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

The present study examines whether agricultural extension improves household crop productivity, reduces poverty as well as 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 on the crop productivity is estimated by treatment effects model which controls for the sample selection associated with household participation in agricultural extension. In this model, the distance to agricultural extension service centre is used as an instrument for participation in agricultural extension. It is found that household crop productivity was significantly raised by household participation in all types of agricultural extension programs except NGO programs, while household expenditure per capita was also significantly increased by participation in most cases. This is consistent with the central objectives of agricultural extension to improve productivity and reduce poverty. Further evidence is provided on the role of extension in reducing vulnerability as expected poverty associated with extension programs of NAADS, large farmers and other types of extension service providers.