Developing countries could achieve food security as well as promote rural
development if the right agricultural policies on extension services are enacted and
fully implemented.

This was said by agricultural experts from Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP)
regions, who attended a recent international conference on Innovations in Extension
and Advisory Services in Nairobi, Kenya.

The experts noted that most farmers, particularly smallholder farmers continue to
experience challenges in accessing timely and adequate agricultural support service
yet such support is critical in their daily work.

For example, appropriate and sufficient extension services allows the farmer to try
out new crop or livestock enterprises and then work out the production practices
that are most suitable in supplying specific markets.

Extension service also enables farmers to decide whether it would be possible to
upscale any of these enterprises to community and national level.

Kenyan Assistant Minister for Agriculture Kareke Mbiuki said at the official opening
ceremony that it was time developing countries come up with vibrant and viable
strategies to improve agricultural extension services.