Dear GFRAS affiliates,

We'd like to update you on the latest activities and upcoming events in rural advisory services (RAS) and GFRAS. Find more information at www.g-fras.org.

Guide to Extension Evaluation

The final version of the GFRAS Guide to Evaluating Rural Extension has been published. The Guide supports those involved in extension evaluation to choose how to conduct more comprehensive, rigorous, credible, and useful evaluations.

Agriculture and Rural Development Day 2012

GFRAS together with the World Farmers Organisation WFO, FAO, Farming First, and IFPRI contributed to the Agriculture and Rural Development Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event, held immediately before the UN RIO+20 conference, aimed to ensure that the vision for a sustainable green economy from Rio+20 included clear steps for building a sustainable food system – where extension and advisory services play a critical role. The final communiqué highlights the important role of extension and rural advisory services.

GFRAS Roster of Extension Experts

There has been much demand for information and contacts of individual experts working in extension and rural advisory services. The GFRAS roster of extension experts has been developed in response to this demand. The roster is a searchable database where experts can present their areas of expertise and offer their services. People or organisations that are looking for an expert can search the database by topic, region, language skills, and so forth.

African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS)

• The sub-regional network of the French-speaking countries in Western and Central Africa (RESCAR-AOC) will hold a strategic workshop on 26-28 July to harmonise African stakeholders' strategies and plan the formal establishment of the network.
• AFAAS and GFRAS had a side event at the General Assembly of the World Farmers Organisation WFO in Rome in June. The event introduced AFAAS and GFRAS to the farmer representatives and explored ways of collaboration.
• AFAAS prepares its symposium and general assembly in 2013 in Botswana
• The Malawi Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (MAFAAS) will hold its general assembly and first workshop on 25-26 July.
• The Ministry of Agriculture in Mozambique held an "Agricultural Extension Planning Meeting" with participation of AFAAS.

For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services Network (APIRAS)

• A new network is being established in South Asia called Agricultural Extension in South Asia (AESA). It includes the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, , and the Maldives.
• Last year the Pakistan Association for Advancement of Agricultural Extension Education (PAAAEE) was established. It aims to promote the role of agriculture and agriculture extension in the development of the country.

Europe

• The European Union (EU) is preparing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the period of 2014 - 2020. The orientation for CAP towards 2020 highlights innovation as being indispensable to prepare the European Unions' agriculture for the future.
• Under the lead of the International Academy for Rural Advisors (IALB), advisory training centres and institutions in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy have developed the Certificate for European Consultants in Rural Areas (CECRA) that focuses on the advisors' personal, social, communicative, and methodical competences and skills.

Latin America Network for Rural Extension Services (RELASER)

• The next RELASER meeting will take place from 10 to 12 October 2012 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The objective is to discuss and agree on a shared position about strategic topics on rural extension and to define an expansion strategy for the network.
• RELASER has joined the INNOVAGRO network, a South American based network of Innovation Management for the Agricultural and Food Sectors. It aims to contribute the development of the agricultural and food sector by establishing cooperation mechanisms and strategic alliances in innovation processes and management.
• The Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology (FONTAGRO), jointly with its two sponsors the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), announces the Contest of Successful Cases on Innovation for Family Agriculture 2012. The purpose of this contest is to document successful experiences and lessons learned, and contribute to a better understanding of the innovation process in family agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Find more information on these points on the RELASER website.

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