Title

Impacts of Agricultural Extension on Crop Productivity, Poverty and Vulnerability: Evidence from Uganda

Abstract

The present study examines whether agricultural extension improves household crop productivity and reduces poverty and vulnerability in rural Uganda drawing upon Uganda National Panel Survey data in 2009-10. We first estimate household crop productivity using stochastic frontier analysis that can allow for stochastic shocks in the production function. Then, the effect of different types of agricultural extension programmes - namely NAADS or government, NGO, cooperatives, large farmer, input supplier and other types extension service providers - on the crop productivity is estimated by treatment effects model which controls for the sample selection bias associated with household participation in the agricultural extension. In this model, the distance to agricultural extension service centre is used as an instrument for participation equation. It is found that participation in agricultural extension programs significantly raised crop productivity and household expenditure per capita in most cases with a few exceptions. This is consistent with the central objectives of agricultural extension to improve productivity and reduce poverty. Further evidence has been provided on the role of most types of agricultural extension in reducing vulnerability as expected poverty.

Keywords

Agricultural Extension, Poverty, Vulnerability, Treatment Effects Model, Uganda

JEL Classification

C21, C31, I32, N57, O13, O16

Inquiries

Md. Faruq HASAN
Department of Agricultural Extension,
Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Katsushi S. IMAI
School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester
and Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration, Kobe University

Takahiro SATO
Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration
Kobe University
Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe
657-8501 Japan
Phone: +81-78-803-7036
FAX: +81-78-803-7059