Over millions of years, nature has built up an intricate system of relationship of exchange and mutual dependence among its elements - land, water, air, forest, sunlight and living things - to create what we call the ecosystem. It is the life support system of all living things on this planet and provides not oniy the daily needs but also saves resources for future generations. But this very life support system is endangered by man's aggression against nature. In the last few decades, the aggression has reached unprecedented levels.

The purpose of this review is to discuss major measures for improving agricultural marketing extension in North Africa. In view of the special conditions of each individual country in the sub-region, the recommended measures are by necessity of general nature and are meant as general guidelines for discussions, The review is divided into four parts. The first part is introductory, giving a brief review of the economic and agricultural situation. The second part is an over view of the agriculture marketing and extension situation.

The establishment of a self-sustaining process of economic growth and development is the internal affair of Africa. The continent's on-going economic crisis is rooted in major problems of mass poverty food shortage, low productive base and backward technology. Production subsidies continue to be one of the most potentially useful tool for attaining the food self-sufficiency goal of Africa. The purpose of this report is to examine the role that agriculture production subsidies can play in the goal of attaining food self sufficiency in Africa.

The problem of low productivity is fundamental to the long-term deteriorating trend in agricultural and per capita food production that has characterized African agriculture during the past decades. Widespread desertification and degradation of African farmlands and the present heavy dependence on natural rainfall which are some of the causes of low productivity, reflect the inability of African member States to sufficiently invest in and develop technologies and farming systems suitable for adoption by small farmers.

In Africa, agriculture is the most important sector in national economies. About 80 per cent of the active population works in agriculture. Further, apart from few exceptions, agriculture makes up more than 50 percent of gross national product. Nevertheless, Africa remains the only region in the world in which agricultural production declined between 1970 and 1980, when the growth rate was less than 2 per cent and moreover the gross national product (GNP) per head is one of the lowest in the world.

Le présent rapport a pour objectif d'examiner les résultats obtenus, de recenser les expériences novatrices et de fournir un cadre de discussion pour l'avenir. Cette politique s'expliquait par les choix politiques des dirigeants nationaux, le désir des gouvernements de pays nouvellement indépendants d'innover et d'agir rapidement, la nécessite d'apaiser les groupes de pression intérieurs, et, quelquefois, le manque de données fiables sur l'efficacité de ces systèmes au niveau de l'exploitation agricole.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the progress that has been achieved, identify innovatory experience and provide a frame for discussion on where to go next. Particular attention will be given to the benefits accruing to small farmers and livestock producers, particularly women. It will deal with policies and programmes in input supply and the provision of credit subject to the continuing constraints on the use of foreign exchange and government finance still prevailing m most African countries.