Impact of the National Agricultural Advisory Services Program on Household Production and Welfare in Uganda
This paper examines the level of participation of vulnerable households (headed by females, youths or people with disabilities) in Uganda's National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) program, and the program's impact on agricultural households' access to extension services, the use of improved technologies, crop yield, the share of output sold, consumption expenditures and poverty level. Results indicate a lower participation rate of vulnerable households in NAADS and further indicate that households participating in NAADS, irrespective of vulnerability status, had higher access to extension services and credit, but the quality of services was of concern. No clear evidence of the program's impact on increased use of improved technologies, crop yields and sales by households was observed. Households that participated in NAADS in both 2005/6 and 2009/10 exhibited relatively higher consumption expenditures than their counterparts that had not participated at all and those who participated in only one period. On the policy front, the Ministry of Agriculture and NAADS management need to implement an affirmative plan targeting more vulnerable farmers in NAADS phase II, recruit competent and dedicated extension workers, increase farmer capacity building activities and provide farmers with effective technical and input support.
| Date: |
2013-03-21 |
| Author: |
Geofrey Okoboi, Annette Kuteesa & Mildred Barungi |
Attached Files
| File | Action |
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| Impact of the National Agricultural Advisory Services Program on Household Production and Welfare in Uganda.pdf | Download |
