Assessing the Effectiveness of Farmers' Information and Advice Centres (FIACs) in Strengthening Decentralised Agricultural Extension Services in Bangladesh

Abstract

Decentralised agricultural extension services are vital for enhancing farmers’ access to information, providing more locally responsive extension, improving farmer participation and communication, delivering more relevant advice, and potentially achieving better agricultural outcomes. Bangladesh has implemented Farmers’ Information and Advice Centres (FIACs) under the National Agricultural Technology Program (NATP) as decentralised extension service systems. An FIAC is a one-stop service centre that provides agricultural extension services to remote farming communities across the crop, livestock and fisheries sectors at union level. This study evaluated the effectiveness of FIACs in providing agricultural advisory services and farmers’ patterns of service use across Bangladesh. Data were obtained from 100 randomly selected FIACs established under NATP-I and NATP-II through structured questionnaires, administrative records and field observations. Descriptive and comparative data were used to analyse trends in service use from 2016 to 2019. The results indicated a substantial increase in the total number of service contacts. Physical visits increased from 662 to 2,302 per FIAC under NATP-I, while NATP-II FIACs recorded 1,953 visits per FIAC in 2019–20. Mobile phone conversations showed the largest increase, rising from 373 to 9,521 contacts per FIAC under NATP-I; NATP-II FIACs recorded 5,737 phone calls per FIAC in 2019–20. Farmers regularly sought advisory services on pest and disease control, recommended fertiliser application, access to quality seed and climate-resilient crop-production methods. FIACs played an important role in disseminating information on government support programmes, facilitating access to small agricultural equipment and ICT tools, promoting farmers’ organisations, and strengthening links among farmers, extension professionals and community organisations. The study also showed that institutionalisation of FIACs within the Department of Agricultural Extension is important for their functioning. However, shortages of quality equipment, uneven location-specific distribution and growing service demand remain major operational issues. FIAC effectiveness may be enhanced through standardised facilities, expanded ICT-enabled advisory services, better equipment access and stronger institutional support. The results suggest that decentralised agricultural advisory centres may improve the efficiency of public extension services and support sustainable agricultural development in Bangladesh.