Farmer friendly Agricultural Policy that achieves food security, eradicates poverty, develops the rural economy and protects the environment (FMARD, 2000). The objectives and strategies to achieve them as spelt out in the policy documents emphasize the importance of agricultural extension to the goal attainment of the agricultural sector. To achieve increased production and improved processing in all the sub-sectors of agriculture (crop, livestock, and fisheries), improvement of quality of life and promotion of environment friendly practices and other objectives require extension effort.
The new policy thrust expanded the broad objective according to FMARD (2000) to include;
Promoting farmer-friendly agricultural policy that achieves food security, eradicates poverty, develops the rural economy and protects the environment through;
• Creating the conducive macro-environment to stimulate greater private sector investment in agriculture,
• Rationalizing the roles of the three tiers of government in their promotional and supportive activities to stimulate growth;
• Reorganizing the institutional framework for government intervention in the sector,
• Articulating and implementing integrated rural development as a priority national programme to raise the quality of life of the rural people;
• Increasing agricultural production through increased budgetary allocation and promotion of the necessary developmental, supportive and service-oriented activities, opportunities;
• Increasing fiscal incentives to agriculture,
• Promoting increased use of agricultural machinery and inputs through favourable tariff policy.

Subject Matter Coverage
Extension advice will be provided on all aspects of agriculture and environment (crops, livestock, fisheries, agro-forestry, post harvest enterprises and sustainable agricultural practices) and cross cutting issues such as