Rural Advisory Services in times of crisis: Collective efforts for rehabilitation and building resilience in NENA Region

Background:

Rural Advisory Services (RAS) play a vital role in enhancing the resilience of rural communities. In times of crisis, these services become lifelines—offering critical support that help smallholders maintain livelihoods, access resources, and adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Crises come in many forms: natural disasters, economic shocks, disease outbreaks, conflict and forced displacement. In such contexts, the ability of farmers to cope and bounce back often depends not only on material support and productive resources (inputs, tools and equipment) but also on timely, relevant information. Operating at the grassroots, extension and 

RAS providers are often called on to act as intermediaries between rural communities and external actors in rehabilitation efforts. Their wide presence and engagement at the community level can help ensure that interventions are responsive and grounded in local realities. By delivering knowledge, tools, and trusted guidance, RAS providers are positioned at the intersection of emergency response, long-term recovery, and resilience building.

The first Meeting of the Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services, held in Amman, Jordan in July 2024, addressed the role of RAS in building resilience in post-conflict and crisis contexts through a dedicated thematic working group. The discussions identified RAS as a vital link in the triple nexus of development, emergency relief, and rebuilding livelihoods. The group emphasized the need to strengthen resilience at both institutional and community levels, protect farmers’ rights during crises, and rebuild the capacity of extension and RAS. They also underscored the value of early warning systems and the transformative potential of community-led advisory services in supporting vulnerable groups and promoting inclusive, local solutions.

This webinar is part of a series under the AFRAS action plan and is expected to cover various topics of interest to the AFRAS community, fostering continued exchange, learning, and collaboration across the region.

Objectives:

This webinar aims to share experiences of extension and RAS in conflict- and crisis- affected contexts in the Near East and North Africa (NENA), highlighting good practices as well as key risks and challenges that need to be addressed to ensure effective, responsive and inclusive services. The webinar will host a panel of distinguished speakers from selected countries to share experiences on RAS role and practices in conflict- and crisis-affected contexts to:

• Offer insights into the impact of conflict on RAS providers, systems, and rural communities.
• Highlight conflict-sensitive and adaptive practices that have supported rural livelihoods and resilience.
• Reflect on barriers to delivering inclusive, needs-based RAS in fragile settings.

Explore lessons learned and potential directions for strengthening the responsiveness and resilience-building capacity of RAS in conflict-affected areas.

Outcome:

The insights shared during the webinar will help inform a regional paper on the same topic to provide actionable policy and programme recommendations for strengthening the role of RAS in rehabilitation and building resilience in times of crises.

Format: 

The webinar will be providing simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, English, and French.

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