Three Decades of Agricultural Extension in Mozambique: Between Advances and Setbacks

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the intervention in the area of public agrarian extension in Mozambique, taking into consideration the trajectory of this policy in this country. The methodology used is the literature review and consultation of documents that guide the agrarian extension in the country. Documentary analysis of plans and programs that address the theme was performed, as well as the consultation of articles available on Google scholar published between 2000 and 2019, which brought discussions about agrarian extension. The results suggest that the intervention of extension technicians is still low. This reality may be associated with the fragility of agricultural extension sector policies and agricultural policies that support the area. The verified data demonstrate that the number of extensionists tends to increase, but the rate of farmers who benefit from these services tends to reduce. Low coverage of extension services and poor consideration of farmers’ social economic conditions at ultimately contribute to low rates of agricultural productivity. Therefore, agrarian extension services should be taken as a fundamental support instrument for farmers, contributing to the increase of agricultural production and productivity and to the improvement of economic social and commercial conditions in Mozambican agriculture. Therefore, it is considered relevant for Mozambique to develop land extension policies and implement them to enable greater capillarity with farmers.