AGRIC.EXT.II

closed

As agriculture is the major source of medium-term growth for the Somalian economy, the Second Agricultural Extension Project attempts to support agricultural research and extension to increasing agricultural productivity. To this end, the project comprises (i) extension services, (ii) training and (iii) research. Within extension services, the project comprises improving field services in eight regions of southern Somalia by providing technical assistance, vehicles, staff housing, operating costs and improvements to headquarters facilities. Under the training component, the project includes local and overseas training of extension and research staff, constructing and improving training centers, and providing adequate equipment and staffing. Finally, to improve agricultural research in the country, the project entails a research component. Within this last component, the project intends to establish a research directorate, finance a dryland research station at Bonka, and a fund for additional adaptive research. Benefits under the proposed project are expected from improving extension and research capacities and their impact on agricultural productivity and farmers' incomes.