| By J. Farrington and A. Bebbington | Published in the Journal of Farming Systems Research-Extension, vol. 4 number 1 |

Introduction: Over recent years, many people have suggested that agricultural and rural development strategies would benefit from increased collaboration between government and non-governmental development organisations. Donors, in particular, have begun to call for more NGO involvement in programmes that have traditionally been implemented through the public sector. This paper draws preliminary finding from a study across Africa, Asia and Latin America of the potential for closer links between NGOs and government agricultural research and extension services in the development and dissemination of agricultural-related technologies and management practices.