Competencies Required of Agricultural Extension Professionals for Effective Service Delivery: Insights from A Global Scoping Review

Agricultural extension professionals (AEPs) play a critical role in supporting farmers and improving agricultural productivity, and their effectiveness largely depends on the competencies they possess. This study aimed to identify, and categorize the essential competencies required for AEPs to perform effectively across diverse agricultural extension systems. A global scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework, which involved systematically reviewing 36 peer-reviewed journal articles published in English between 2005 and 2024. The review identified 59 competency items, which were synthesized and categorized into nine major competency domains: organization and administration, communication and networking, professionalism, leadership and teamwork, extension education programming, social and cultural, subject matter expertise, agribusiness development, and digital literacy. Among these, 38 items were considered core competencies because they were frequently cited across the reviewed studies and represent the basic competency requirements for AEPs. The most emphasized competencies included communication skills, trust building, time and task management, leadership, teamwork, conflict management, needs assessment, problem solving and decision making, program planning, extension education, program monitoring and evaluation, report writing and documentation, cultural sensitivity, natural resources management, plant protection, agribusiness and marketing, and use of information communication technologies (ICTs). The studies included in this review were drawn from multiple geographical regions, including North America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America, ensuring that the identified competencies reflect a globally relevant perspective. Therefore, the resulting competency profile provides a valuable tool to guide recruitment, training program development, competency gap assessment, and career progression within agricultural extension systems. Strengthening these competencies can help improve the overall quality and effectiveness of agricultural extension service delivery.