The document discusses the history and development of rural extension services in Tajikistan. It describes the Soviet-era state system of scientific and technical information (STI) established in 1967 and reformed in 1985. The STI system had five levels including the Agroprom head body and various research institutes, centers, and departments. After independence, Tajikistan's main extension service providers included the Ministry of Agriculture, Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Tajik Agrarian University. A survey found the providers have highly qualified specialists but lack funding, methodology, and ability to retain staff. The document recommends improving services through better budgeting, access to information resources, and support for specialists.

1. Kamoliddin Kurbonov
Tajik Academy of agricultural sciences
History of Rural extension services in the Soviet
period
1.1967 – State system of scientific and technical
information (STI) established.
2. 1985 – STI system reformed due to restructuring of
agriculture and establishment of Gosagroprom of
USSR.
Levels of STI state system
1. Agroprom – head body.
2. Republican bodies of STI, STI centers and propaganda departments in state agroproms of the
Soviet republics, informagroproms, STI dep-nts of the head all-union research institutes of
agroindustrial complex;
3. Bureau (centers) STI (Agro BNTI) of gosagroproms of autonomous republics, provincial
agroproms, STI dep-nts of zonal and republicanresearch institutes and provincial stations;
4. Cabinets of scientific and technical progress of RAPO, agro-industrial centers;
5. Agencies of STI, propaganda and introduction in col. farms, other agricultural enterprises as
well as in processing industry sectors, material and technical supply, engineer and technical
provision and construction.
Development of Rural extension services after
independence
1. State organizations
MoA of Tajikistan;
Tajik Academy of agricultural sciences
Tajik Agrarian University
2. NGOs
Preliminary results of the conducted survey of rural
extension service providers
Strength of extension service providers
Availability of the highly qualified specialists
Development of stimulation of specialists
Quick and quality provision of information
There is access to the technical and innovative means
Possibility of capacity building of specialists
Preliminary results of the conducted survey of rural
extension service providers
Weak points of extension service providers
Lack of methodology software
Low paying capacity of information beneficiaries
Low or lack of budget funding
Lack of funds for preparation, re-training and keeping of well-qualified
staff

2. Preliminary results of the conducted survey of rural
extension service providers
How extension services can be improved
Rational distribution of budget and development and stimulation
of specialists
Organization of producers’ access to info resources
Rational distribution of budget for development and stimulation
of specialists