Abstract

Hitherto the primary focus of agricultural extension in Borno State has been to ensure increasing agricultural production for food security. However, the current emphasis is on enhancing rural incomes through market re-orientation. This change was necessitated by the realization that subsistence food production can no longer provide for a decent living and therefore increased engagement in commercial food production and markets has become a necessity and reality for the rural farmers. The paper explored the significance of agricultural extension in improving the marketing system in Borno State with focus on how market-oriented agricultural advisory services (MOAAS) could assist in addressing the marketing constraints faced by actors along the value chains and plethora of agricultural marketing bottlenecks in the state.  To avail value chain actors of required information and extension services and enable them take advantage of market opportunities entails the need for the adoption of market-led extension approach by the Borno State Agricultural Development Programme (BOSADP); the pursuance of deliberate and conscious strategy for pro-poor MOAAS and Borno State government as a matter of policy undertake the recruitment and deployment of market-oriented extension workers and engage in capacity building to develop the marketing skills of the existing staff.

Key words: Market re-orientation, extension services, value chain development, marketing extension.