Context Specificity and Time Dependency in Classifying Sub-Saharan Africa Dairy Cattle Farmers for Targeted Extension Farm Advice: The Case of Uganda

Abstract

Despite the huge potential for milk production, interventions to improve productivity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are barely based on specified farm classifications. This study aimed to develop robust and context-specific farm typologies to guide content of extension farm advice/services in Uganda. From a sample of 482 dairy farmers, we collected data on farmer socio-demographics, farm management practices, ownership of farm tools and facilities, willingness to pay for extension services, milk production, and marketing. Farm typologies were obtained based on principal component and cluster analyses. Thereby, of the three dairy production systems that emerged, small-scale, largely subsistence yet extensive and low productive farms were more prominent (82.6%). Farms that were classified as large-scale, less commercialized yet extensive with modest productive systems were more than the medium-scale commercial farms with intensive and highly productive systems. However, the later were considered to potentially transform dairy farming in Uganda. It was also predicted that the validity of our farm classification may persist until half of the farms have moved between clusters. The study gives new insights on dairy production systems in Uganda, which can be used to organize more targeted research on farmers’ extension needs for facilitating delivery of relevant and effective extension services and designing appropriate extension policies.

Rule-Based Engine for Automatic Allocation of Smallholder Dairy Producers in Preidentified Production Clusters

“…Agricultural extension and advising services are critical agents in agricultural development, poverty alleviation, and food security [ 29 ]. Agricultural extension and advisory services can help farmers address production and management issues by improving their technical knowledge, farm management skills, and information systems, resulting in increased production, higher economic returns, and a boost to the national and global economies [ 29 ]. Extension services and delivery techniques, on the other hand, are often unsuccessful in meeting the needs and technological hurdles that farmers face [ 29 ].…”

“…Agricultural extension and advisory services can help farmers address production and management issues by improving their technical knowledge, farm management skills, and information systems, resulting in increased production, higher economic returns, and a boost to the national and global economies [ 29 ]. Extension services and delivery techniques, on the other hand, are often unsuccessful in meeting the needs and technological hurdles that farmers face [ 29 ]. Moreover, farmers share their knowledge, bridging the gap between them and extension officers [ 30 ].…”

Agricultural Advisory Diagnostics Using a Data-Based Approach: Test Case in an Intensively Managed Rural Landscape in the Ganga River Basin, India

“…Over time, governments of developed countries have reduced direct investments in agricultural extension (Laurent et al, 2006;Rivera, 2011). Moreover, in the developing world, agricultural extension has been described as "failing" (Government of Malawi, 2000), "moribund" (Eicher, 2001), "in disarray or barely functioning at all" (Rivera et al, 2001), or ineffective in responding to farmer demands and technological challenges (Ahikiriza et al, 2021). Factors like wealth, risk preferences, education, access and affordability of information and learning (Aker, 2011) can result in technology adoption slowing down and becoming more discontinuous, further threatening agricultural productivity (Oduniyi, 2021).…”

Mobile-based peer-to-peer learning prototype for smallholder dairy producers

“…Smallholder dairy producers have tried several strategies to improve milk yielding, but these attempts involve several heuristics, time-consuming, and financial investments (Nyambo et al, 2019). Agricultural extension and consulting services are key players in farming growth, poverty mitigation, and food security (Ahikiriza et al, 2021). By advancing their technical knowledge, farm administration expertise, and information structure, farming extension and advice-giving facilities can assist farmers in identifying production and administration matters, which boosts productivity, higher returns on investment, and the growth of the national and global economies.…”

“…For increasing milk, yielding dairy farmer groups should be aided in using technology to enhance quality and quantity production (Kyaruzi et al, 2019). Effective classification can help agricultural growth in SSA by informing extension services (Ahikiriza et al, 2021). It is reported that the predominance of these smallholders deprived their production perspective regarding commercialization and yielding (Nyambo et al, 2019).…”