Role of Agriculture Extension and Rural Advisory Services in Strengthening Climate-Smart Agricultural System: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction

Agriculture Extension and Rural Advisory Services (AERAS) are the powerhouse of sustainable agricultural development. Conversely, Climate-Smart Agriculture is the core of farm sustainability and food security. The study aimed at investigating the role of AERAS in strengthening climate-smart agricultural system.

Materials and Methods

The review was conducted employing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta Analyses (PRISMA). The period for the database searching was confined to 2000 and 2024, and in total, 47 articles were ultimately reviewed.

Results

Findings signify that most of the research had been conducted in the world's developing and least developed nations of Africa and South Asia (32 papers), accounting for about 68%. Outcomes show that diffusion of innovations and collaboration with multiple stakeholders (68.1%) was the foremost role of AERAS. On the contrary, negotiations and lobbying for the best policies (31.9%) were identified as the secondary role. However, capacity building and human resources development (63.8%), performing intermediary functions and supporting extension learning processes (55.3%) were found potential role of AERAS towards climate-smart farming system. Moreover, ambiguous role, maladaptation, poor coordination, and geographical disparities were detected as research loopholes.

Conclusion

Department of agriculture extension and policy research can leverage the findings as a set of guidelines for the provision of demand-driven extension services at farm level, revision of curriculum and principles to support smart farming system. The study is very worthy because it focuses on the role of AERAS in fostering farmers' adaptation and resilience capacity, basically to help kick-start climate-smart agricultural system.