National Agricultural Advisory Services Research Articles

The sensitivity of food security to agricultural input subsidies in Uganda

The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition in developing countries, and smallholder farmers are significant contributors to food production. In Uganda, the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) program was initiated in 2001 to provide extension services and agricultural input subsidies to farmers. However, the program has faced criticism for its high levels of corruption, militarization, and political influence, as well as for its failure to reach its intended beneficiaries, and smallholder farmers. This paper aims to examine the contribution of smallholder farmers to food security and its sensitivity to agricultural input subsidies in Uganda, with a focus on the NAADS program. Additionally, it covers the evolution of agricultural input subsidy policy in Uganda from 1987 to the present and analyses the findings on the impact of these subsidies on smallholder farmer productivity and food security. The findings conclude that the NAADS program contributes less to the target beneficiaries, and its priorities do not align with the set goals. The study further suggests several recommendations for improving the program and addressing the issues facing smallholder farmers in Uganda.

Determinants of Performance in Smallholder Farmer Groups in Uganda

The performance of farmer groups is critical for the success of the farmer-led Agricultural Extension approach currently used in Uganda. This study examines factors affecting performance of farmer groups accessing agricultural extension and advisory services from the National Agricultural Advisory Services in Eastern Uganda. The study collected data 200 members of 19 farmer groups in Eastern Uganda. Performance of farmer groups was the dependent variable, which was perceived to be influenced by individual members’ objectives, participation culture, power distance, structure of task, perceived equity, reward allocation and participation in group activities. Farmer group performance had a statistically significant positive relationship with power distance and perceived equity. Group participation culture and structure of tasks had a statistically negative relationship with group performance. Members tended to deflect group losses to factors beyond the seasonality of group activities, quality of farm inputs, and poor training delivered by advisory service providers. The advisory service providers and farmer group members need to use the political and social capital possessed by the local leadership, groups and community members for enhancing support and collective participation of the community in farmer groups. Since farmer groups are a sub-set of wider community, this empirical study brings into perspective the role of community culture in influencing performance of farmer groups in smallholder farming communities.

Efficacy of farmer field schools in achieving participatory technology development among smallholder farmers in the Hoima district, Uganda

Abstract Purpose: This study investigated the efficacy of FFS for participatory technology development among smallholder farmers in Hoima district, Uganda. It is anticipated that by making FFS concrete, household food security will be enhanced. Research methodology: The study utilised primary data, which was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. While 120 respondents were sampled, 103 responded, generating a response rate of 85.83%. This was an excellent response seeing that it merited above 75%. The researcher administered all questionnaires in one month. Results: From the findings indicate that PTD is more desirable in the Hoima district. In addition, the construct of the ability to solve problems from time to time indicates that problem-solving is very desirable for PTD in the Hoima district. The results suggest a positive correlation between FFS and PTD among the study population, indicating that a unit-change in the FFS constructs will lead to a proportionate change in the constructs of PTD in the same direction. This implies that improving FFS quality by a single unit will translate into progressive improvement in PTD in the Hoima district. This study also suggests that FFS alone has a strong positive influence on PTD in the Hoima district. Limitations: This study merely covered farmer-field schools, yet several interventions aim to raise the quality of agriculture in Uganda, such as National Agricultural Advisory Services and Emyoga. Contribution: This study contributes to the deeper understanding of what ought to be done to improve the quality of farming in Uganda.

A predictive machine learning application in agriculture: Cassava disease detection and classification with imbalanced dataset using convolutional neural networks

This work is inspired by Kaggle competition which was part of the Fine-Grained Visual Categorization workshop at CVPR 2019 (Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition) we participated in. It aimed at detecting cassava diseases using 5 fine-grained cassava leaf disease categories with 10,000, labeled images collected during a regular survey in Uganda. Traditionally, this detection is done mostly through physical inspection and supervision of cassava plants in the garden by farmers or agricultural extension workers from NAADS (National Agricultural Advisory Services) and then reported to NARO (National Agricultural Advisory Services) for further analysis. However, this can be tiresome, capital intensive, and lacks the ability to detect cassava infection timely to help farmers apply preventive techniques to the non-infected cassava plants in order to improve on yields which subsequently increases African food basket leading to food security which fights famine. Using the dataset provided to train CNNs (Convolutional Neural Networks) to achieve high accuracy was very challenging due to two reasons: the dataset was small in size and has high-class imbalance being heavily biased towards CMD (Cassava Mosaic Disease) and CBB (Cassava Brown Streak Virus Disease) classes. Class imbalance is problematic in machine learning and exists in many domains. Note that, not all world data is balanced, in fact, most of the time you will not be extremely lucky to get a perfectly balanced real-world dataset, in recent years, a lot of research has been done for two-class problems such as fraudulent credit card and tumor detection among others. Interestingly, class imbalance in multi-class image datasets has received little attention. This paper, therefore, focused on techniques to achieve an accuracy score of over 93% with class weight, SMOTE (Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique) and focal loss with deep convolutional neural networks from scratch. The goal was to counter high-class imbalance so that the model can accurately predict underrepresented classes.

Science Communication Models for Agricultural Transformation in Uganda

This paper focuses on the models of science communication used to promote and support use of agricultural research outputs in Uganda. It also explores quasi-novel approaches of making agricultural research more visible to end-users through strategic communications and extension models that are hoped to increase adoption rates in Uganda. Surveys, literature review and key informants were used to evaluate the communication efforts by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) - the apex body for agriculture research in Uganda. The findings indicated that 31% of respondents perceived NARO as a source of poor products and services. This has resulted in distrust, which is largely attributed to use of ineffective models of communication used in the past. Different approaches of communication and extension are proposed as flagship models that can be implemented through NARO’s projects, private extension partners and, in some cases, through partnership with the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS). These communication and outreach strategies can improve understanding of the technologies, and consequently influence adoption of NARO technologies for improvement of the agricultural sector.Keywords: Agricultural research, Extension, NARO Uganda, Outreach

How to promote institutional reforms in the agricultural sector? A case study of Uganda's National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)

AbstractThis study provides alternative explanations to the limited success of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme in Uganda, which was considered a role model for a demand‐driven, decentralized and market‐oriented agricultural extension reform in Africa. The analysis shows that the reform process was shaped by the interaction of two coalitions of actors: a donor‐dominated coalition that pushed for radical reform and advocated the total overhaul of the existing structures and the creation of new ones, with the aim of changing the mindset of the extension workers and managers towards the adoption of a more efficient, farmer‐oriented and performance‐based system. The other was a domestic coalition that believed in a “gradual” or “incremental” approach to promote changes and adjustments in the existing system to make it more efficient and accountable. This group was opposed to the complete overhaul of the existing extension system—taking an apparently more conservative stance. The study shows that the exclusion of the gradual reform coalition in the design and early implementation of NAADS increased the vulnerability of the programme to political capture and governance problems.

Yield Performance of Improved Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Varieties under Pure Stand and Banana Intercrop Methods in Semi-Arid Agroecological Zone of South Western Uganda

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is increasingly becoming an important crop in East Africa due to its desirable attributes such as high drought tolerance, nitrogen fixation, grain/seed productivity, and market potential. Chickpea is a major source of high quality protein for human diets and has potential of bridging the nutritional gap among rural households during drought periods. With the aim of improving household income in South Western Uganda, National Agricultural Advisory Services introduced several chickpea varieties between 2004 and 2007 in the zone targeting a local agro-producer processor. However, due to the limited capacity of the processor to buy all chickpea produce, most farmers abandoned the crop since there was no other alternative use or markets known. Apart from lack of market, chickpea has the potential to improve nutrition among the vulnerable rural households if its production and consumption are enhanced. Due to chickpea ability to improve soil fertility, and survive under low moisture conditions where other common crops cannot survive, it can also be a source of food especially in period when there is food scarcity. Although, Chickpea had great potential of being adopted in the region, its agronomic performance (grain yields) and adaptability to the existing cropping systems in the semi-arid zone of South Western Uganda is not known. Therefore, this research was conducted to ascertain the potential yields and appropriate cropping method, which will result into higher productivity. Farmer participatory research was conducted to assess grain yields of five improved chickpea varieties (ICCV 96329, ICCV 00305, ICCV 97105, ICCV 92318 and ICCV 00108) using banana-intercrop and pure stand cropping methods. Eighty nine farmers hosted the experiment on behalf of the community. Results indicated that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in grain yields among the chickpea varieties. However, grain yields from chickpea planted as pure stand were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that obtained from banana-intercrop. This implies that competition with banana for moisture, nutrient and light significantly suppressed the yielding potential of chickpea in the banana intercrop.

Records management and procurement performance

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the influence procurement records management had on the performance of the procurement function under the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS).Design/methodology/approachThe study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. Procurement records management was the independent variable, while procurement performance was the dependent variable. The study also adopted a simple correlation and case study design. An accessible population of 101 respondents was identified, with 93 forming a sample. An 88% response rate was realized.FindingsResults indicated that procurement records management had a significant effect on procurement performance. Whereby, there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between records creation and procurement performance; there was a positive relationship between records maintenance, preservation and procurement performance; and, finally, records access and use also had a positive significant influence on procurement performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis research focused on the central region of Uganda, and yet, Uganda has got so many other regions which operate the NAADS programs. This means that research was conducted within a defined scope. Therefore, based on this, the researcher could not generalize the research findings.Practical implicationsFindings imply that ethical practices should be emphasized and custodians of procurement records be held accountable for their actions, as this will help in the support of proper record-keeping and avoid documents not being on file, misplaced or misfiled, which negatively affects procurement performance. Enabling a more efficient information management system results into effective procurement performance that leads to significant cost reduction in both the private and the government sector, especially when digital records are involved.Social implicationsAs majority of the NAADS staff were found to possess inadequate knowledge in records maintenance and preservation, the government through the NAADS training committees should organize timely workshops to sensitize staff on how best records maintenance and preservation is core to its operations.Originality/valueThis study contributes to an important area which has not been given attention in the Ugandan context, where there is difficulty of relating the value of effective records maintenance to business management because of the lack of quantifiable evidence. Therefore, the study highlights the influence of records creation, maintenance and use on procurement performance. The review of literature finds that better records management results into better performance of the procurement units in procurement entities.

INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES OF AGRICULTURAL CONSULTATIVE NETWORKS AS A FACTOR IN STRENGTHENING THE ECONOMY OF RURAL AREAS OF UKRAINE

The article highlights the scientific substantiation of perspective ways of innovative development of national agricultural advisory services in the context of stimulating economic development in rural areas of Ukraine in the conditions of decentralization of power. The study allowed to establish the existing imbalance in the ratio of the main types of agricultural enterprises and agricultural service cooperatives, falling on one advisory service, as well as to determine the causes of significant imbalances in the regional context, the determination of which offers a number of key innovation priorities, activating the integration of education, research, marketing, economic and financial, consulting and other services necessary to provide a complete infrastructure of the economy of rural areas with the potential of basic institutions of NAAS and MES.

Agricultural extension reforms and development in Uganda

This study was done with the objective of contributing to the policy debate on the changing landscape of agricultural rural services in Uganda. The study examines the perception of Agricultural Extension providers on the new changes in provision of agricultural extension services. Data was collected from twenty two key informants. Result show that political interference is negatively affecting the image of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) and undoing some of its achievements. This suggests the need to re-evaluate the current political support given to agriculture to ensure that it builds on past achievement of NAADS and addresses its weaknesses. Key words: National agricultural advisory services, agricultural extension, political interference, Uganda.

Performance of National Agricultural Advisory Services projects in Uganda

Purpose – The increased poor performance of National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) projects in Uganda has become a concern of many stakeholders. Many NAADS projects have been undertaken with an aim of developing the poor in the country but none of them were successful. This paper therefore aimed at examining the performance of NAADS projects which were set up by the government in 2001 to eradicate poverty in Uganda.Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted a cross‐sectional and quantitative survey research design. Data was sought from farmers and coordinators of the projects. Mukono district was used as a case study and a sample of 323 NAADS projects were used, covering a wide range of agricultural activities.Findings – The research findings showed low performance levels of the NAADS projects and raised pertinent questions on the influence of NAADS stakeholders’ commitment to the performance of the projects. It was there recommended that an urgent review of NAADS policy and practices be don...

Use of improved inputs and its effect on maize yield and profit in Uganda

Maize is an important crop, produced by nearly all households in Uganda. Yet, the yield of the crop is low, mainly blamed on low use of improved technologies. In a bid to understand why farmers are reluctant to adopt modern agricultural technologies, which are hailed for enhancing productivity, this study assessed the effect of improved inputs use on maize yield and profit in Uganda. The analysis was based on the Uganda National Household Survey data of 2005/06. A graphical analysis was used to assess the yield and profit outcomes associated with use of improved seed and fertiliser. Stochastic production functions of yield and profit were estimated to assess the effect of use of improved inputs on yield and profit. Graphical results indicated that maize producers who applied fertiliser on improved seed obtained the highest yield but lower gross profit margin while farmers who never applied fertiliser on improved seed obtained lower yield but the highest gross profit margin. Regression results indicated that higher expenditure on fertiliser and traction per hectare had a significant (p&lt;0.05) positive effect on yield. No significant effect on gross profit margin was however observed in the case of higher expenditure on fertiliser and traction per hectare in maize production. Results indicate that whereas expansion in area cultivated had a significantly (p&lt;0.01) negative effect on yield, it was the most important (p&lt;0.01) means of increasing profit. Education level and access to extension services are key farmer characteristics that were found to have a significantly (p&lt;0.01) positive influence on the profit and yet no remarkable influence on yield. Notable was that maize producers that were members in the government extension agency, National Agricultural Advisory Services organization, (NAADS) had lower yield than farmers not in NAADS. These results suggest that NAADS and other agencies that are involved in promoting use of modern agricultural technologies in Uganda have an uphill task of proving and hence persuading farmers that use of these technologies not only enhances yield but also increases farm profits.

Impact of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads) program of Uganda: Considering Different Levels of Likely Contamination with the Treatment

Impact of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads) program of Uganda: Considering Different Levels of Likely Contamination with the Treatment

Returns to spending on agricultural extension: the case of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) program of Uganda†

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to assess the direct and indirect impacts of the agricultural extension system of Uganda, the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) program, on household agricultural income. Data from two rounds of surveys of Ugandan rural farm‐households conducted in 2004 and 2007, as well as different program evaluation methods and model specifications, are used to estimate impacts and compute a rate of return. The direct and indirect impact of the program is estimated at 37–95% and 27–55% increase in per capita agricultural gross revenue between 2004 and 2007 for households participating directly and indirectly in the program, respectively, compared to nonparticipants. The rate of return on the program's expenditures is estimated at 8–49%. The program has been relatively more effective among male‐headed, larger, and asset‐poor households, as well as those taking up noncrop high‐value enterprises and living further away from financial services, all‐weather roads, and markets or located in the Eastern and Northern Regions. Policy implications of the results are drawn.

The effect of information literacy on the utilization of electronic information resources in selected academic and research institutions in Uganda

PurposeUganda has gone a step forward in ensuring that information resources available for researchers and students are maximally utilized. Academic and research libraries are participating in supporting and achieving the missions of their respective institutions by teaching the competency of information literacy (IL). This paper seeks to examine the effect IL has had on the usage of electronic information resources in academic and research institutions in Uganda. It aims to focus on the innovations that Makerere University Library (the biggest and oldest academic library in Uganda) has undertaken to ensure that library users (the Makerere University community and other collaborating universities and research institutions in Uganda) are trained on how to access a variety of available information resources, evaluate the information and apply it to address their needs.Design/methodology/approachData were collected for the study using interviews to both library staff and users of the selected institutions: two library staff in charge of e‐resources and ten students/researchers were interviewed from each institution. However, user statistics for the years 2004‐2005, as well as the IL training sessions conducted, were the main sources of information. The study focused on academic and research institutions – Makerere University, Uganda, Martyrs University, Nkozi and National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS). The researcher is physically involved in the IL program in Makerere University. The usage statistics were compiled and interpreted.FindingsThe paper finds that availability of information does not necessarily mean actual use. The study shows that some of the available resources have not been utilized at all. This means that users are not aware of the availability of such resources, they do not know how to access them, or they do not know what the resources offer. All this calls for continued information literacy programs. IL is very vital in influencing utilization of e‐resources. Information professionals are needed to pass on IL skills to library users, while library users should endeavor to find out what information is available online for their consumption. Their attitudes and perceptions also influence the level of utilization.Originality/valueThe paper shows the extent of information literacy and its influence on electronic resources in Uganda. It points out the challenges for the future and provides a number of recommendations for the way forward, which will be helpful both to the relevant communities in Uganda and to other academics in similar circumstances.

Learning our way into communication: The making of the communication and information strategy with the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme in Uganda

This paper reports on the making of the Communication and Information Strategy with the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme (NAADS) in Uganda. The NAADS is a new organization in government responsible for the implementation of a demand-driven agricultural extension approach. The new extension approach calls for fundamental changes in skills and attitudes by farmers, extension workers, researchers, and government officials at all levels. The NAADS Communication and Information Strategy aims to engage stakeholders through different media to explore the new mechanisms and discuss the roles they are expected to play. In developing the strategy, a conscious effort was made to facilitate a process of institutional learning where the change agent helped the organization ‘learn its way’ into communication planning. This paper opens with a review of three fields of literature that shine light on the approach: change management, demand-driven extension, and communication for development. There follows a description of the approach and the paper concludes with a review of guidelines and a reflection on the ‘principles that travel’ to other contexts.