Expanding Agricultural and Rural Extension Roles for Sustainable Extension Practice in Nigeria

Abstract

The effect of globalization and the attendant privatization of the public sector of national economies of developing nations has profound effect on extension service delivery. This paper reviews present concept and challenges of extension and proposes future concerns of extension service. It concludes that extension educational service in Nigeria should be rendered as a hybrid of both public and private good. Public good extension should include such roles as provision of knowledge, skills and experience to HIV/AIDS orphans and training of farmers on how to reduce labour shortage due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. On the other hand, extension service must strive to expand its traditional concept to that of private good to achieve economic sustainability. The expanded scope could include marketing extension, non-farm rural micro enterprise development, service to farmers’ associations, technical extension service and urban extension. These services should be provided at a cost to ensure economic sustainability of extension service delivery.