Relaunching agricultural advisory services in sub-Saharan Africa

Just out 12 July 2019
In sub-Saharan Africa, difficulties with agricultural advisory and extension services are hampering development operations. An expert report, involving CIRAD, lists and analyses the key ways of relaunching those services. The aim is to fuel policymaking in the countries of the region and inform international bodies.
Advice session on a family farm, Benin © G. Faure, CIRAD

Advice session on a family farm, Benin © G. Faure, CIRAD

A recent report drafted by CIRAD's Patrick Dugué and Christophe Rigourd, from the Institut de recherches et d’applications des méthodes de développement (IRAM), and funded by the Agence française du développement (AFD), makes recommendations for national agricultural advisory services (NAAS) capable of satisfying the needs of producers and other players in different value chains and territories in sub-Saharan Africa. Current economic, social and environmental issues warrant a relaunch of such services.

The key recommendations, based on case studies in the region, concern governance, funding, capacity building, how services are organized, and public policy.

The report was prompted by the realization that difficulties with agricultural advisory and extension services are hampering development operations.

AFD organized a meeting to discuss the report on 4 July, which drew around a hundred participants. It is also due to be presented at several events in sub-Saharan Africa, notably the Abidjan Agricultural Showin November.

Read the report here (in French)

See also