Thinly spread public resources.

• To satisfy political demands equally among parties, extension programs tend to focus coverage over the entire districts of the country. This approach distributes the limited public funds available to all ASCs rendering the gamut of extension packages of inputs, training marketing, etc. ineffective in isolation. DADO finds no better alternative than to allocate at least some activities to each ASC as a target for engaging JT/JTA.
• After FY 2067/68 the provision has been made to allocate 15% budget to the agriculture sector from the block grant as a public resource for agriculture development.

Program planning, monitoring, evaluation, and experience sharing.

• Extension workers have been trained in some of the tools and techniques useful in extension work which include those such as participatory rural appraisal, problem census/problem-solving, projectization, project concept note preparation, log framing, proposal writing, bottom-up planning, participatory monitoring and evaluation, etc.
• Needs assessment is normally carried out at the Farmers’ Group (FG) level one year in advance for use in planning during the following year but no assurance that planned activities are carried out and funds committed for implementing these from the Central Government

Logistic support and extension materials

• ASCs/LSCs are ill-equipped with the required mobility by field vehicles, teaching aids, and extension materials.
• In many places the ASCs/LSCs operate from rented premises or share facilities with VDCs and others. Extension messages are not often accompanied by critical support services of inputs, credit, and marketing.
• There are neither means nor capacities of the extension workers to put up a trial to solve local problems at the farmers’ fields.

Agriculture Knowledge & information system (AKIS) management

• The system does not hold regular experimentation, reflection, and learning for the improvement of the service delivery system.
• There are several good practices visible with farmers groups which are published and broadcast through radio and television programmes but are seldom internalized and replicated.
• Technical advice passed on to farmers is based mainly on recommendations from NARC but the extension workers cannot adapt them for area-specific problems and needs.