Agricultural advisory service (AAS) in responding pandemic: A global review and reflection

Abstract

One of the significant aspects of human life adversely affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic is agriculture. Various preventive measures have been put in place by the governments of various countries to curb the spread of the disease. Despite the positive impact of these precautionary measures, in its execution, the production of food and other agricultural products has been affected. This situation, therefore, has called for the mobilization of all physical and institutional resources in the agricultural sector to avert the impending famine, which will be the result of a continued reduction in the production of food. The importance of the agricultural advisory service in helping the agricultural sector wade through difficult times has been tremendous over the years. To enable the advisory service to continue this beneficial role during this pandemic, the need for digital agricultural advisory services to be intensified and continued is imminent. A detailed review of the literature bordering on the topic was carried out to review the application and effectiveness of the digital agricultural advisory services during the pandemic. It was discovered that the application of digital agricultural advisory services predates the pandemic era. The use of the digitalized form of advisory services for the agriculture sector has yielded great results for the sector before the pandemic. The continued adoption during the pandemic era will also boost food and other essential agricultural products during this pandemic.