Guatemala: After 20+ years, the Rural Extension Service Returns to Guatemala

Guatemala eliminated its rural extension service in 1989. In 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture formally launched a new rural extension service, “Sistema Nacional de Extensión Rural” (SNER). SNER has gone through a redesign and as of 2014, established 334 extension offices nationwide, hiring more than 900 agents. USDA was the first international cooperator and donor to foresee the importance of supporting the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts to address agricultural productivity in the rural areas. Partnered with Counterpart International, USDA granted a $5 million, 3-year (2012-2015) Food for Progress award to support SNER in 93 municipalities. USDA has endorsed two cohorts (a total of 160 graduates) from the Extension Service Certification Program implemented by Counterpart International, bringing together local universities and U.S. professors. Indigenous Guatemalan farmers are obtaining access to agricultural knowledge within a systematic approach; rural development is now a possibility.

Guatemala: After 20+ years, the Rural Extension Service Returns to Guatemala