Rural Extension Services

Anderson, Jock R. ; Feder, Gershon

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ACCESS TO INFORMATION;    AGENTS;    AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT;    AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION;    AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-2976
RP-ID  :  WPS2976

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

The authors analyze the considerationsthat lead policymakers to undertake extension investments asa key public responsibility, as well as the complex set offactors and intra-agency incentives that explain whydifferent extension systems' performance vary. Theauthors provide a conceptual framework outliningfarmers' demand for information, the welfare economiccharacterizations of extension services, and theorganizational and political attributes that govern theperformance of extension systems. They use the conceptualframework to examine several extension modalities and toanalyze their likely and actual effectiveness. Specifically,the modalities reviewed include "training andvisit" extension, decentralized systems,"fee-for-service" and privatized extension, andfarmer-field-schools. The authors also discussmethodological issues pertaining to the assessment ofextension outcomes and review the empirical literature onextension impact. They emphasize the efficiency gains thatcan come from locally decentralized delivery systems withincentive structures based largely on private provision thatin most poorer countries is still publicly-funded. Inwealthier countries, and for particular higher income farmergroups, extension systems will likely evolve intofee-for-service organizations.