The Continuing Role of Government in Pluralistic Extension Systems

This paper underscores the position that “strong, effective, and efficient governments are essential to development, for they alone can create the enabling environment required for the private sector and civil society to flourish.” Ismail Serageldin (1996). The scope of public sector roles and responsibilities in extension is reviewed along with an indepth discussion of ten key interdependencies of government and pluralistic extension systems. Although some countries are reconsidering their public role regarding extension, the developing world is still pressured to limit state involvement except as an enabler of the private sector and as a funding agent for private-sector provision of extension services. However, institutional reform through privatizing schemes such as contracting with the private sector and the establishment of partnerships in the provision of extension services is not always an easy process. The paper posits that within the coming decade, policy makers worldwide will find themselves challenged to confront again the role of national government vis-a-vis extension’s institutional pluralism and the challenges of critical development issues.