As resources become more constrained, there is an increasing need to provide meaningful information on livestock production and the integration of crop and livestock farming systems, as well as on preventive medicine and general livestock health. It is vital that the information is delivered in such a way that it l.'ead1es, and can be understood by, farmers of all income groups. Although some national extension services are already in place, many are only readling the wealthier farmers who could afford to pay for the information Wlder a cost-recovery system. It is important to involve livestock producers in the development of any new extension system through participatory needs assessment. It is also necessary to improve linkages with research so that specific needs can be addressed. When the extension systems have been installed or suitably refined, their successes and failures should be regularly monitored and evaluated so that any adjustments can be made. The provision of livestock production extension is assessed with reference to case studies in Burkina Faso, Kenya and India. Existing systems are reviewed and their impact evaluated. In a final section, the roles of different institutions and methodologies are evaluated, and lessons for the future are discussed
