The paper highlights the importance of accounting for socio-economic issues in agroforestry extension. It raises questions about how socio-economic issues can be institutionalised into forestry extension approaches. Forestry extension aims to assist people to improve their socio-economic livelihoods and welfare, and forestry opportunities and needs are determined by their socio-economic situations. A socio-economic approach forms the basis of successful forestry extension. Socio-economic issues also concern the environment within which people live and act. People's socio-economic situations depend on such variables as wealth, income, food security, demography, employment, labour, cultural norms and land tenure. Different groups and individuals have different socio-economic attributes and varying needs for forestry. They also have varying abilities to practise it on their, farms. Thus, agroforestry extension must be targeted to its clients' different socio-economic situations and their accompanying needs, problems and opportunities. Clients' participation in the whole forestry process forms a crucial part of this perspective.