Understaffed and under-resourced extension officers hinder rural smallholder farmers' success.
Public extension services are crucial for helping small farmers in rural areas. A study in Eswatini found that horticultural extension officers face challenges like heavy workloads and lack of resources. They believe they are good at horticulture but need more training in farmer management and business. To improve services, it's suggested to include farmers in community plans and form cooperatives. Training extension officers in business management can make services more efficient and benefit everyone involved.