North American Agricultural Advisory Network

Promoting collaboration among Canadian, Mexican, and U.S. agricultural and rural development advisory services

The North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) is a network of stakeholders in agricultural advisory services.

NAAAN links agricultural extension communities with one another and with stakeholders within Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. NAAAN connects with counterparts in other countries through its membership in the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS). GFRAS connects and supports regional agricultural advisory service networks around the world, and serves as a platform for networking, learning, knowledge sharing, and advocacy for agricultural extension programs and service providers.

Mission statement

The NAAAN is a North American platform among advisory services organizations, including government extension services, that promotes and supports innovation, knowledge utilization, and information sharing across rural and urban landscapes in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. NAAAN will share North American best practices and facilitate learning from global best practices.

Our roots

NAAAN was formed as an affiliate of GFRAS based on broad consultation with:

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER)
Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU)
USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Key agricultural stakeholders in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.

NAAAN focuses on information sharing and welcomes its partners to:

Build upon existing extension and advisory services to bring best practices into collaboration
Provide a forum for discussion of agricultural extension
Build and expand relationships with shared learning and programming
Expand opportunities for extension practitioners and stakeholders to have more exposure to the richness and diversity of the North American experience
Accelerate information sharing in a changing environment for food production and food security

CORE FUNCTIONAL AREAS

In accordance with the work of GFRAS and other regional networks, NAAAN will focus on the following core functional areas for its work.

Knowledge development & management

Support discussions and analysis to strengthen the technical and empirical grounding of agricultural advisory services in conceptual frameworks.

Networking

Create expanded contact and closer relationships between NAAAN stakeholders in North America and with counterparts throughout the world.

Policy advocacy

Develop and utilize lessons from research, analysis, experience, and discussion to create policy briefs related to agricultural extension, which will underpin advocacy with program leaders, policy makers, and other stakeholders.

Governance and programming

A NAAAN Steering Committee representing member countries and institutional stakeholders will provide strategic guidance to the NAAAN Secretariat and programming activities. The committee has nine members: one ex officio, and two committee members from each country.

NAAAN’s Secretariat was established in 2019, and is hosted by the Colorado State University System office. In 2022, the office will relocate to CSU Spur.

Learn more

KEY THEMATIC AREAS

Biodefense & management of natural disasters

Diseases, climate change, and natural disasters threaten agricultural systems and economies. Advisory services can coordinate responses and help mitigate risk.

Improving soil & water management

Soil and water management are fundamental aspects of productive agricultural activities. They are also critical elements in the mitigation of, and resilience to, climate change.

Building skills & career development for youth

NAAAN is building on the existing work of groups to prepare the next generation of leaders in global agriculture, including work with Together We Grow and Young Professionals for Agricultural Development.