On April 16, the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) hosted an enlightening webinar titled "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Rural Advisory Services," underscoring the potential role of AI in enhancing the effectiveness of extension services for rural communities. Dr. Carl Larsen, Executive Secretary of GFRAS, opened the webinar by emphasizing the need for global Rural Advisory Services (RAS) communities to harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. He highlighted that AI could revolutionize service delivery by making it more accessible to remote farmers and by providing vital support to advisors working with smallholder communities.

AI has the potential to revolutionize RAS through predictive analytics, which can forecast agricultural trends and enable better decision-making. Machine learning models can analyze vast datasets to provide personalized advice to farmers, thus optimizing resource use and increasing crop yields. Additionally, AI-powered tools can facilitate remote monitoring and management of crops, livestock, and resources, ensuring timely interventions and reducing the dependence on physical visits.

The webinar featured a presentation by Francois Rossouw and Andre Strauss from the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai), who shared their innovative solution that integrates AI with advisory services. Their approach assists extension officers and farmers by providing tailored advice, which is critical for advancing agricultural goals and nurturing prosperous rural communities.

Archana Karanam from Digital Green also contributed valuable insights, detailing their experience in integrating extension services with digital solutions. Their initiatives have focused on leveraging technology to disseminate knowledge and best practices among farmers, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reach of advisory services.

The session concluded with a vibrant discussion involving over 160 participants from around the globe, highlighting the international interest in the intersection of AI and RAS. The enthusiasm and diverse perspectives shared underscored the importance of continuing this dialogue.

GFRAS has made the presentations from Saai and Digital Green available for further exploration, enriching the resources for stakeholders interested in this critical area. 

Saai Presentation: 

Digital Green Presentation: 

Looking forward, GFRAS aims to sustain the momentum around the discussion of AI and RAS. As this technology continues to evolve, it is imperative for the RAS community to stay attuned to the latest developments and ethical considerations. Ensuring the inclusivity of AI solutions, protecting data privacy, and maintaining the human element in advisory services are critical factors that must be addressed to fully realize the benefits of AI in agriculture.

The integration of AI in rural advisory services presents an exciting frontier with the potential to significantly impact global agricultural practices. As stakeholders continue to explore these possibilities, the lessons shared in webinars such as this one will be invaluable in guiding future efforts and ensuring sustainable, tech-driven growth in rural communities worldwide.

Rural Advisory Services (RAS) are fundamental in supporting more than a billion small-scale farmers and other rural actors throughout the world (Nagarajan et al., 2020). These services assist them to deal with challenges and improve their livelihoods while increasing productivity and reducing hunger and poverty through innovation and strengthened capacities. Over the past ten years, digitalization in extension has received renewed worldwide interest, particularly with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This has not only dramatically increased the availability and affordability of many online services, but it has escalated the urgency for the development and application of digital extension.

Digitalization is considered the avenue to reach the 500 million smallholders that deserve better livelihoods and improved resilience against the adverse consequences of climate change and other environmental threats. As a contribution to the global discussion around this theme, the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) seeks to determine what kind of agricultural extension will be needed in the future to overcome today’s challenges.

Download this document to read more about the various ways in which digitalization has been impacting agriculture and rural advisory services.

Prior to 2020, North America was not a formal member of the global GFRAS network. GFRAS members and partner networks signaled a strong interest in having more opportunities to learn about agricultural advisory services in North America. Accordingly, the leadership of GFRAS suggested the formulation of a North American network to provide a more robust interface and link to extension services globally and share unique perspectives from Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Agricultural leaders in North America were also interested in developing such a network—interaction between the agricultural extension programs of North America, and between the North American agricultural extension programs and the rest of the world was needed. After consultation with all three countries, the North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) was formed in 2020.

The NAAAN is the newest of the GFRAS regional networks. The NAAAN Secretariat is hosted by the Colorado State University System (CSUS) and is guided by the NAAAN Steering Committee which is constituted of agricultural leaders from each of the three North American countries. 

Here, you will find its latest report, outlining priorities and activities in the region, mapping its actors, and hopefully providing support to regions who also want to strengthen its extension activities.

The report can be downloaded here:

• View the complete NAAAN Report (English, Spanish, French)
• View the Canada Chapter here (English, Spanish, French) 
• View the Mexico Chapter here (English, Spanish, French) 
• View the United States here (English, Spanish, French)