Access as an object of analysis in rural advisory services

Abstract Most Brazilian agricultural establishments lack access to rural advisory services. This absence perpetuates barriers to development, whereas access to research can identify ways to overcome them. This article analyzes access to rural advisory services as an object of study, systematizing its categories and identifying the state of the art of the topic in national and international scientific literature, as well as its situation in Brazil. The methodology was based on descriptive statistical analysis of data from the Agricultural Census and a systematic review. The results show that access to the service is associated with improvements in agricultural production and technology adoption, and with reduced food insecurity, while also revealing significant challenges faced by farmers worldwide, particularly in countries of the Global South and among small European farmers. It is evident that the topic lacks theoretical and methodological consolidation, hindering comparisons between territories. This paper proposes a synthesis of the categories of analysis – organization of origin, frequency of service, availability of the service in the territory, number of families per technician, satisfaction with the service, source of funding, among others – and highlights the relevance of a plurality of providers for the better appropriation of the service in different territories, expanding access.