AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN BENIN
KREPL V., ADOSSOU F. T.
Abstract
The development of agricultural extension system in Third
Word countries was, to a very great extent, a post-independence phenomenon,
occurring mainly after the second war. In African countries most extension organizations
started in the 1960s and 1970s (Swanson and Rassi, 1981). Rural development
is faced with a great challenge in the Third World. For this reason priority
has been given to the development of agriculture and rural areas. The question
is, however, whether the rural sector is instrumentally best equipped and prepared
to solve the tasks ahead. This question applies also to agriculture extension
and training, which constitute the most essential elements for the improvement
of farming and rural development.
This paper deals with an overall view on agricultural extension and the system applied in Benin, a West African country.
Key Words:
agricultural extension, rural development, Benin, farmers, production.