What are the characteristics and lessons learned from the extension systems in Latin America and the Caribbean?
a. The current extension systems are the result of the evolution of different paradigms used over time by countries to provide education/technology transfer services and technical information to producers.
b. The changes made in the 80s, 90s, and the past decade in extension and technology transfer models were the result of various forces that converged in the region, including dissatisfaction with the results obtained by existing systems, fiscal pressures in the countries, and changes in development paradigms.
c. The application of principles such as improving the "customer orientation" of services, decentralizing the operation and management of services, increasing the participation of the private sector in service provision, and increasing the participation of beneficiaries in financing services led to the disappearance of public extension services in most countries.
d. The effectiveness of extension and technical assistance services is low due to factors such as the absence of monitoring and evaluation systems, low integration with the formal and non-formal education sector, and low integration with the productive chain.
e. The use of ICT as a tool for public access to technology transfer and extension services has increased, and there are successful business models where advisory, extension, or technical assistance services play a fundamental role in their sustainability.