P. Schmidt, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, December 2011
Capitalisation of experiences in Rural Innovation and Advisory Services - Overview document
Martin Fischler, Nara Weigel, Peter Schmidt, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, December 2011,PDF, 820 KB
E-Discussion on Rural Advisory Services: Synthesis paper round 1
with participants from different countries, organisations and projects, April 2010PDF, 105 KB [fr] [es]
E-Discussion on Rural Advisory Services: Synthesis paper round 2
with participants from different countries, organisations and projects, May 2010PDF, 68 KB [fr] [es]
Other documents:
Quand les greniers se remplissent
Les bénéfices du partenariat entre la recherche agronomique, la vulgarisation agricole et des organisations paysannes au Mali, Sonia Ferroni et Ernst Gabathuler, Syngenta Foundation / CDE, 2011 PDF, 18'671 KB
Reshaping Rural Extension. Learning for Sustainability
An Integrative and Learning Based Advisory Approach for Rural Extension with Small-Scale Farmers. E. Gabathuler et al., Margraf Publishers, 2011
Five Key Areas for Mobilising the Potential of Rural Advisory Services
Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS)
GFRAS Brief #1, October 2010
Further Information:
Knowledge and innovation (internal link)
GFRAS - Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (co-financed by SDC)
MEAS - Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services (project funded by USAID)
Worldwide Extension Study - Agricultural extension and advisory services worldwide
