Extension That Catalyzes Farmer Innovation: Where the Rubber Meets the Road in Sustainable Intensification.

Extension reform in East and Southern Africa is underway and takes many forms, from de-centralized approaches under development in Uganda and Malawi, to agro-dealer and mini-pack linked agricultural advice in Kenya and Tanzania. A few lessons from two decades of experience will be shared. These include:

1. Demand driven extension is better than supply driven, except when it isn’t.
2. Bi-directional learning can help with the challenge to adapt extension advice to local conditions.
3. Participatory action research approaches such as the mother and baby trial design can contribute to extension recommendations that are relevant and broadly applicable, in contrast to on-farm demonstrations by lead farmers.
4. Consider collaboration with Ministries of Health, Nutrition, Education, Environment or Communication to support nutrition-sensitive, sustainable agriculture.
5. Extension education could be better linked to subsidy access.