Kenya – The status of extension and advisory services in Kenya: a case study of policies, capacities, approaches and impact

The Status of Extension and Advisory Services in Kenya: Policies, capacities, approaches and impact Maurice Bolo (ATPS) and Felister Makini (KARI)

Role of agriculture in Kenya’s economy
26% of national GDP
60% of total export earnings
27% of GDP through links with other service related sectors
Over 80% of total employment
On the forefront towards attaining Kenya’s Vision 2030

Evolution of the Policy Environment
From a centrally managed, government controlled extension system to a diversified, pluralistic system of extension with multiple actors.
From supply-led, transfer-of-technology (ToT) models to integrated/participatory technology development and transfer models
From a fully public sector funded system to cost-sharing models where beneficiaries pay for the cost of extension
Changing roles of the public extension system from direct service provision to facilitating and linking farmers with other research and extension service providers

Gender considerations
Participation of women in major industrial sectors is minimal compared to social and service based sectors
Women in formal employment in agric and forestry declined from 25% in 2004 to 24.5% in 2009
MoA has developed a gender mainstreaming strategy

NASEP provisions on gender
Influence development and dissemination of gender – sensitive technologies
Education and awareness creation for a change of attitudes on gender relations
Influence mainstreaming of gender in schools and training institutions curricula
Target youth and mould them as future farmers and agri-business entrepreneurs

Tools and approaches
Identify points of intervention along the value chain in order to make greater impact e.g. empowering the retailers to provide solutions to farmers.
The use of audio-visual techniques/facilities such as the demonstration kits/DVDs in the “uwezo bus” seem to be more appealing and have longer lasting effect on farmers.
Engaging locals who speak/understand local languages, contexts, cultures and power structures as extensionists has proven effective in both the Syngenta and Africa Harvest cases

Tools and approaches...
The use of local FM stations as channels for educating farmers/raising awareness has been effective mainly because these FM stations broadcast in local languages
Establishing local information centres with computers/internet not only provides market and production knowledge but also helps to attract the youth in these local settings to agriculture e.g. KENFAP
Demand-driven approaches to supporting local community groups helps these community groups to identify their needs, proffer solutions and empowers them with requisite skills e.g. ATIRI.

Linkages and collaborations
Linkages are either formal or informal depending on purpose, needs, objectives, context etc
NALEP had regular stakeholder forums
ATIRI – several stakeholders in research and extension committees; KARI APVCs
Funding mechanisms requiring consortia e.g. NCST

Capacity development
MoA has two colleges offering certificate and diploma level courses
There are 27 Agricultural Training Centres to provide intensive short-term courses to farmers and stakeholders
There are 10 agricultural technology development centres to develop, test, customize and offer appropriate technology to farmers

Capacity development...
There are 4 public universities offering agric courses – Nairobi, Moi, JKUAT and Egerton
Increase in the number of students taking agric courses in public universities from 5,950 in 2006 to 6,735 in 2009
The number of students enrolling for diploma courses at Egerton has also increased from 1,853 to 2,244 over the same period

Funding
Budgetary allocation to agric as a % of the total national budget has declined from 6.2% in 2006/07 to 2.8% in 2009/10
Actual expenditure in agric has increased from kshs. 8.659 billion in 2006/07 to Kshs. 13.139 billion in 2008/09
Ratio of recurrent : development expenditure stands at 60:40

Funding ...
Expenditure at the MoA shows that “facilitation of extension services and research” accounts for 52.5% in 2007/08 and 49.9% in 2008/09
The recurrent expenditures of these extension budget have increased from 65.5% in 2007/08 to 71% in 2008/09

Conclusions
There are isolated cases of success with plural service providers, but there are challenges too. As such, phasing out public extension in favour of private actors should be preceded by an in-depth study
The budgetary allocations to extension service salaries and wages – leaving hardly any money for operations which are funded by donors
There is need for continous curricula review in agricultural colleges and universities

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
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Kenya – The status of extension and advisory services in Kenya: a case study of policies, capacities, approaches and impact

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