Agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS) are important in developing the capacity of families to improve upon practices to enhance their livelihood. It is important to assist service providers in their various communities to provide efficient service delivery. One key constraint hindering the empowering of youth in AEAS is the lack of necessary logistics for service delivery. Youth in AEAs need logistics such as adequate means of transport (motorcycles, car) to access communities for the provision of extension services.
There is the need to build the capacity of youth in AEAS on indigenous plants knowledge that are rich in nutrient in various communities. This approach is been adopted by the Women in Agricultural Development (WIAD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana. Agricultural extension agents are educated on the planting of available leafy vegetables that the family can easily cultivate and use in the preparation of their diets.
Capacity building of youth in AEAS is required on gender issues and innovative ways to address them. Most AEAs are not abreast with the dynamics of gender issues in the various communities in which they work. This is because the development of new approach and methodologies will require the in depth knowledge of the current gender situation in the communities.
There is also the need for various agencies of government tackling nutrition in both women and children collaborate for effective delivery and monitoring of impact. For instance in Ghana, WIAD under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture needs to work closely with the Maternal Health Unit of the Ghana Health service that carry out public education for pregnant women and nursing mothers. These agencies need to work together and share approaches that are working to provide the right nutrition for the family.
Mr. Kafui Agbe