Analysing diversity of Agricultural Extension System in SAARC Countries

Participants of the Workshop

When it comes to taking services closer to the farmers, different extension systems are in practice within the member Countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). However, given the diversity, it is noted that SAARC Countries could come up with one best system applicable to all. With this objective in mind, the delegates of six SAARC Countries exclusive of Maldives and Afghanistan came together in Thimphu from 23-24 November 2011 participating in the Consultative National Agricultural Extension System workshop.

The Hon’ble Secretary of the National Environment Commission, Dr. Ugyen Chewang, graced the inaugural session of the workshop as Chief Guest where he stressed that the role of research and extension are vital in view of the increasingly changing farming system from subsistence farming to that of commercial and market oriented system. Therefore, farmers need to be kept abreast of and get access to new technologies and ideas. He acknowledged that extension agents are the first contact for farmers for new knowledge and services.

During the workshop, each country presented papers highlighting the extension system practiced in their individual Countries. In addition, Bhutan also presented two special papers encompassing the experience of an extension system in the country and a keynote paper.

The members also worked in thematic group works on Research, Education, Extension and Farmers’ linkages, Agricultural extension system diversity among SAARC Countries, policy issues and most effective extension approaches in SAARC Countries.

The delegates also made field visits to the Renewable Natural Resources Research and Development Centre, Yusipang and RNR Extension Centre at Semtokha where the participants of the workshop were given hands on realities of the research and extension system in Bhutan.

The closing session of the workshop was also graced by Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture and Forests, His Excellency Lyonpo (Dr.) Pema Gyamtsho. In his closing remarks, Hon’ble Lyonpo hoped that the recommendations would be taken to the SAARC Agriculture Ministers’ meeting to be held in Dhaka very soon. He also said that extension workers are threatened by many challenges where agriculture is pulled by many forces such as increasing populations and poverty, free market global economy, global warming, climate change and diminishing resources. Therefore, the role of extension system requires being very innovative, dynamic and versatile.

Towards the end, the consultative workshop was able to come up with a Set of Recommendations. These recommendations were circulated among the member countries where each country is required to act on it.

The consultative workshop on National Agricultural Extension system in SAARC Countries: An analysis of system diversity was jointly organised by SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka, Information and Communication Services (ICS) and the Council for RNR Research of Bhutan (CoRRB), Bhutan. The funding for the workshop was also provided by SAC.

[Technical papers of the six countries are available here]

Reported by: Ugyen Tshering, ICS
Photo by: Choidup Zangpo, ICS