The International Workshop on Improving the Responsiveness of Agricultural and Rural Advisory Services (ARAS) in the context of Climate Change and Agricultural Entrepreneurship in West and Central Africa (WCA) took place from 30 September to 2 October 2016 in Limbe (Cameroon). Its overall objective was to discuss the adjustments necessary to agricultural and rural advisory services to support the transition towards climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and the development of agricultural entrepreneurship (agripreneurship) in a more efficient and inclusive manner.
The workshop was organized by RESCAR-AOC in partnership with GFRAS, CTA, GIZ, IIED / GWI, AFAAS, MINADER and ACEFA as a prelude to the 7th Annual Meeting of the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) also at Limbe (Cameroon) on 3 to 6 October 2016 on the theme “Role of rural advisory services in inclusive agricultural entrepreneurship“.
Results of the workshop highlighted, among other things, that developing appropriate advise to value chains actors considering their diversity, women, youth and producers’ organisations, to facilitate the adoption of CSA and entrepreneurship is a major challenge. Knowledge management plays a crucial role in strengthening the responsiveness of ARAS. The following groups of measures were identified as necessary for ARAS to better respond to demands related to CSA and agripreneurship: (i) adaptation of approaches, methods and tools; (ii) enhanced knowledge and skills of advisors and value chain actors; (iii) improvement of practices and governance of ARAS schemes and (iv) making the institutional environment more conducive and compatible with innovations related to CSA and agripreneurship.
Documents synthesizing to the development, main results and recommendations of the workshop are available via the links below:
Executive summary of the workshop