Since its establishment, in the early 1950s, the Greek Extension service has undergone considerable changes. Especially after 1981, an administrative role has been undertaken as related to the implementation of the CAP, the provision of subsidies and the execution of the relevant controls. The development of a progressive farmer strategy as well as the, more or less, homogeneous productivist ideology, manifested in the discourse of the extensionists and enhanced by the application of modernization schemes largely based on the EU Regulations, have favoured RRFs (resource rich farmers) in the plains. In view of the problems in both the plains and the LFAs, due to environmental questions as well as declining quotas and subsidies for the former, and the deterioration of the socio-economic conditions in the latter, which may in turn have environmental implications, a radical restructuring of the Service is required. The development needs of different farmers' categories call for the differentiation of the roles of extensionists as related to rural development towards non-productionist and more socially and environmentally sensitive actions.