The pluralistic Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) systems, which recognise the diversity of EAS providers, need to respond multiple demands of a range of clients that go far beyond production and technology transfer. Such response of EAS also include strengthening capacity for innovation processes in production, mechanization, postharvest, storage, market linkages, nutrition and climate change. To effectively respond to the increased demands and remain a relevant partner of farmers and rural communities, governments, and small and medium scale business enterprises, the EAS need to act proactively, enter into effective partnerships with many actors including private sector at different levels and promote entrepreneurship in EAS.

Entrepreneurship in EAS refers to transforming its vision into new business models that are creative and capture potential opportunities and promote the expansion of existing services to effectively respond to current and new emerging demands by engaging and strengthening capacity of a wide range of EAS actors. The entrepreneurs in EAS can include a wide range of service providers: private small and medium scale agribusiness enterprises, scalable start-ups, market intermediaries, credit organisations, producer organisations and cooperatives, public sector actors and the farmers, who have innovative ideas, are able to network and create successful partnerships for result-oriented solutions to address demands of EAS.

The entrepreneurship models in EAS can take many forms that include public-private partnerships, social entrepreneurship, informal local networks, arrangements etc. These models are often influenced by farmers’ demand and external factors including economic motivation and other incentives, social capital, enabling policies and government regulations.

The EAS system is challenged to transform itself to encompass innovative entrepreneurship models and respond to a wide range of demands of farmers in a rapidly changing context. Recognising the increasing importance and complexity of entrepreneurships in EAS, FAO’s Research and Extension Unit (OINR) of the Office of Innovation is organising a series of two webinars to discuss the specific cases, success stories and enabling environment for boosting entrepreneurships in EAS.

The first webinar will focus on success stories, good practices and lessons learned from entrepreneurship models in EAS and will:

●       Present diverse entrepreneurship initiatives in various contexts

●       Discuss drivers and motivating factors for the different types of entrepreneurships

●       Identify scalable good practices and lessons learned

The webinars will be done in the form of interactive panel discussions with the participation of renowned experts and stakeholders worldwide.

The following panellists will address the topic from the perspective of local and social entrepreneurships EAS, the role of the youth as entrepreneurs and provision of services to farmers, as well as some specific cases of cooperation with farmers  or small and medium scale enterprises, such as for promoting biocontrol in pest management.