Extension is a support and educational agency focusing on changing human behaviour in positive sense, and as such is a very important actor in any national strategy of food security. However, no matter how efficient is an extension system, how qualified and competent its human resources, how generous financing it enjoys and how sound is its operational strategy, extension alone cannot guarantee sustained food security.
G. Diana/FAO/20352
While extension is allowed to play its role within the context of new vision, the governments should:
build platform to promote dialogue and cooperation among relevant institutions and programmes in all sectors to develop a network for food security and income-generation;
create multi-disciplinary agricultural and rural development teams to respond to rural community-expressed needs;
build technical and operational capacity of public and private service providers as well as recipients;
establish and maintain links between policy-makers, support services, small farmers and markets;
explore multiple programme methodologies;
create participatory mechanism to upscale proven best practices in food security.
A. Gaaya
