A new network designed to share the latest agricultural knowledge among Asia-Pacific governments and other stakeholders and extend that knowledge to front line farmers, fishers and other land users was launched today in Bangkok, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced.

The joint launch involved FAO, the Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institute (APAARI) and the Centre for Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Agriculture (CAPSA) of ESCAP.

“The joint launch of the Asia Pacific Agricultural Extension and Outreach Network (APAEON) brings together 25 governments and representatives from farmers’ movements,” said Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative. “This network will work closely with national extension institutions of the region and others to find ways and means of improving extension and outreach programmes by better linking that research with extension services themselves, while promoting professionalism and the use of new technologies.”

The network is being launched at a time when famers need more research and extension support than ever, Konuma pointed out. “The challenge before us is how to make the system more effective and to deliver more than before with fewer costs. I do firmly believe that creation of this network is one step forward towards this endeavour,” he said.  

The APAEON network will work to fill the gaps in research and extension by taking into consideration many challenges to agriculture and food production such as climate change, price hikes, lack of coordination in the work of different stakeholders and high costs of inputs and market vulnerability. The network will enhance agricultural research and extension linkages to harness research results for the benefit of poor farmers, especially small-holder farmers. 

Members would be drawn from government, international/regional organizations, NGOs/CSOs (civil society organizations) and private sector actors involved in rural advisory services, regulatory actions, ICT applications and other extension services. The membership of this network may be expanded further as it moves on.

FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific will host the network for an initial period of two or three years at which time the function of secretariat will be transferred to one of the participating countries.