Agricultural extension services can potentially be provided by three main sources: the public sector, the private non-profit sector, and the private for-profit sector. The public sector includes ministries and departments of agriculture and agricultural research centers. The private non-profit sector includes local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, community boards and associations, bilateral and multilateral aid projects, and other non-commercial associations. The private for-profit sector consists of commercial production and marketing firms (such as input manufacturers and distributors), commercial farmers or farmer group-operated enterprises where farmers are both users and providers of agricultural information, agro-marketing and processing firms, trade associations, and private consulting and media companies.