Provision Of Agricultural Extension Services Research Articles

The Provision of Agricultural Extension Services to Rural Farmers as a Strategy to Improve Agricultural Practices in South Africa

The government of South Africa has shown a commitment to providing extensive support to farmers by providing agricultural extension services. This qualitative study on providing agricultural extension services to rural farmers to improve agricultural productivity was conducted in Msinga Local Municipality. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Participants were sampled purposively, and data was analysed using content analysis. The agricultural extension officers played an important role in helping farmers with the provision of extension services, including seeds, manure, and the implementation of irrigation schemes and farm fencing. The extension services also included training and assisting farmers with vaccinating crops and livestock to protect them from diseases. Rural farmers were unable to attend training sessions and meetings organised by extension officers, and this has turned out to be a problem since farmers lack knowledge of farming methods and available information on possible financial assistance. There is a need to establish agricultural cooperatives that will liaise with agricultural extension officers and be able to communicate with other farmers when the officials are planning to meet with them for the provision of extension services.

Factors Influencing Farm-Level Climate Adaptation Strategies of Smallholder Farmers in Rural Ghana

This study analysed the determinants of smallholder farm-level climate adaptation strategies in Ghana using descriptive statistics and multinomial logit model fitted to a cross-sectional survey of 500 farm households. This study identifies mono-cropping under rain-fed as the dominant farming systems practised and the most vulnerable. Results from the discrete choice model indicate that precipitation, temperature, ownership of heavy-machine, extension service, road infrastructure, distance and membership of farmer-based organisation are major determinants of the adoption of irrigation farming system. The study encourages the promotion of the activities of farmer-based organisations, the empowerment of women and the provision of agricultural extension services.

Agricultural Extension Service in Ethiopia: The role of Social System and Farmers’ Agricultural Development Agents Relationship

This study was about the role of social system factors and farmer-development agent’s relationship in affecting agricultural extension service the case of five selected woreda of Ilubabor Zone. The objectives of this study mainly focused on the current structure of extension system, social system factors and farmerdevelopment agent as well as challenges pertaining agricultural extension service in the study area. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research method in the form of triangulation. Therefore, survey, indepth interview, observation and focus group discussion method has been employed to collect information from household heads, participants and interview respondents. For this study 5 woreda which can be representative for the whole has been purposively selected. Then, 3 kebele has been selected for information using simple random sampling technique. Finally, 350 households were selected from selected area for survey questionnaire by using systematic sampling technique. On the other hand, in-depth interview and FGD were conducted with purposively selected local community members and experts in the Woreda. The finding of the study revealed that, agricultural extension approach of the study area governed under direct supervision of regional level structure, the lower level structure has limited power and resource in extension service program. Furthermore, social system factors like social norms, gender role, religion and opinion leadership role have tremendous impact on agricultural extension service provision in the study area. Again, as the finding of this study indicated, there is no good relationship between farmers and development agents. Along with the challenges of agricultural extension service, problem like, staff turnover, skill gap, false report, ethical misconduct and budget constraint are few among many detrimental factors to extension service program in the study area. Keywords: Extension Service: Farmer Development: Agent Relationship: Social System Keywords: Health Concern: Cyanide: Fermentation: Cassava: Streams: Nigeria.

Accelerating technical change through ICT: Evidence from a video-mediated extension experiment in Ethiopia

Despite enthusiasm around applications of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to smallholder agriculture in many lower-income countries, there are still many questions on the effectiveness of ICT-based approaches. This study assesses the impacts of video-mediated agricultural extension service provision on farmers’ adoption of improved agricultural technologies and practices in Ethiopia using data from a two-year randomized experiment. Our results show that the video-mediated extension approach significantly increases uptake of recommended technologies and practices by improving extension access and farmer knowledge. Specifically, we find that video-mediated extension reaches a wider audience than the government’s conventional extension approach and leads to higher levels of farmer understanding and uptake of the subject technologies in those locations randomly assigned to the program. While our results also point to greater extension access and greater knowledge among female spouses in locations where both male and female spouses were targeted by the program, we do not find clear evidence that a more inclusive approach translates into higher uptake of the subject technologies. Finally, we find that the video-mediated approach becomes less costly as the scale of operation increases.

Efficacy of Agricultural Extensions and Environmental Conservation Awareness on the Sustainability of Urban Agricultural Practice: Case of Daraja Mbili and Lemala Wards in Arusha City, Tanzania

Urban agricultural activities can have a minimum or a substantial contribution to the livelihoods of people. They can either conserve or pollute the environment and degrade the land. The information about ensuring agricultural productivity with less effect on the environment is dynamic and the causes of dynamisms are not clear. The study was conducted to examine the cause of dynamisms in relation to changing institutional frameworks and political regimes. The study used qualitative research design and a case study strategy and 60 respondents were interviewed. We did content analysis to analyse qualitative data. The findings revealed that agricultural extension services and trainings, as well as environmental conservation awareness about good agricultural practice were provided to farmers and non-farmers, although the success was not promising. The uncoordinated agricultural activities were rhetorically managed and sometimes managed in uncoordinated ways. In tune with provision of agricultural extension services and awareness of conserving the environment to farmers, the mere conservation of the environment was not successful, unless it had a possibility of increasing agricultural productivity and helping farmers to get their livelihood needs.

Examining the relationship between farmers’ characteristics and access to agricultural extension: Empirical evidence from northern Uganda

ABSTRACT Purpose This study aimed at assessing how farmers’ access to agricultural extension is linked to farmers’ choice of extension service providers, and the crops and livestock activities engaged in at the farm level. Methodology/Design/Approach Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 342 farming households. Data analyses were conducted using the descriptive statistics and Probit binary regression model. Findings Results show that farmer access to agricultural extension depends on farmer district location, experience, group membership, use of pesticides, crop and livestock production diversity, and information source diversity. Furthermore, results show that gender, marital status, experience credit access, group membership, and livestock production diversity are the main drivers of farmers’ choice of service providers for an agricultural extension at the farm level. Lastly, leading determinants of access to agriculture for individual farm enterprises include farmer location (district), gender, marital status, education, experience, land owned, access to credit, group membership, ownership of mobile phones, and market information source diversity. Practical Implications Differentiated targeting of agricultural extension across farmer demographic structures and production objectives is not only influenced by varying factors but also important for ensuring that extension services are responsive for food and cash generation needs of local communities. Theoretical Implications This study deepens the literature on farmer access to agricultural extension with results demonstrating differences in factors that determine farmers’ choice of service providers for agricultural extension and the kind of crop and livestock activities engaged at the farm level. Originality/value This research is of high value as it presents empirical results on factors associated with the provision of agricultural extension services where there are many providers and where extension services is targeting different agricultural enterprises.

Effect of agricultural extension services in the post-reform era since the mid-2000s on pesticide use in China: evidence from rice production

ABSTRACT Pesticide overuse has resulted in serious ecological problems. Agricultural extension services play a key role in influencing farmers’ pesticide use. China has the world's largest public agricultural extension system, which has experienced a twisting path of reforms over the past four decades. However, there is little empirical evidence regarding the effects of agricultural extension services in the post-reform era since the mid-2000s. This study examines the effect of agricultural extension services in the post-reform era on pesticide use in China, using survey data of 1963 rice farmers in 2016 and 2018. Our results indicate that only 22.5% of surveyed farmers adopted agricultural extension services. After addressing the self-selectivity issue, the treatment effects model revealed that agricultural extension services in the post-reform era resulted in a 3.01 kg/ha reduction in total pesticide use, a 0.86 kg/ha reduction in application rate of active ingredients, and a 250 CNY/ha reduction in pesticide expenditure related to rice production. Our findings provide sound evidence that agricultural extension services in the post-reform era can result in a reduction in pesticide use for rice production. More effective efforts should be made to reinforce the provision of agricultural extension services and encourage farmers to adopt these services.

A Study of Local Government in Africa through Participatory Action Research (PAR)

A Study of Local Government in Africa through Participatory Action Research (PAR)

Determinants of smallholder farmers\u2019 adaptation strategies to the effects of climate change: Evidence from northern Uganda

BackgroundClimate change poses a threat to the sustainability of food production among small-scale rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa that are dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Understanding farmers’ adaptations and the determinants of their adaptation strategies is crucial in designing realistic strategies and policies for agricultural development and food security. The main objectives of this study were to identify the adaptation strategies used by smallholder farmers to counter the perceived negative effects of climate change in northern Uganda, and factors influencing the use of specific adaptation strategies. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed to collect data from 395 randomly selected smallholder farmers’ household heads across two districts by the administration of a semi-structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors influencing farmers’ adaptation to climate change.ResultsThe three most widely practiced adaptation strategies were planting of different crop varieties, planting drought-resistant varieties, and fallowing. Results of the binary logit regression model revealed that marital status of household head, access to credit, access to extension services, and farm income influenced farmers’ adoption of planting drought-resistant varieties as an adaptation strategy while access to credit, annual farm income, and time taken to market influenced adoption of planting improved seeds. Gender of household head and farm income had a positive influence on farmers’ adoption of fertilizer and pesticide use. Farming experience, farm income, and access to extension services and credit influenced farmers’ adoption of tree planting. Household size, farming experience, and time taken to market had positive influence on the use of fallowing, while size of land cultivated significantly influenced farmers’ planting of different crop varieties as an adaptation strategy.ConclusionFindings of the study suggest there are several factors that work together to influence adoption of specific adaptation strategies by smallholder farmers. This therefore calls for more effort from government to strengthen the provision of agricultural extension services by improving its climate information system, providing recommended agricultural inputs and training farmers on best agronomic practices to enhance their holistic adaptation to the effect of climate change.

Effectiveness of the lead farmer approach in agricultural extension service provision: Nationally representative panel data analysis in Malawi

The lead farmer (LF) approach has been implemented and heavily promoted nationwide in Malawi since 2009 to support government extension workers and accelerate technology dissemination. Earlier reports have shown that donor-funded projects in Malawi widely adopted the LF approach, indicating positive roles and contributions of LFs. However, national data show persistently low rates of adoption of management practices being promoted by the LFs, prompting this study to look closely at the nationwide implementation and effectiveness of the LF approach. Specifically, we model the effects of farmers’ interaction with and exposure to LFs, and farmers’ access to LFs’ advice, on farmers’ awareness and adoption of several promoted technologies and management practices. We use data from 531 randomly selected LFs linked to panel data from 2,880 farming households and, using correlated random effects, model the effectiveness of the LF approach on technology awareness and adoption. This modeling is complemented by 52 focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with agricultural extension development officers (AEDOs) and service providers.Our results point to two major conclusions. First, LFs support and assist AEDOs in their work, especially in organizing community meetings and farm demonstrations, and are also an important bridge between farmers and AEDOs. But LFs complement AEDOs’ work rather than substitute for it. In communities without strong AEDOs and community leaders to work with and monitor them, LFs were not active or performed at a substandard level. Second, results show limited coverage and weak implementation and effectiveness of the LF approach at the national level. Only 13 percent of farmers reported receiving agricultural advice from an LF in the last two years, and only 20 percent reported having interacted with an LF. Our econometric models also consistently show neither the farmers’ exposure or interaction with LFs nor farmers’ access to LFs’ advice had an effect on awareness and adoption of the major agricultural management practices being promoted. When heterogeneity and types of LFs are unpacked, results show that quality of LFs, adoption behavior of LFs, and regular training of LFs have strong and consistent effect on the awareness and adoption of most agricultural practices promoted.

Provisions for Agricultural Extension Services in the Implementation Manuals of the World Bank Assisted Fadama Development Projects in Nigeria: Gaps and Lessons

The study examined the provisions for agricultural extension services in the National Fadama Development Projects in Nigeria. Provisions for extension services were made by the project in the areas of, input support, local development plans and technical assistance. However, certain critical gaps were observed in the provisions for extension services in the projects’ operational manuals. The observed gaps were in the areas of the improper selection criteria for facilitators and service providers in terms of educational qualification, limited subject matter coverage, poor format for preparing local development plans and lack of incorporation of more innovative extension approaches in project execution, and misuse and application of the concept of advisory services as an alternative to extension services. In spite of the observed gaps, some positive lessons namely; the matching grant arrangement and user fee approach which ensured the sustainability of the project, diversified menu for extension services which was based on the needs of farmers were learnt. Detailed criteria for measuring the quality of extension services rendered to farmers should be developed and included in future implementation manuals.
 Keywords: Provision of agricultural extension services, fadama implementation manuals.

Participation in Agricultural Extension and Labor Productivity: A Case Study of Smallholder Farmers in Ghana

Low agricultural productivity remains one of the main factors influencing poverty and food insecurity among smallholder farmers in many developing countries. Among the key interventions assumed to influence agricultural productivity of smallholders is the provision of agricultural extension services to farmers. Access to agricultural extension however remains low in most developing countries thus slowing down agricultural productivity growth. This study therefore sought to determine the labor productivity effects of agricultural extension in northern Ghana using data from a cross-section of 300 smallholder farm households. The results of a binary probit model indicated that participation in agricultural extension increased with farming experience, farm size, access to irrigation and group membership but decreased with years of formal education and household size. Regression estimates of a labor productivity model revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between agricultural extension and labor productivity. Also, labor productivity increased with farming experience, household income, access to irrigation, degree of specialization in production and the level of conventional inputs used per man-day of labor but decreased with participation in off-farm work. The authors recommend an increase in agricultural extension coverage to ensure that more farmers are reached with information on modern technologies to enhance their labor productivity. Furthermore, farmers need access to inputs such as seed and fertilizer to improve the productivity of labor.

Determinants of smallholder farmers’ adaptation options to climate change in a coffee-based farming system of Southwest Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The direct and indirect impacts of climate change may jeopardize livelihoods of millions of poor coffee-growing farmers, unless the sector manages to deploy adequate adaptation measures. This study provides valuable insight into smallholder coffee farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change impacts and factors determining their choices based on a survey of 240 smallholder farmers in Jimma zone, southwest Ethiopia. The assessment indicates that the most common adaptation measures used by the producers include adjustment of planting date, change of the crop type and variety, tree plantation, and mixed farming. Access to weather forecasts and formal extension services, level of education, age of the household head, farm size and income from coffee and agro-ecological setting affect the coffee growers’ decision to adapt to climate change. Enhancing smallholder coffee farmers’ adaptation to climate change requires further efforts from the government to improve farmers’ access to accurate and timely agro-meteorological forecasts, capacity building and technical support for income diversification through improved provision of agricultural extension services.

دراسة لجاهزیة استخدام وسائل التواصل الاجتماعی فی الإرشاد الزراعی بمحافظة أسیوط

This research attempts generally to discuss the readiness for using social media in agricultural extension in Assiut governorate, and it endeavors particularly to reach the following aims: (1) Measuring readiness of the extension organization in Assiut governorate to start providing agricultural extension services using social media from the viewpoint of extension employees; (2) Exploring the willingness of farmers in some villages in Assiut governorate to obtain agricultural extension services using social media, and to identify the most significant determinants of the willingness to use social media; (3) Knowing about the respondents’ views about the advantages, disadvantages and suggestions of using social media in agricultural extension. The study was conducted on two groups of respondents who use at least one of social media tools; the first was comprised of 86 extension employees in Assiut governorate, and the second was a sample of 120 farmers selected from four villages in Assiut governorate. Data were collected using questionnaire form during the period from November to December 2018. Frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean, and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used for data presentation and analysis. The results indicated a decrease in the extension organization’s readiness for using social media from the viewpoint of extension employees, while farmers have a high willingness to use social media to obtain extension services. Therefore, it is necessary to use the recommendations of improving the extension organization’s reediness to use social media, in order to exploit the high willingness of farmers, and start using social media to provide extension services in Assiut governorate through implementing an initial initiative through farmers who use social media, and then the initiative can be expanded to include non-users through their family members who are using social media, taking into account the respondents’ suggestions for the successful use of social media in the provision of agricultural extension services.

A STUDY OF READINESS FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN ASSIUT GOVERNORATE

This research attempts generally to discuss the readiness for using social media in agricultural extension in Assiut governorate, and it endeavors particularly to reach the following aims: (1) Measuring readiness of the extension organization in Assiut governorate to start providing agricultural extension services using social media from the viewpoint of extension employees; (2) Exploring the willingness of farmers in some villages in Assiut governorate to obtain agricultural extension services using social media, and to identify the most significant determinants of the willingness to use social media; (3) Knowing about the respondents’ views about the advantages, disadvantages and suggestions of using social media in agricultural extension. The study was conducted on two groups of respondents who use at least one of social media tools; the first was comprised of 86 extension employees in Assiut governorate, and the second was a sample of 120 farmers selected from four villages in Assiut governorate. Data were collected using questionnaire form during the period from November to December 2018. Frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean, and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used for data presentation and analysis. The results indicated a decrease in the extension organization’s readiness for using social media from the viewpoint of extension employees, while farmers have a high willingness to use social media to obtain extension services. Therefore, it is necessary to use the recommendations of improving the extension organization’s reediness to use social media, in order to exploit the high willingness of farmers, and start using social media to provide extension services in Assiut governorate through implementing an initial initiative through farmers who use social media, and then the initiative can be expanded to include non-users through their family members who are using social media, taking into account the respondents’ suggestions for the successful use of social media in the provision of agricultural extension services.

Assessing the Status of Social Media Familiarity among Smallholder Farmers: A Case Study of Thika, Kiambu Kenya

Social media provides huge opportunities and incentives that could ease promotion of agricultural extension, facilitate real-time service delivery and enable wider farmer coverage. Ineffective dissemination approaches, expanding farmer population, low staffing, and aging agricultural extension agents continue to negatively affect the provision of agricultural extension services in Kenya. Despite the social media potential in agricultural communication, lack of awareness and low usage in the rural areas of developing countries have been documented. This study sought to establish the level of social media familiarity among smallholder rural farmers with the aim of exploring the possibility of usage in agricultural extension. The study was undertaken in Thika Sub-County of Kiambu County on 140 farmers through a researcher administered semi-structured questionnaire. Probability-proportional-to-size sampling method was employed to derive the sample size from existing extension farmer groups. Simple random sampling technique was further used to identify the actual respondents from each group. A low level of social media familiarity was established among the farmers with education, age and gender having significant influence. The study recommends awareness creation initiatives to promote social media familiarity with a particular focus on women who form the bulk of the farmers but with the lowest level of social media knowledge.

Lowland grazing and Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in Kween district, Eastern Uganda

BackgroundUganda is one of the few countries in Africa that has been experiencing outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, Marburg and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fevers. In 2017 Uganda experienced a Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak with case fatality rate of 100% in Kween district. Although hunting for wild meat was linked to the MVD outbreak in Kween district, less was reported on the land use changes, especially the changing animal grazing practices in Kween district.MethodsThrough Makerere University One Health graduate fellowship program with attachment to Uganda Red Cross Society, a study was conducted among the agricultural communities to elucidate the risk behaviors in Kween district that can be linked to the 2017 Marburg disease outbreak.ResultsResults show that although a few elderly participants ascribed fatal causes (disobedience to gods, ancestors, and evil spirits) to the MVD outbreak during FGDs, majority of participants linked MVD to settling in caves (inhabited by Fruit Bats) during wet season as upper belts are extensively used for crop production leaving little space for animal grazing. Members also noted side activities like hunting for wild meat during this grazing period that could have predisposed them to Marburg Virus.ConclusionsThere is need to integrate One Health concepts within agricultural extension service provision in Uganda so as to enhance the management of such infectious diseases.

Perceptions about quality of public and private agricultural extension in Africa: Evidence from farmers in Burkina Faso

AbstractIn a context of more involvement of the private sector in the provision of agricultural extension services as policy option in Burkina Faso, and since policy evidence is needed to better in...

Agricultural Extension: Challenges of Extension service for rural poor and youth in Amhara Region, North Western Ethiopia. The Case of North Gondar Zone

Ethiopia is one of the countries on the African continent with highest agricultural potential. Its natural resources base is the foundation of any economic development, food security and other basic necessities of its people. Predominantly smallholder agriculture is the dominant sector of the national economy. Smallholder agriculture is the dominant sector of the national economy. To boost the production and productivity of the agriculture sector; the extension systems is expected to play paramount role. However, the agricultural system is still characterized by low level of Agricultural service delivery practice that couldn’t move the existing traditional agriculture in to modern. The objective of the study is toexamine constraints in addressing women farmers and rural youth and to assess constraints of extension system in promoting agricultural technologies to farmers in the study area. Primary and Secondary data was collected for the study purpose. In addition to respondents’ interview, focus group discussion, key informants interview and case studies were used for qualitative data analysis. Descriptive statistics of mean, standard devotions and percent was applied. For statistical tests, chi-square, T-test, Pearson and spearman’s correlation coefficient were employed. As a conclusion, the challenges of existing public agricultural extension service provision institutional, technological and technical and in terms of addressing cross-cutting issues such as environment and gender as theses have wider contexts to look into existing endogenous and exogenous constraints.

A framework for strengthening agricultural knowledge systems for improved accessibility of agricultural knowledge in Morogoro Region of Tanzania

Access to agricultural knowledge has been a serious challenge among farmers in Tanzania. To overcome this, various strategies have been implemented, but few have managed to limit the effect of the problem. The current study was set to design a framework for strengthening agricultural knowledge systems (AKS) with the view to improve access to agricultural knowledge among agricultural stakeholders in Tanzania. Furthermore, the study identified actors in agricultural knowledge systems and determined factors influencing the efficiency of AKS. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaires directed to 314 farmers and 57 AKS actors among agricultural researchers, agricultural extension staff, policy makers, village executives and input suppliers. Findings indicate that individual experience and involvement of actors influence agricultural knowledge creation. Accessibility of agricultural knowledge was influenced by: awareness of knowledge and its sources, ownership of communication tools, affordability of mobile phone tariffs, level of development of knowledge infrastructure, time that radio/TV agricultural programmes were aired, membership in farmers’ groups/associations and provision of agricultural extension services. To strengthen usage of AKS, this study proposes a framework for improving the performance of agricultural knowledge processes and knowledge accessibility. It is hoped that the framework will assist in guiding agricultural actors in sharing knowledge.