What can the new SADC Strategy learn from existing Member States’ Policies and Strategies?

Smallholder farmers are the backbone of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region’s agriculture. However, we face numerous challenges due to inadequate agricultural advisory and extension services. This results to limited access to vital information, technologies, and best practices, hindering production, productivity and efficiency. Without proper guidance, smallholders struggle to connect with markets and access to market information leading to lower incomes, economic instability, reduced crop yields, and increased food insecurity.

Recognizing this critical need, smallholder farmers across the SADC region have identified a robust Agricultural Extension and Advisory Service (AAES) Strategy as a priority. This strategy would coordinate regional efforts and significantly improve access to essential extension services.

This policy brief is intended for SADC policymakers, particularly the food, agriculture, and natural resources directorate (FANR), ministries of agriculture, departments, and agencies in SADC member states, the private sector, farmer organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, donors, academia, and all stakeholders interested in agricultural extension services.

This brief outlines the agricultural context of the SADC region, the critical importance of Agricultural Advisory and Extension Services (AAES), key findings on the current state of agricultural extension in SADC, the benefits and positive impacts of a regional AAES strategy, and recommendations from smallholder farmers.

On behalf of Smallholder Farmers in the region, I invite SADC policy makers to utilize this information to drive the transformation of agricultural sector in the region and align agricultural extension collective efforts with the African agricultural agenda, AU policy frameworks to enhance sustainable growth, productivity, and livelihoods for smallholder farmers.

Read and Download here: Smallholder Farmers Policy Brief on SADC Agriculture Advisory and Extension Services