Agricultural Research and Extension Project

closed

Within the strategic context, the Agricultural Research and Extension Project will strongly support the government's efforts for poverty reduction, by improving agricultural technology systems, thus increasing agricultural productivity, and farmer incomes, and further expanding agricultural marketing, and processing industries. The project components call for: a) the development of program and policy coordination, to manage technology systems, and coordinate public sector support for agricultural research, and extension, in addition to facilitating institutional reforms; b) the establishment of an agricultural technology fund, to co-finance adaptive research, and extension projects, based on competitive bases, to be selected regionally. Farmers and research/extension institutions, - private sector participants, government technical institutions, or non-governmental organizations - will co-finance projects to be implemented at regional, and community levels; c) an increased capacity building, for the development of strategic programs, within national technology systems. Training and information systems regarding institutional analyses, and planning for selected programs of applied, and strategic research, and extension, will be provided; and, d) development grants, to finance additional projects on a competitive basis, are envisaged.