Transforming Agricultural Extension Services in Southeast Asia: Building an Inclusive and Digital Future for Farming

Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) play a critical role in enhancing farmers’ capacities, increasing productivity, and ensuring the sustainability of food systems. Amid global challenges such as climate change, urbanization, and an aging farming population, Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are undergoing a profound transformation in how EAS are designed and delivered, moving toward market-oriented, digitally enabled, and inclusive systems.

This transformation represents a transition from conventional, top-down strategies to more inclusive, collaborative models. These new approaches foster cooperation between the public sector, private entities, research institutions, farmer organizations, and civil society. The subsequent country insights highlight the changing dynamics of agricultural extension throughout the region.

Indonesia: A Dynamic and Digitally-Driven Advisory Ecosystem

Indonesia has one of the most complex EAS ecosystems in the region, with institutions such as the Indonesia Forum for Rural Advisory Services (IFRAS), the Association for Agricultural Extension of Indonesia (PERHIPTANI), and the Indonesia Association for Development Extension (PAPPI) driving innovation and cross-country collaboration through platforms like RASSEA. The country hosted the RASSEA meetings in 2019 and 2021, highlighting its leadership role.

Digital transformation is now a key aspect of agricultural extension in Indonesia. In 2023, almost 50% of farmers utilize smartphones and modern equipment for cultivation and post-harvest activities. Moreover, approximately 61% of smallholders overseeing plots less than 0.5 hectares, particularly younger farmers, are actively using mobile technology and social media to obtain agricultural information and connect with markets.

Despite this progress, Indonesia faces a significant human resource gap, with only around 40,000 extension workers available to serve over 83,000 villages. This has prompted a hybrid approach that incorporates traditional field extension with digital tools to ensure broader outreach. The government’s 2023 National e-Agriculture Strategy aims to establish a unified farmer database, digital early warning systems, and real-time data platforms by 2027, marking a major step toward integrated digital governance in agriculture.

Malaysia: Advancing Modernization and Sustainable Practices

Malaysia has embraced a market-responsive extension model with robust support from the Department of Agriculture. As a proactive participant in RASSEA, Malaysia encourages the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to connect with farmers and disseminate knowledge.

Despite a decrease in agriculture’s contribution to GDP from 38% in 1962 to 8.9% in 2022, the sector continues to employ around 1.86 million individuals, highlighting its enduring socio-economic significance. Nevertheless, only 5% of the nation’s 7.6 million hectares of farmland is irrigated, which limits productivity improvements. While rice fields, which average 1.06 hectares per farm, are almost entirely mechanized, other industries like oil palm and rubber are trailing behind.

To tackle this issue, the government offers financial incentives and modernization programs for smallholders, facilitating the shift towards more efficient and sustainable agricultural systems.

The Philippines: Bridging Institutional and Digital Gaps

In the Philippines, EAS delivery is guided by a decentralized framework established through the 1991 Local Government Code. Implementation is led by local government units (LGUs) and supported by the Bureau of Agricultural Extension and the Agricultural Training Institute. The country also actively participates in RASSEA through PhilEASNet, which will host the 4th RASSEA Biennial Meeting virtually in September 2025.

As of 2022, agriculture employed about 24% of the national workforce (approximately 10.7 million people) but contributed only 8.9% to GDP, indicating a productivity challenge. A significant bottleneck stems from the shortage of Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and limited incentives for professionals to work in remote areas.

The Department of Agriculture is piloting e-extension programs, but their impact remains limited due to constraints in rural ICT infrastructure, digital literacy, and the availability of trained personnel at the barangay (village) level.

Towards Responsive, Inclusive, and Sustainable Advisory Services

Across the three countries, it is clear that EAS must evolve beyond traditional paradigms to meet the demands of modern agriculture. The transformation should not only emphasize technological adoption but also focus on developing human capacity and ensuring equitable access to services.

Digital transformation offers great potential but remains uneven. While smartphones, drones, and agricultural apps are increasingly adopted by progressive farmers, gaps in digital infrastructure and literacy persist, especially among smallholders in remote areas. Expanding access to connectivity, creating user-friendly platforms, and improving digital skills among farmers are essential to maximizing the impact of e-extension initiatives.

At the same time, strengthening the extension workforce remains a critical priority. Countries like Indonesia and the Philippines face acute shortages of trained extension personnel. Addressing this requires strategic investments in recruitment, continuous training, better compensation, and logistical support to enhance mobility and reach underserved areas.

A shared challenge among these nations is the aging farming population. Without proactive strategies, the agricultural sector risks losing its future workforce. EAS must evolve to attract millennials and Gen Z farmers by offering entrepreneurial training, vocational education, and incentive schemes that reposition farming as a viable and rewarding livelihood.

Indonesia offers a promising model through its multi-stakeholder partnerships, which engage public institutions, private sector actors, farmer groups, and civil society to deliver extension services. Such collaborative approaches could be replicated in Malaysia and the Philippines to strengthen outreach and foster innovation.

Ultimately, modernizing production systems is essential for achieving national food security and enhancing agricultural competitiveness. Malaysia’s experience highlights the significance of expanding mechanization and irrigation infrastructure—not only for rice but also for key crops like oil palm and rubber.

Conclusion

The transformation of agricultural extension and advisory services in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines reflects regional momentum toward systems that are inclusive, tech-enabled, and market-responsive. By investing in digital tools, empowering extension workers, fostering partnerships, and engaging the next generation of farmers, these countries can build resilient and sustainable agricultural sectors.

If sustained and scaled effectively, these reforms will not only improve farm productivity and income but also reinforce the social fabric of rural communities and ensure the region’s food future amidst rapid change.