Building a New Agricultural Research and Extension System in Afghanistan: Initial Thoughts

Introduction Agricultural development is critical to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Central to rebuilding the agriculture sector is the need for an effective agriculture research and extension system. Throughout the world, and in Afghanistan, agriculture research and extension is in transition – influenced by trends toward reduced government intervention in the economy, growth of the private sector and civil society, and globalization. These changes and a range of other pressures are forcing a reexamination of public research and extension systems. The monopoly public services model for research and extension is obsolete in the more competitive, market-oriented climate of today’s agriculture.