Inclusive Extension-based Strategies to Support Historically Marginalized Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) in 21st Century’s American Agri-food System: Ideas from a Qualitative Rapid Review

Extension professionals play a critical role in framing as well as implementing socially inclusive strategies for the historically marginalized BIPOC “farmers and other stakeholders” in American farming. Several discussions have been made at various spheres to address the existing systemic inequities in US farming, and the extension professionals, as the frontline players, should consider various strategies to make the BIPOC stakeholders more inclusive in the food system. The main objective is to explore and jot down effective strategies which could be impactful to make the historically marginalized BIPOC stakeholders more inclusive in the agri-food system of the United States. To promote justice and equity in the food system, the extension professionals (like county agents, specialists etc.) should enforce community engagement in terms of making partnerships with local organizations, communities or sustainability advocates. Collaboration with the local farmers’ markets, supermarkets, educational institutions or even the policymakers at federal and state level and policy advocacy for increased funding for the marginalized farming communities would dismantle the existing systematic barriers into more manageable components. Extensionists should also push the BIPOC farmers to implement ecological techniques in farming through appropriate training to make the agri-food system sustainable. Developing culturally appropriate education programs is necessary to make the BIPOC communities aware of sustainable nutritive and healthy food choices (Smith, 2023). Ensuring equal opportunities and representation of the BIPOC farmers at all levels should be prioritized by the extension professionals alongside arranging thorough and efficient market access for them. We will conduct further research to find additional roles of extension in this direction, particularly in the southern part of the USA.