Ag. Extension Program Support Project

closed

The objectives of the National Agricultural Extension Program Support Project are to increase agricultural productivity and farmers' incomes in an environmentally sustainable manner and to rationalize the use of public resources in support of agricultural services. The program is central to the Government's strategy to: 1) reduce poverty and improve the conditions of life in the rural areas; 2) improve agricultural productivity; 3) optimize the use of available resources; and 4) protect the environment by generalizing the delivery of professional agricultural services to all levels of the farming community. The main project components are: 1) strengthening the delivery of the agricultural extension services and providing support for farmers' organizations through the provision of transport, equipment, rehabilitation of facilities and incremental operating costs; 2) improving the technical and management capacity of agricultural staff through training by the provision of equipment, supplies, facilities and transport for regular in-service training of extension staff and the rehabilitation of at least two agricultural training colleges; and 3) support for financial management, accounting and auditing, monitoring and evaluation and regular supervision at all levels of the national agricultural extension system.