Agricultural Support Programme

Under the overall framework of the government's National Programme for Agricultural Development (PROAGRI), the programme supports the National Programme for Agricultural Extension (PROMER) with the overall objective of helping reduce severe poverty and improving the quality of rural poor people's lives.

By helping generate a steady increase in production efficiency, the programme aims to boost incomes and improve household security for subsistence farmers, particularly households headed by women. The Programme promotes a new extension approach based on demand-driven service provision, which guarantees the quality of services provided to farmers. The programme targets small farming households, especially in the poorest localities. It ensures that disadvantaged groups such as women, youth, the elderly and HIV/AIDS-affected households are involved in project activities. Programme activities include:

• introducing low-cost techniques and technologies that will help raise productivity for crop and livestock farmers
• broadening access to technical support services
• helping establish farmers' organizations
• building capacity within the agricultural sector

Source: IFAD