ABSTRACT
There are parallel national and local government organizations at the provincial, cantonal and parochial levels. The organizational structure of the Ministry is complex with many different and sometimes overlapping units, created at various times in the history of the Ministry and its predecessor organizations to carry out the multiple tasks and activities assigned to it. Ministry of Agriculture technical assistance efforts are carried out directly by the technical units and national programs, through producer organizations and the provincial agricultural offices that extend into each canton via the ASAs. Thus, all ministries and most other public sector agencies have some connection with agriculture: providing products, services or information to some part of the sector; receiving its output; regulating its activities or those of the agroindustry and marketing subsectors; or utilizing its resources for related activities.
