20 pages., Agricultural extension and advisory services in information and technology dissemination and delivery are critical in a
developing country’s food security and sustainability. Without extension service provision, the productivity and
production smallholder farmers are experiencing would have been much lower, and current global hunger and
malnutrition worse. This paper assesses the effects of COVID-19 on the sustainability of agricultural extension
models/approaches for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Over 60 papers were reviewed covering 2019-2021,
commencing with the disease outbreak in China. Based on characteristics and usage, the findings indicate most reviewed
extension models were disrupted. No single model was entirely disbanded as the impact of COVID-19 was being felt.
However, each model incorporated a digital means of communication to keep farmers and service providers in touch.
There is considerable criticism around the inadequacy of these extension techniques in advancing the agenda for
smallholder farming’s long-term viability that needs to be addressed
35 pages, Mozambique remains predominantly poor. The official statistics show that poverty incidence barely changed from 54% in 2002–03 to 55% in 2008–09, which stands way above the government's target of 45% by the year 2009. This places the country off-target to cut hunger and poverty by half by 2015, despite an annual economic growth of about 7% in the period 1994–2010. In rural areas, poverty levels have slightly increased, due to the underperformance of the agricultural sector. Extension services can have a significant impact on poverty reduction through stimulating growth in agricultural productivity. Based on a nationally representative household survey from Mozambique, this paper uses three econometric models, namely an OLS regression, the doubly robust estimator and matching and regression to estimate the economic impact of receipt of extension. The results suggest that the receipt of extension increases farm incomes by 12%. However, rather than crafting resource-poor technologies, extension services tend to target wealthier households who are relatively more likely to adopt the existing technologies. This might increase income inequality. The impact of extension, and therefore its contribution to poverty reduction, can be enhanced through several mechanisms (e.g., programme design and the number of staff).
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C17110
Notes:
Pages 43-70 in Gwyn E. Jones and Maurice J. Rolls (eds.), Progress in rural extension and community development, Volume 1, Extension and rural advantage in rural development. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester. 336 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C17113
Notes:
Pages 117-138 in Gwyn E. Jones and Maurice J. Rolls (eds.), Progress in rural extension and community development, Volume 1, Extension and rural advantage in rural development. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester. 336 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C17112
Notes:
Pages 155-170 in Gwyn E. Jones and Maurice J. Rolls (eds.), Progress in rural extension and community development, Volume 1, Extension and rural advantage in rural development. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester. 336 pages.
