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The COVID‐19 lockdown policies that began in 2020 caused an unprecedented shock to developing countries’ agricultural activities, especially those in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia. To reduce some of the impacts of COVID‐19 events, agricultural extension and advisory personnel created an avenue to assist farmers in these developing countries. However, since COVID‐19 protocols restricted public gatherings and close contact activities, agricultural extension activities had to be performed using unconventional ways such as mobile phones, radio, and television. This paper highlights some of the challenges agricultural extension and advisory service personnel encountered using these unconventional means of communication for their activities. We also present some solutions to these challenges that can enable policymakers to enhance agricultural extension activities performed unconventionally., Core Ideas COVID‐19 changed how agricultural extension services are performed in developing countries.Extension personnel used mobile phones, radio, and television to provide services.Agricultural extension personnel encountered many challenges using these unconventional ways.Telecommunication infrastructure needs to be developed in farming communities.Extension personnel should complement traditional face‐to‐face with online activities.