An evaluation of the extension service in Lesotho

Productivity is always the thrust of any discussion on performanceefficiency in any organisation. Organisations often differ on the definition of the term. Organisations that provide social services, like extension find it more difficult to define productivity. However, the one thing that they agree upon is that productivity is achieved through employeesworkers. The extension service in Lesotho and other developing countries have been criticised for not being able to bring the necessary change in the farming populace especially the rural and resource poor. Extension workers are faced with problems that need to be dealt with in order for them and extension as a whole to be effective and efficient. There are constraints that hinder extension workers to do their work resulting in poor performance and low efficiency. Extension managers have a big role to play in ensuring that extension workers improve their performance and as a result become more efficient and productive. Managers must learn how to improve human behaviour at work through application of personnel management techniques. The techniques include, how to direct, train and motivate employees. Evaluation of workers performance is also very important. It has to be done by using the right instrument and using it in a proper way so that it will clearly indicate areas where attention should be paid. Results of the study show that the performance ratings of extension workers give an illusion that extension staffs were performing well. This cannot be true because all the factors that affect efficiency were found to be negative. It is obvious that the evaluation instrument was not properly implemented. The performance of extension workers is a result of motivation, ability, knowledge and skills, attitudes, availability and quality of resources for the work to be done. The main hypothetical assumption underlying this evaluation is that a number of factors that determine the efficiencyperformance of extension workers in Lesotho are not properlyadequately in place and hence the efficiency of extension workers is low. The findings of this study are presented and discussed in the subsequent chapters. The conclusions arising thereof form the basis for the recommendations that have been submitted for policy and research.