1. Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Evaluating Extension Reforms –
Implications for Nigeria
Dr. Suresh Babu
International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C
July 16, 2013

2. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Introduction
• How do we inform policy makers about the
evidence on the best policy path they can take to
reform agricultural extension in their country?
• How can we do this using extension policies?
• Focused on Seed and Fertilizer policies
• Country level status; description of the Extension
system, issues, constraints and challenges
identified
• Evaluation of the extension system performance
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What issues addressed?
• Common issues to all countries – how to increase
the efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability of the
extension systems
• What factors contribute to the improved efficiency of
the extension systems?
• What factors contribute the effectiveness of the
extension systems?
• What are the institutional innovations observed in
the current extension system?
• What opportunities exists to improve the system
efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability?
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What issues addressed so far?
• What factors improve the structure, conduct and
performance of the extension systems?
• What are the current policies that make the
delivery system inefficient, ineffective and
unsustainable?
• What policy processes are needed to achieve
the expected policy outcomes?
• What are the knowledge gaps?
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What is the emerging Analytical Framework?
Broad political,
macroeconomic
framework for
economic growth
objectives
Nature of the country
context; geography,
size of agricultural
economy, agricultural
transformation goals
Agro ecology
cropping patterns,
natural resource
constraints,
Country Specific
extension program
Interventions
Policy, institutional
and market
interventions needed
to increase
productivity and
sustainability
Reforms needed for
Increase the
Technology change
Analysis of extension
program interventions
Analysis of Changes
at the farm, market
and institutional levels
Analysis of extension
programs for Farm
level impact
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Public sector MAIN extension arm in India
(Using India as an example because it is similar to Nigeria)
State Department of Agriculture
• Present in all states, up to Block, Panchayat
• Staff numbers low; weak research link; top-down, linear
• Perform non-extension duties & implement schemes
ICAR – Krishi Vigyan Kendra
• Present in all districts, multi-disciplinary team
• Linear; staff low; partnerships/linkage rare; local coverage
ICAR –State Agricultural University
• Lab to land, frontline extension in few adopted villages or near
location = farmer reach limited
• Info rarely reflects local needs = centralised agendas
• Weak partnerships and links in ICAR and also with Dept of Ag

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Where do Indian farmers get their info?
(Using India as an example because it is similar to Nigeria)
% farmers for each info source (NSSO, 2005)
Not accessed any source
Other progressive farmers
Input dealer
Radio
TV
Newspaper
Extension worker
KVK
Private agency/NGO

8. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Innovations in public sector extension –
the 10th and 11th 5 year plans
(Using India as an example because it is similar to Nigeria)
• Support to State Extension Programs for
Extension Reforms (SSEPER) = Agricultural
Technology Management Agency (ATMA)
• Agriclinics and Agribusiness scheme
• Kisan Call Centres
• Soil Testing Programs

9. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
ATMA
(Using India as an example because it is similar to Nigeria)
Organizational structure
during pilot and national up-scale
Revised structure 2010

10. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Nigeria Case: Key objectives
• To develop a framework for assessing extension system reform
by identifying general goals, the strategies devised to meet
them, and indicators that can measure the success of the
reforms.
• To determine the type and extent of extension system reforms in
Nigeria as well as the environment that stimulated these reforms
and the conditions that made reform measures successful or not.
• To identify the causal factors and influences in the reform
process that determined the success (or failure) of Nigeria’s
reforms.
• To identify the necessary conditions for successful reform from
which other countries can learn from in order to enhance their
own extension system and inform their reform efforts.
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Key Questions
• Challenges of Extension
• Reform Objectives
• Reform Measures
• Reform Strategies
• Reform Indicators and performance
assessments
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Relevance
• Number of relevant questions within national
survey
• Survey farmers: how often were they asked what
their needs are
• Proportion of relevant information (compared to
proportion of needs identified)
• Develop score cards to assess the relevance of
the extension program delivery
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Efficiency and Effectiveness
Indicators
• Effectiveness: ability to achieve stated extension
goals.
• Efficiency: Achieving maximum possible
performance for any given expenditure of resources.
• Extension workers Check public records
• Farmer surveys: Existence of options to obtain
information?
• Number of extension worker training programs
• Use of score cards to see the effectiveness and
efficiency of program delivery
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Impact and Sustainability
• Existence of local oversight committees
• Number of services provided by private
companies
• Number of local organizations actively involved
in extension system
• Number of trainees in system
• Frequency or, and turnout at public consultations
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Issues for Policy Options
• A fuller understanding of the historical trends, and enabling
environment and the policy process
• An evaluation of the outcomes and success of the
reformed agricultural extension system
• An assessment of the reform process, from policy to
program, and from program to action that identifies all
actors and players
• An assessment of the necessary and sufficient conditions
to improve the relevance, effectiveness, and operational
sustainability of the Nigerian extension system
• An analysis of the factors affecting extension policy reforms
and the needed refinements
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16. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
DISCUSSIONS?
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