The document outlines strategies for enhancing agricultural extension services in Kenya to address challenges faced by small-scale farmers, who dominate the sector. It presents a national agricultural sector extension policy that emphasizes pluralism, effective management, and stakeholder collaboration, aiming to improve productivity and reduce poverty. Key recommendations include empowering clientele, implementing participatory monitoring and evaluation, and integrating information and communication technology.

1. STRENGTHENING EXTENSION &
ADVISORYSERVICE DELIVERY TOWARDS
MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST
CENTURY
The Critical Factors – The Kenya Experience
BY MARY KAMAU
DIRECTOR, EXTENSION & TRAINING
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
KENYA
DURING THE GLOBAL FORUM FOR RURAL ADVISORY SERVICES (GFRAS) 3RD
ANNUAL CONFERENCE, MANILA PHILIPPINES 25 SEPTEMBER 2012
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2. Agricultural Extension in Kenya
• Kenya’s agriculture is dominated by small
scale farmers (75% of the total production).
• There are wide variations among the small
farmers in management practices and
husbandry skills
• Therefore, provision of high quality extension
services is very critical for improvement of
smallholder productivity, farm incomes and
hence poverty reduction benefits
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3. National Agricultural Sector
Extension Policy (NASEP)
• Developed by Key sector Ministries with the
objective of making extension service
delivery more effective and efficient.
• Has strong focus on promotion of pluralistic
and demand driven extension service.
• Addresses funding modalities and
regulation of extension services
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4. Outline of Critical Factors
1. Improved Management and organisation of Ext. Service
2. Promoting Pluralistic In Extension Provision
3. Participatory M&E in Extension implemented
4. Appropriate Extension Approaches and Methods
5. Clientele Empowerment
6. Stakeholder Collaboration & Networking
7. Research-extension-client Linkages
8. Institutional and Human Resource Capacity Building
9. Information & Communication Technology (ICT)
10. Mainstreaming Cross-Cutting Issues
11. Financing of Extension Service
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5. 1. Improve Management and Organisation of
Extension Service:
• Embrace pluralism in extension services delivery
• Promote decentralization of decision making processes
• Establish an independent regulatory system
• Establish of participatory M&E and impact assessment;
• Invest in capacity building (for private and public
extension providers, extension clientele, etc.);
• Strengthen inter-sectoral planning (to improve extension
facilitating factors.
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6. 2. Promote Pluralism in Extension Provision
• Develop guidelines, code of ethics and standards for
extension providers.
• Establish regulatory body for registration and
accreditation of extension providers and practitioners.
• Strengthen public-private partnerships
• Build capacity of private sector to operate
• Empower community organizations
• Institutional linkage to providers of facilitating factors
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7. 3. Implement Participatory M&E in Extension
i. Service Charters for Extension Service Providers
ii. Use a dynamic, Participatory M&E Framework
iii. Undertake TNA and train stakeholders on PM&E
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8. 4. Use Appropriate Extension Approaches and
Methods
• Promote market and value addition orientation in
production
• Demand driven and beneficiary led approach
• Use of group approaches
• Have clear accountability mechanisms;
• Recognise socio-economic and cultural characteristics
of the clients
• Mainstream cross-cutting issues
• Promote enterprise diversification
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9. Farmers during a Method Demonstration
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10. 5. Empower Clientele
• Develop community information system networks.
• Promote good governance in clientele groups and
cooperatives.
• Build the capacity for community groups on e.g. resource
mobilisation and access
• Harmonise clientele empowerment approaches
• Link clients with service providers
• Link clients with the markets
• Empower community groups on technology development
and entrepreneurship business skills.
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11. Farmers and stakeholders tour a cabbage demonstration
plot during a farmers’ field day in an ATC.
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12. 6. Stakeholder Collaboration & Networking
• Should provide for integrated approach to problem
solving
• Increase efficiency in utilization of resources
• Minimize duplication of efforts
• Allow for exchange of ideas/updating of
technologies
• Take into account institutional comparative
advantages
• Strife for benefits to all stakeholders
(win-win situation).
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13. 7. Research-Extension-Client Linkages
• Facilitate strengthening of research-extension-client
linkages and feedback mechanism.
• Sector ministries and research bodies to design a
workable mechanism for strengthening research-
extension-client linkage and feedback.
• Institutionalise research setting priorities
• Formulate sustainable funding mechanisms for
technology development, dissemination and Clientele
access.
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14. 8. Institutional and Human Resource Capacity
Building
• Extension personnel are well trained and motivated.
• In-service staff training on e.g. farming as a business;
value addition; emerging technological developments.
• Gender balance in service and mainstreaming in
training.
• Ensure rationalization of staff recruitment and
deployment
• Public training institutions should respond to the wider
sectoral and stakeholder requirements
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15. 9. Information & Communication Technology
(ICT)
• Investment in human skills and operational
infrastructure (for personnel and clientele capacity
building in ICT).
• Establish an integrated and dynamic database for
the sector.
• Operate ICT-based rural information centres.
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16. 10. Mainstreaming Cross-Cutting Issues
• Mainstream HIV/AID
• Capacity building of CBOs on governance
• Communities basic rights and obligation
• Resource use conflict management
• Management and conservation of natural resources
and environment
• Gender friendly extension approaches
• Vulnerable groups such as the disabled and
resource-poor farmers
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17. 11. Financing of Extension Service
• Commercialisation of extension services
• Privatization of services where private sector
business can thrive
• Ensure adequate funding mechanism of extension
services.
• Facilitate a stakeholder-driven Trust Fund for
extension service
• Institutional arrangements for cost sharing and
graduating to full cost recovery.
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18. Agricultural Staff on practical training in a
Research Center
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19. END
THANK YOU
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