Agricultural extension in South Africa: Status quo report
This is in depth review of agricultural extension services has been prepared by Phuhlisani as part of the suite of background research to inform dialogue around the direction of public extension services for agriculture, forestry and fisheries in South Africa. The review reflects on the changing understandings of the concept and purpose of agricultural extension and draws out key trends based on a review of the literature and an assessment of the changing approaches to extension pre and post 1994.
The report locates extension within the context of changing agricultural, land reform and rural development policy. It reviews extension policy to date and the discusses the Extension Recovery Programme
The report reviews the full range of extension services and service providers including:
public sector extension from national and provincial perspectives
private sector extension
NGO extension
other extension providers
It provides an overview of changing approaches to agricultural education and training and reflects on possible future approaches to agricultural extension which incorporate livelihoods perspectives and provides a conceptual framework of the extension carousel of learning which underpin the management, economic and production dimensions of extension practice.