Agricultural extension and its effects on farm productivity and income: insight from Northern Ghana

Gideon Danso-Abbeam,Dennis Sedem Ehiakpor,Robert Aidoo

doi:10.1186/s40066-018-0225-x

Abstract

BackgroundIn agricultural-dependent economies, extension programmes have been the main conduit for disseminating information on farm technologies, support rural adult learning and assist farmers in developing their farm technical and managerial skills. It is expected that extension programmes will help increase farm productivity, farm revenue, reduce poverty and minimize food insecurity. In this study, we estimate the effects of extension services on farm productivity and income with particular reference to agricultural extension services delivered by Association of Church-based Development NGOs (ACDEP).MethodsThe study used cross-sectional data collected from 200 farm households from two districts in the Northern region of Ghana. The robustness of the estimates was tested by the use of regression on covariates, regression on propensity scores and Heckman treatment effect model.ResultsThe study found positive economic gains from participating in the ACDEP agricultural extension programmes. Apart from the primary variable of interest (ACDEP agricultural extension programme), socio-economic, institutional and farm-specific variables were estimated to significantly affect farmers’ farm income depending on the estimation technique used.ConclusionsThe study has reaffirmed the critical role of extension programmes in enhancing farm productivity and household income. It is, therefore, recommended that agricultural extension service delivery should be boosted through timely recruitment, periodic training of agents and provision of adequate logistics.

Highlights

In agricultural-dependent economies, extension programmes have been the main conduit for dis‐ seminating information on farm technologies, support rural adult learning and assist farmers in developing their farm technical and managerial skills
The results indicate the significance of household locations and their effects on their farm income
The study has assessed the effects of Association of Church-based Development NGOs (ACDEP) agricultural extension programme on the productivity and income of farm households using primary data from two districts in the Northern region, Ghana

Summary

Introduction

In agricultural-dependent economies, extension programmes have been the main conduit for dis‐ seminating information on farm technologies, support rural adult learning and assist farmers in developing their farm technical and managerial skills. The millennium development goals (MDGs) of reducing hunger and to promote food security are rooted in increasing agricultural productivity, especially from the crop sector. This is because agriculture is considered as the engine of growth in many developing economies, in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Rural farmers farming on small hectares of land can be attributed to conditions such as lack of adequate credit, lack of access to product market, lack of adequate extension contacts, among others Among these constraints, inadequate extension services have been identified as one of the main limiting factors to the growth of the agricultural sector and rural community development at large [3]. The role of agricultural extension today goes beyond the transfer of technology and improvement in productivity, and, it includes improvement in farmers’ managerial and technical skills through training, facilitation and coaching, among others

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Conclusion