Report - Middle East - OIE

Session – 1 Critical Thinking
Extension activities with regard to veterinary services in the Middle East region,
directly or indirectly implemented by the FAO
Dr George Khoury, FAO-ECTAD Regional Coordinator, Regional Animal Health Centre, Beirut,
Lebanon
Extension is dissemination of relevant information and advice to personnel working in the
field of agriculture and animal production and health sector. It is a significant social
innovation, an important force in agriculture change, adapted and developed over the
centuries.
Its evolution extends over nearly four thousand years, although its modern forms are largely
a product of the past two centuries.
FAO and personnel engaged in agriculture extension encompass a diver range of information
and extension activities which seek to enlarge and improve the abilities of veterinarians to
adopt more appropriate and often new practices and to adjust to changing conditions and
societal needs.
Extension plays a crucial role in the dissemination of the research results and without this
tool research results will stay in the research institutions and veterinary services will not
benefit from it.
FAO considers extension as a component of its technical assistance programs, developed
information and communication tools (ICTs) and produced many books and guidelines in
Arabic language for better dissemination of information to the target beneficiaries.
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OIE Regional Seminar on Communication for Veterinary Services – Muscat, Oman, 20-22 April 2010 10/45