The dismantling of state-run research and extension services in many countries has often left the rural population without sufficient access to relevant knowledge. This has seriously hampered their capacity to innovate and to keep up with their changing environments. The international ODA system and the stakeholders at country level are beginning to rediscover the crucial role of agricultural knowledge dissemination for enhancing food security of small-scale farmers. In Switzerland such discussions take place within the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services.
 

Key resources

Rural Advisory Services and International Cooperation PDF, 16'339 KB
How to reach large numbers of agricultural producers with rural advisory services – a compilation of articles with insights and innovations, Stefanie Kaegi and Peter Schmidt,  SDC, 2016:

• What 20 Years of Rural Advisory Services Have Taught Us
• The Hanoi Statement on Rural Advisory Service Systems
• CAPEX Study 1: Samriddhi Private Rural Service Provision System; Bangladesh
• CAPEX Study 2: Public Services for Agriculture & Rural Development Project; Vietnam
• CAPEX Study 3: Sustainable Soil Management Programme; Nepal
• CAPEX Study 4: Laos Extension for Agriculture Project; Laos
• CAPEX Study 5: Kyrgyz Swiss Agricultural Project; Kyrgyzstan
• Analysis of Country RAS Systems 1: China
• Analysis of country RAS systems 2: India
• Outcomes and Outlook

Multimedia story of the CapEx process

Agri-Fin Mobile
Videos and a report with lessons learnt about this SDC-Project bundling agricultural and micro-finance services via mobile phone

E-Discussion on Rural Advisory Services (RAS) and Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) [fr] [es] PDF, 675 KB
Synthesis paper of a joint e-discussion of the A+FS and e+i networks,
June 2012 

Follow up to the E-Discussion on RAS and M4P, April 2013 PDF, 540 KB 
Feedback and Thoughts on the RAS-M4P E-Discussion PDF, 282 KB

Rural Advisory Services at F2F 2012
Module "RAS and M4P" at F2F Meeting 2012 in Switzerland

Targeting Women in Rural Advisory Services PDF, 2122 KB
Agriculture + Food Security Network Brief No 1
Jane Carter and Nara Weigel, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation,
December 2011

This short paper draws from the inputs of A+FS Network members to an e-discussion held in September 2011.

10 challenges faced by Swiss actors in Rural Advisory Services projects PDF, 451 KB
Agriculture + Food Security Network Brief No 2

Summary based on the below study “Capitalisation of experiences in Rural Innovation and Advisory Services” and compiled by Yonas Mekonen, GPFS/SDC, January 2012

Capitalisation of experiences in Rural Innovation and Advisory Services - Overview document PDF, 820 KB
Martin Fischler, Nara Weigel, Peter Schmidt, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, December 2011

E-Discussion on Rural Advisory Services
with participants from different countries, organisations and projects:
Synthesis paper round 1 (April 2010) [fr] [es] PDF, 105 KB
Synthesis paper round 2 (May 2010) [fr] [es] PDF, 68 KB   

for more information see: resorces on RAS and agricultural education >>