Perspectives of Exiting Undergraduate Agriculture Students on the Status of Agricultural Extension in Selected Counties in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25175/jrd/2018/v37/i2/104759Keywords:
Extension Service, Future Farmers, Food and Nutrition SecurityAbstract
Although agriculture is still a critical driver of Kenya’s economic development, extension service is generally invisible and inaccessible to majority of small-scale farmers in rural areas. Consequently, both food insecurity and land degradation have remained key development and environmentalchallenges. Further, government budgetary allocations to this sector have declined over the years. The situation has been worsened by the devolution of agriculture to the County government level. For purposes of planning, perspectives on the future of extension service were solicited from exiting undergraduate students taking soil and water conservation course at Kenyatta University in 2015. This assessment was also meant to indirectly gauge whether the students understood the importance of extension service in soil and water conservation and development. This paper highlights the views of this clientele and the implications for future planning and policy in extension service. Results show that households still regard extension service as a critical input in soil and water conservation and land use planning, in general. However, its apparent invisibility, particularly in rural areas, contributes to low yields, decline in the number of farming households and increase in land degradation. To reinvigorate extension service thus calls for a paradigm shift in policy that views extension as a right to tax-paying farmers, who are entitled to information held by the State, particularly now that the right to food is a constitutional requirement. Training and visit as a social process is still the most preferred method of outreach. Contrary to popular opinion, majority of respondents indicated a willingness to work in the agriculture sector. Accordingly, annual budgetary allocaton to this devolved sector needs to address County-specific agricultural priorities in pursuit of food and nutrition security, youth employment and wealth creation.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
References
Anandajayasekeram P, Puskur R, Workneh S and Hoekstra D. (2008), Concepts and Practices in Agricultural Extension in Developing Countries: A Source Book, IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute), Washington, DC, USA, and ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. 275 pp.
Anderson, J.R. and Feder, G. (2007), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, Vol .3, Chapter 44: Agricultural Extension, World Bank, Washington, DC. pp. 2344-2367.
Berdegue, J. A. and Escobar, G. (2001), Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems and Poverty Reduction, Santiago, Casilla 228-22
Christoplos, I. (2010). Mobilizing the Potential of Rural and Agricultural Extension, Neuchatel Group.
Commission for University Education (2016), Status of Universities in Kenya, Nairobi.
Cuellarl M, Hedlund H, Mbai J and Mwangi J, (2006), The National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme (NALEP) Phase 1 Impact Assessment, Sida Evaluation 06/31 Department for Africa, Accessed on 19th July from: http://www.sida.se/publications.
Dixon J. (2010), Operationalising Participatory Research and Farmer-to-Farmer Extension: The Kamayoq in Peru: Routledge Informa Ltd., Registered in England and Wales, Registered Number: 1072954 Registered Office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK.
Estambale T N, Nderitu J H, Njoroge K, Kasina J M. (2013). Factors that influence enrolment in agriculture and related sciences in public universities in Kenya. Journal of Education and Social Sciences. 2 :(1) 3-25.
Evenson, R. E. (2005), The Economic Contribution of Agricultural Extension to Agricultural and Rural Development, Rome, FAO.
Gautam, M (1999), Agricultural Extension: The Kenya Experience. World Bank Operations Evaluation Department, Report No. 19523.
http://beverlyschoolofkenya.com/future-farmer-schools-program/ (accessed in March 2018).
http://www.globalagriculture.org/report-topics/food-sovereignty.html (accessed March 2018).
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000207776/food-security-vital-to-development (Accessed on 18th July, 2016).
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs (accessed on 26th April, 2016).
https://www.google.com/#q=county+boundaries+map+kenya (accessed in April, 2016)
Karembu M. (2011), Assessment of the Policy Environment and Institutional Arrangements for Development and Uptake of Bio-Resources Innovations in East Africa; safaricombusiness.co.ke.
Langinger, N. (2011), School Feeding Programs in Kenya: Transitioning to a Homegrown Approach, Stanford Journal of International Relations, 13 (1) 30-37.
Leavy J and Sally Smith S. (2010), Future Farmers: Youth Aspirations, Expectations and Life Choices. Discussion Paper 013. Accessed in March 2018 from: http://www.future-agricultures.org/pdf.
Mahmood, K. C. (2005). Analysis of Alternative Extension Approaches to Technology Dissemination and its Utilization for Sustainable Agricultural Development, Faisalabad, Pakistan, University of Agriculture.
Muyanga M and JayneT S. (2008), Private Agricultural Extension System in Kenya: Practice and Policy Lessons, The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 14:2, 111-124.
Muyanga, M (2006), Agricultural Extension in Kenya: Practice and Policy Lessons Egerton University, Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development Working Paper 26; (Retrieved on 25th Jan, 2017 from http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/55168).
NDPC (2010), Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda, GSGDA, Accra, Office of the Commission.
Norman D. (2000), FSR: A Personal Evolution. In: Collinson M (ed), A History of Farming Systems Research, CABI (Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International) Publishing, London, UK.
Olsson, L., Eklundh, L., Ardö, J. (2005), A Recent Greening of the Sahel—Trends, Patterns and Potential Causes, Journal of Arid Environments, 63 (3): 556-566.
Omondi J O. ( 2014), Kenya Rolls Out e-Extension to Improve Agriculture (retrieved on 24th Jan, 2017 from http://www.biztechafrica.com/article/kenya-rolls-out-e-extension-improve-agriculture/8384/.
Rajaonarison, H. M. (2014), Food and Human Security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Procedia Environmental Sciences, Issue 20, 377-385.
Rayfuse, R. & Weisfelt, N. (2012), The International Policy and Regulatory Challenges of Food Security: An Overview, In: R. Rayfuse & N. Weisfelt, eds. The Challenge of Food Security. International Policy and Regulatory Frameworks, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 3-15
Republic of Kenya (2007), National Agricultural Extension Policy Implementation Framework, Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, Nairobi.
Republic of Kenya (2010), The Constitution of Kenya, Published by the National Council for Law Reporting with the Authority of the Attorney General, Nairobi.
Republic of Kenya (2016), Budget Highlights 2016/17, The “Mwananchi Guideâ€, The National Treasury, Nairobi.
Republic of Kenya, (2001). National Agriculture Extension Policy (NAEP). Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Nairobi. December, 2001.
Republic of Kenya, (2012), National Agricultural Sector Extension Policy (NASEP), Agricultural Sector Coordination Unit (ASCU), Nairobi, June, 2012.
Speranza, C. I., Kiteme, B. and Opondo, M, (2009) Adopting Public Agricultural Extension Services to Climate Change: Insight from Kenya, German Development Institute.
Suttie, J.M., Reynolds, S.G., Batello, C. (eds.). (2005), Grasslands of the World. Plant Production and Protection Series, No. 34, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome.
Thomas D. (1997), Soil and Water Conservation Manual for Kenya, Nairobi.
Tiffen M, Mortimore M, and Gichuki F (1994), More People Less Erosion, Environmental Recovery in Kenya, ACTS Press, Nairobi.
UN (2017), Famine in Somalia Averted, For Now (accessed in March, 2018 from https://www.voanews.com/ a/famine-in-somalia-averted-for-now/3908196.html.
UNEP (2012), Sahel Atlas of Changing Landscapes: Tracing Trends and Variations in Vegetation Cover and Soil Condition, United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi.
Vink, N. (2012), Food Security and African Agriculture, South African Journal of International Affairs, 19 (2) 157177.
Waddington, H., Snilstveit, B., White, H. and Anderson, J. (2010), The Impact of Agricultural Extension Services, International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, 3ie Synthetic Reviews –SR009, Protocol.
Waithaka, M., Nelson, G., Thomas, T. and Kyotalimye, M. (2013), Kenya, In: East African Agriculture and Climate Change, Washington D.C., International Food Policy Research Institute.
