Ghana:AGRIC EXTENSION

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The project initiates and implements a unified agricultural extension system with strong research linkages in order to promote the widespread use of proven agricultural technologies and farming practices that would increase farm output, improve the efficiency of labor, conserve soil and water resources, and contribute to environmental protection. Emphasis is given to institutional and human resource development and reaching more women farmers. The project includes three components: (a) strengthening the extension services in all the ten regions through provision of infrastructure, transport, equipment, consultancy services and incremental recurrent cost support on a declining basis and forging a closer link between extension and agricultural research services; (b) strengthening the technical departments of the Ministry of Agriculture to expand sectoral capacity to test the relevance of technologies generated by research institutes to farmers' conditions through provision of transport, equipment, consultancies, and incremental recurrent cost support to subject matter specialists and to project monitoring and evaluation; and (c) supporting human resource development through improved facilities, provision of teaching materials, farm and laboratory equipment, and transport support as well as policy improvements, institutional reforms of agricultural colleges and the provision of text books to the three faculties of agriculture.