PREFACE
History\u00a0 of\u00a0 economic\u00a0 development\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 world\u00a0 shows\u00a0 few countries\u00a0 achieving\u00a0 sustained\u00a0 economic\u00a0 growth\u00a0 without\u00a0 first developing their agricultural sector. In Africa and for that matter\u00a0 in Ghana, the activities of small scale farmers is most significant for\u00a0 the\u00a0 economy\u00a0 as\u00a0 they\u00a0 constitute\u00a0 about\u00a0 80%\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 farming population and contribute significantly to domestic food supply, income, employment and foreign exchange. However, unlike the developed countries where agriculture propelled economy to growth, it is not the case in Ghana due to limited application of technology in farming.<\/p>\n
This is partly due to inadequate extension agents to transfer new technology to farmers and partly due to perception of farmers about cost benefit of adopting new technology in farming.
When\u00a0 farmers\u00a0 become\u00a0 aware\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 importance\u00a0 of\u00a0 improved technology in farming\u00a0 and\u00a0 have\u00a0 access, they would adopt to it. This could not be achieved in the current extension farmer ratio in the country.
Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana and SEND Ghana believed this is possible and achievable provided government is open up for discussion with key stakeholders and willing to accept their recommendations. The policy brief provides recommendation to enrich the current extension policy by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to improve extension service delivery in Ghana.<\/p>\n
BACKGROUND
In\u00a0 Ghana,\u00a0 smallholder\u00a0 farmers\u00a0 dominate\u00a0 the\u00a0 agricultural\u00a0 sector\u00a0 and\u00a0 they account for between\u00a0 70 to 80 percent\u00a0 of the total labour force\u00a0 in\u00a0 the sector. Suffice it to say that most smallholders are found in the food crop sector with women farmers constituting the chunk of the subsector.\u00a0 Although their contributions to the national economy and specifically the food basket have received\u00a0 widely acclaimed recognition, Ghanaian smallholder farmers are continually faced with a number of challenges for which reason their socio-economic status does not reflect the general progress the country has made on poverty reduction. The poverty situation of small holder farmers reflected in the current Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS) Six (6) which indicated that small holder farmers are majority of the population living below the poverty line.<\/p>\n
The challenges with small holder farmers includes; fragmented landholdings; low input use; declining soil fertility; poor access to both financial services and inputs and output\u00a0 markets.\u00a0 In addition, macroeconomic instability and conditions such as market liberalisation, removal of agricultural input subsidies and high interest rates have combined to push smallholder farmer to eke out a living on the fringes of agricultural production across the country.
A fundamental challenge that has persisted to keep smallholder farmers on the periphery of agricultural production in the country is case of inadequate access to quality extension services.\u00a0 The persistence of this problem has resulted in the inability of smallholder farmers to improve their productivity, thus the characteristic low income status associated with farmers. <\/p>\n
KEY MESSAGE 1: STATE OF EXTENSION SERVICE DELIVERY TO SMALLHOLDER FARMERS
Available statistics show that the national farmer-extension ratio stands at 1 Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA) to 1,500 farmers.\u00a0\u00a0 In the Brong\u00a0 Ahafo\u00a0 and\u00a0 the\u00a0 Northern\u00a0 regions,\u00a0 some\u00a0 districts\u00a0 are recording instances where just one Extension Agent attending to about 5000 farmers. Across\u00a0 the country,\u00a0 the few Extension Agents do not have\u00a0 the\u00a0 right\u00a0 combination\u00a0 of\u00a0 logistics\u00a0 to\u00a0 discharge\u00a0 their\u00a0 duties.
Besides,\u00a0 they\u00a0 are\u00a0 ill-incentivised,\u00a0 especially\u00a0 those\u00a0 working\u00a0 in\u00a0 very deprived\u00a0 and\u00a0 hard-to-reach\u00a0 communities\u00a0 resulting\u00a0 in\u00a0 demoralised, scarce and ‘unproductive’ extension service agents.\u00a0
The consequences of poor extension services delivery to smallholder farmers has brought in its trail characteristic poor agronomic practices; post-harvest management challenges; inefficient use of inputs; abuse of\u00a0 pesticides;\u00a0 low\u00a0 adaptive\u00a0 capacity\u00a0 for\u00a0 research\u00a0 and\u00a0 technology uptake;\u00a0 and\u00a0 inadequate access\u00a0 to\u00a0 auxiliary\u00a0 information\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that\u00a0 could help increase agricultural productivity in Ghana.
Inadequate human resources and operational deficiencies in providing public extension services is a threat to the realisation of the strategic objectives of the Food and Agricultural Sector Development Programme (FASDEP). The interconnectedness between FASDEP and the Medium Term Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (METASIP) is further threatened as value for money is not guaranteed in an atmosphere of weak complementarity between extension services delivery and programme investment.\u00a0
So far, approaches aimed at solving the problems with extension service delivery have not been contextualised properly. At best, one can describe it as not being demand-driven.\u00a0 For\u00a0 instance,\u00a0 though commendable,\u00a0 government’s\u00a0 effort\u00a0 aimed\u00a0 at\u00a0 accelerating\u00a0 electronic extension\u00a0 (e-extension )\u00a0 to\u00a0 modernize\u00a0 agriculture\u00a0 is\u00a0 being implemented without due regards to\u00a0 smallholder farmers’ ability to adopt\u00a0 and\u00a0 adapt\u00a0 to\u00a0 e-extension.\u00a0 Our research thus far shows that farmers prefer face-to-face contact with ‘human agents’ in the delivery of agricultural extension service.\u00a0 Besides, majority of small scale farmers are not able to access e-extension since they either do not have the necessary apparatus or are unable to use them to access e-extension information.\u00a0 The\u00a0 need\u00a0 for the\u00a0 human extension officer is essentially informed\u00a0 by\u00a0 the\u00a0 cultural\u00a0 and\u00a0 socio-economic\u00a0 milieu\u00a0 that\u00a0 the smallholder farmer finds him or herself.\u00a0\u00a0 Addressing challenges in the socio-cultural context is important for tackling the issues that at prevent farmers’ uptake of research and innovations in the sector. <\/p>\n
KEY MESSAGE 2: WHAT THE POLICY DOES NOT SAY AND DO
The\u00a0 Ministry\u00a0 of\u00a0 Food\u00a0 and\u00a0 Agriculture\u00a0 (MoFA)\u00a0 has\u00a0 an agricultural extension policy that promotes active participation of\u00a0 the\u00a0 private\u00a0 sector,\u00a0 NGOs\u00a0 and\u00a0 Faith-based\u00a0 organisations\u00a0 in extension service delivery. These actors bring complementarity to bear on the delivery of extension services by augmenting the government of public delivery mechanisms, thus contributing to improvement in agricultural extension coverage in the country.
This\u00a0 notwithstanding,\u00a0 extension\u00a0 service\u00a0 does\u00a0 not\u00a0 reach\u00a0 the segment of farmers who require attention most and the existing delivery\u00a0 system\u00a0 is\u00a0 threatened\u00a0 by\u00a0 ageing\u00a0 and\u00a0 dwindling\u00a0 staff numbers;\u00a0 weak\u00a0 linkage\u00a0 between\u00a0 the\u00a0 National,\u00a0 Regional,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and District\u00a0 Agricultural\u00a0 Development\u00a0 Units;\u00a0 and\u00a0 poor\u00a0 logistics support for both management and field level staff.
Having implemented\u00a0 the\u00a0 current\u00a0 agricultural\u00a0 extension\u00a0 policy for some time now, a\u00a0 number of issues have been identified\u00a0 as restraints\u00a0 to\u00a0 the\u00a0 realisation\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 strategic\u00a0 objectives\u00a0 of Extension Policy.<\/p>\n
THE RESEARCH\u2013EXTENSION-FARMER\u2013LINKAGES-COMMITTEES (RELCS) IS NOT FUNCTIONING AS ENVISIONED<\/p>\n
RELCs is a platform created to promote demand-driven research and extension services delivery.\u00a0 However, the effective functioning of this platform has been hampered by poor coordination.\u00a0 This is due to lack of clarity as to which of the two implementing institutions is responsible for providing leadership and harmonising the activities of the platform.
The implementation institutions are the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of the\u00a0 Ministry\u00a0 of\u00a0 Environment,\u00a0 Science\u00a0 and\u00a0 Technology\u00a0 and\u00a0 the Directorate\u00a0 of\u00a0 Agricultural Extension\u00a0 Services\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 Ministry of Food\u00a0 and\u00a0 Agriculture. Poor coordination of this platform is as a result of the fact that the two implementing agencies fall under two separate ministries. This administrative set up of these ministries is affecting how the agencies are coordinating and managing the RELCS. There is thus, no clear ownership of the RELC process.<\/p>\n
This has affected planning; budgeting; implementation; and monitoring and evaluation of the programme. Lack of ownership of the platform has occasioned limited budgetary allocation for the implementation of the RELC process. Funding for RELC activities have been largely project-based and this has implications for sustainability and predictability. <\/p>\n
Funds\u00a0 released\u00a0 through\u00a0 the\u00a0 Government\u00a0 of\u00a0 Ghana\u00a0 funding mechanism\u00a0 have\u00a0 been\u00a0 woefully inadequate, irregular and unpredictable. This situation distresses the implementation of RELC activities; thus affecting the efficient and effective dissemination of relevant technologies to farmers. <\/p>\n
Malfunction Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs); MoFA’s strategic decision to rely on groups as an approach to delivering extension services is commendable.\u00a0 The\u00a0 policy\u00a0 intent\u00a0 is\u00a0 to accelerate the dissemination of effective and efficient technology to\u00a0 farmers;\u00a0 and\u00a0 to\u00a0 address\u00a0 challenges\u00a0 associated\u00a0 with\u00a0 low Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA) farmer ratio. However, due to\u00a0 insufficient\u00a0 budgetary\u00a0 allocation,\u00a0 progress\u00a0 towards\u00a0 the formation,\u00a0 nurturing\u00a0 and\u00a0 sustenance\u00a0 of\u00a0 formidable\u00a0 grassroots farmer-based organizations has been slow. As a country we have not\u00a0 succeeded\u00a0 in\u00a0 enhancing\u00a0 the\u00a0 voice\u00a0 of\u00a0 FBOs\u00a0 to\u00a0 demand improved\u00a0 service\u00a0 delivery\u00a0 from\u00a0 government.\u00a0 Undue\u00a0 political interferences\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 development\u00a0 and\u00a0 provision\u00a0 of\u00a0 support\u00a0 to FBOs have impacted on the extent to which they can become self-reliant.\u00a0
Besides, the FBO’s orientation on voluntarism has been weakened by the practices of offering them ‘hand-outs’ and this has implication for sustainability.<\/p>\n
CLARITY ON STANDARDS FOR PRIVATE XTENSION SERVICE DELIVERY:
NGOs\u00a0 and\u00a0 private\u00a0 sector’s\u00a0 participation\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 delivery\u00a0 of extension\u00a0 service\u00a0 is\u00a0 becoming\u00a0 increasingly\u00a0 relevant\u00a0 in\u00a0 the provision\u00a0 of specialized\u00a0 skills,\u00a0 knowledge\u00a0 and dissemination\u00a0 of information on high value commodities. This is even more crucial in\u00a0 the\u00a0 face\u00a0 of\u00a0 dwindling\u00a0 government\u00a0 funding\u00a0 for\u00a0 extension services\u00a0 provision\u00a0 and\u00a0 the\u00a0 need\u00a0 to\u00a0 expand\u00a0 the\u00a0 geographical coverage\u00a0 of\u00a0 extension\u00a0 services.\u00a0 However,\u00a0 coordination\u00a0 and management\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 multiple\u00a0 service\u00a0 providers\u00a0 is\u00a0 proving\u00a0 a daunting challenge. Moreover, the absence of clear standards and guidelines in the delivery of extension services makes it difficult for the alignment and harmonization of the activities of private extension service providers.<\/p>\n
EXTENSION ACTIONS FOR GENDER EQUITY:
In\u00a0 Ghana,\u00a0 women\u00a0 are\u00a0 major\u00a0 participants\u00a0 in\u00a0 agricultural production,\u00a0 especially,\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 food\u00a0 crop\u00a0 sector.\u00a0 Thus, the activities of women farmers and agricultural professionals such as extension agents have a major impact on Ghana’s health and nutrition. Research has shown that there is a positive correlation between\u00a0 the\u00a0 provision\u00a0 of\u00a0 extension\u00a0 services\u00a0 by\u00a0 women\u00a0 for efficiency\u00a0 and\u00a0 sustainability\u00a0 in\u00a0 extension\u00a0 service\u00a0 delivery.
Although,\u00a0 there\u00a0 is\u00a0 a\u00a0 30\u00a0 percent\u00a0 allocation\u00a0 of\u00a0 vacancies\u00a0 for women\u00a0 in\u00a0 agricultural\u00a0 colleges,\u00a0 women\u00a0 have\u00a0 not\u00a0 found\u00a0 it attractive\u00a0 to take up profession in extension services\u00a0 delivery.
This is largely because of the existence of discrepancies between government policies related to extension programs for women and actual extension programs. The effect has been that there is lower number of women in the extension service delivery profession.\u00a0 The\u00a0 concomitant\u00a0 result\u00a0 has\u00a0 been\u00a0 that\u00a0 women smallholder\u00a0 farmers\u00a0 lack access\u00a0 to\u00a0 extension\u00a0 services\u00a0 and\u00a0 are often\u00a0 bypassed by extension, especially, in the case\u00a0 of services delivered\u00a0 by\u00a0 men\u00a0 extension\u00a0 agents.\u00a0 The\u00a0 situation\u00a0 has\u00a0 not facilitated\u00a0 an\u00a0 atmosphere\u00a0 conducive\u00a0 to\u00a0 address\u00a0 challenges associated\u00a0 with\u00a0 the\u00a0 dual\u00a0 socioeconomic\u00a0 systems\u00a0 that\u00a0 in\u00a0 turn foster gender duality operating in the agricultural sector. There is\u00a0 therefore\u00a0 the\u00a0 need\u00a0 for\u00a0 specific\u00a0 strategies\u00a0 for\u00a0 extension profession\u00a0 to\u00a0 attract\u00a0 more\u00a0 women\u00a0 so\u00a0 that\u00a0 services\u00a0 will\u00a0 be provided by women to reach more women smallholder farmers. <\/p>\n
FUNDING FOR EXTENSION SERVICE
Adequate funding is critical for the delivery of an effective extension services.\u00a0 At\u00a0 the\u00a0 moment\u00a0 funding\u00a0 for\u00a0 the\u00a0 implementation\u00a0 of\u00a0 the policy\u00a0 is\u00a0 woefully\u00a0 inadequate\u00a0 and\u00a0 characterised\u00a0 by\u00a0 untimely releases. The implementation of planned\u00a0 field\u00a0 activities\u00a0 including training\u00a0 of\u00a0 AEAs,\u00a0 laying\u00a0\u00a0 of\u00a0 demonstrations,\u00a0 payment\u00a0 of transportation\u00a0 for\u00a0 field\u00a0 staff,\u00a0 servicing\u00a0 of\u00a0 vehicles\u00a0 among\u00a0 other things, is badly affected. This situation continues to negatively affect the performance of extension advisory services thereby threatening the\u00a0 realisation\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 strategic\u00a0 objectives\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 Extension\u00a0 Service Policy.<\/p>\n
WEAK INSTITUTIONAL COORDINATION
Although MoFA and the DAES are performing satisfactorily well in the\u00a0 face\u00a0 of\u00a0 resources\u00a0 constraints,\u00a0 uncoordinated\u00a0 extension programming\u00a0 and\u00a0 limited\u00a0 networking\u00a0 has\u00a0 resulted\u00a0 in\u00a0 the duplication\u00a0 of\u00a0 effort\u00a0 and\u00a0 wastages\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 delivery\u00a0 of\u00a0 extension services.\u00a0 A lot more can be achieved should the challenges be resolved or removed. <\/p>\n
POLICY RECOMMENDATION<\/p>\n
1. CLARIT Y ON STANDARDS FOR PRIVATE EXTENSION SERVICE DELIVERY
There is need for MoFA to develop standards and guidelines for the implementation of extension services for all actors in the sector.\u00a0 The\u00a0 guidelines\u00a0 for\u00a0 extension\u00a0 delivery\u00a0 should focus\u00a0 on\u00a0 code\u00a0 of\u00a0 ethics\u00a0 and\u00a0 standards\u00a0 for\u00a0 extension providers;\u00a0 and\u00a0 establishment\u00a0 of\u00a0 regulatory\u00a0 body\u00a0 for registration\u00a0 and\u00a0 accreditation\u00a0 of\u00a0 extension\u00a0 providers\u00a0 and practitioners.
MoFA should also build the capacity of private sector to operate. <\/p>\n
2.\u00a0 MAL-FUNCTIONING FARMER-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (FBOS)
MoFA\u00a0 should\u00a0 collaborate\u00a0 with\u00a0 NGOs\u00a0 to\u00a0 reorient\u00a0 existing FBOs\u00a0 to\u00a0 bring\u00a0 back\u00a0 the\u00a0 spirit\u00a0 of\u00a0 voluntarism\u00a0 in\u00a0 grassroots advocacy movements.
Extension service agents should facilitate access to credit for small scale farmers, especially, those that belong to FBOs, to ensure\u00a0 smallholder\u00a0 farmers\u00a0 take\u00a0 advantage\u00a0 of\u00a0 existing\u00a0 and new\u00a0 technological\u00a0 innovations.\u00a0 Access to credit will also reduce reliance on hand-outs that interfere with the running of the FBOs.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0 EXTENSION HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT<\/p>\n
The welfare and motivation of extension staff are central to an effective national extension service. Extension\u00a0 officers\u00a0 need clear\u00a0 roles\u00a0 and\u00a0 objectives\u00a0 with\u00a0 appropriate\u00a0 career development\u00a0 opportunities\u00a0 to\u00a0 do\u00a0 their\u00a0 job\u00a0 effectively.
Adequate training and resources are vital. When officers are scattered\u00a0 widely,\u00a0 methods\u00a0 must\u00a0 be\u00a0 found\u00a0 to\u00a0 provide interaction,\u00a0 feedback\u00a0 and\u00a0 support,\u00a0 for\u00a0 example,\u00a0 through mobile phone and internet technologies.
In the short term extension graduates should be treated the same way policy makes it possible for nurses and teachers to have guaranteed jobs by posting to new graduates to farming communities where they will be focusing on service delivery to smallholder farmers.
The intention to rely on E-Extension to reach farmers must be pursued cautiously. Ghana has not completely reached a point where E-Extension can be regarded as the solution to inadequate human resources for extension service delivery.
Mobile penetration continues to be a challenge due to rising cost of the\u00a0 gadget;\u00a0\u00a0 poor\u00a0 network\u00a0 connectivity\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 rural communities,\u00a0 multiplicity\u00a0 of\u00a0 languages, high illiteracy\u00a0 rate that limit the extent to which mobile phone functions can be utilized\u00a0 etc.
Besides, some issues bordering on human interaction cannot be replaced with gadgets. <\/p>\n
4. GENDER AND EXTENSION SERVICES DELIVERY\u00a0
It\u00a0 is\u00a0 important\u00a0 to\u00a0 note\u00a0 that\u00a0 extension\u00a0 service\u00a0 delivery\u00a0 in Ghana’s agricultural sector will become effective, efficient, and sustainable if conscious and concerted effort is made to recruit and train women professionals; develop programs for women farmers,\u00a0 specifically\u00a0 target\u00a0 women\u00a0 to\u00a0 provide\u00a0 access\u00a0 to extension\u00a0 services;\u00a0 establish\u00a0 linkages\u00a0 with\u00a0 rural\u00a0 women’s groups;\u00a0 and\u00a0 encourage\u00a0 women\u00a0 farmers\u00a0 to\u00a0 participate\u00a0 in extension’s\u00a0 program\u00a0 activities.\u00a0 MoFA should make the strategic decision to develop and implement gender-sensitive recruitment policy that goes beyond the 30 percent allocation of vacancies agricultural. Such a policy is crucial to address the social and cultural factors prevent women from taking up extension service delivery as a profession.<\/p>\n
5. PROMOTING DEMAND-DRIVEN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SERVICES <\/p>\n
To\u00a0 ensure consistency and coherence in\u00a0 policy implementation MoFA should undertake\u00a0 a\u00a0 participative stakeholder audit every three years to see where government extension\u00a0 services\u00a0 are\u00a0 most\u00a0 needed,\u00a0 and\u00a0 to\u00a0 identify opportunities for collaboration with NGOs and\/or the private sector.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0 same\u00a0 exercise\u00a0 can\u00a0 serve\u00a0 dual\u00a0 purpose\u00a0 by\u00a0 ensuring\u00a0 that there is in a place, regular implementation of a monitoring and evaluation\u00a0 framework\u00a0 for\u00a0 extension\u00a0 services\u00a0 delivery\u00a0 to ensure that they are meeting the needs of smallholder farmers. <\/p>\n
6. SUPPORTING AND RESOURCING THE POLICY FRAMEWORK\/IMPLEMENTATION
There is the need for government to invest in the training of the private sector to build public and private partnerships in the delivery of extension services and the need to invest in new extension approaches such as the use of the mobile phone and other information and communication technologies to deliver extension messages to both male and female farmers to bridge the extension farmer ratio gap.<\/p>\n
7.\u00a0 WHERE TO FIND THE RESOURCES<\/p>\n
The Ghana extension services policy can be funded in a variety of\u00a0 ways:\u00a0 as\u00a0 part\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 government\u00a0 budget\u00a0 for\u00a0 agricultural development;\u00a0 through\u00a0 industry\u00a0 levies\u00a0 (for\u00a0 example,\u00a0 where farmers or marketers pay a set fee to government each time they sell\u00a0 their\u00a0 produce);\u00a0 or through\u00a0 affordable ‘user pay’\u00a0 schemes (where farmers pay for specific services\/products provided by extension\u00a0 officers). This will require the intervention of the government to pass laws and exercise their oversight roles to ensure that the right strategic framework and laws, regulations and instruments are in place and functioning effectively. It is important to ensure that funding is aligned to the priorities for the extension service sector.<\/p>\n
8.\u00a0\u00a0 A FUNCTIONING RESEARCH \u2013 EXTENSION – FARMER \u2013 LINKAGES – COMMITTEES
The\u00a0 ministry\u00a0 of\u00a0 Food\u00a0 and\u00a0 Agriculture\u00a0 should\u00a0 be\u00a0 given\u00a0 the mandate\u00a0 to\u00a0 ensure effective\u00a0 and efficient coordination of the RELC\u00a0 process\u00a0 and\u00a0 as\u00a0 well\u00a0 as\u00a0 all\u00a0 activities\u00a0 undertaken\u00a0 by government, the private sector and NGOs in the sub sector.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PREFACE
History\u00a0 of\u00a0 economic\u00a0 development\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 world\u00a0 shows\u00a0 few countries\u00a0 achieving\u00a0 sustained\u00a0 economic\u00a0 growth\u00a0 without\u00a0 first developing their agricultural sector. In Africa and for that matter\u00a0 in Ghana, the activities of small scale farmers is most significant for\u00a0 the\u00a0 economy\u00a0 as\u00a0 they\u00a0 constitute\u00a0 about\u00a0 80%\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 farming population and contribute significantly to domestic food supply, income, employment and foreign exchange. However, unlike the developed countries where agriculture propelled economy to growth, it is not the case in Ghana due to limited application of technology in farming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[222],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t