Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospects

Abstract

Background:In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), impact evaluation has been used to assess whether agricultural extension interventions have brought the intended result or to establish causal linkages between interventions and outcomes. However, there is some scepticism about the validity and reliability of the results of the impact evaluation reports due to some contradictory and exaggerated results.Objectives: This article analyses some impact evaluation studies conducted in SSA as to why contradictions and exaggerations are manifested in some reports and what would be the future prospects of impact evaluation of agricultural extension programmes in the region.Methods: Impact evaluation reports and results of agricultural extension programmes from 10 SSA countries were reviewed and analysed based on impact evaluation principles and theories. Results:The results show that most of the evaluations reported positive impacts. There are also conflicting reports on extension performance. The fact that the overwhelming majority of impact evaluation reports claim positive extension impacts is not in line with the reports on agricultural productivity growth in the region. There are various reasons for overestimated impacts and contradictory results, which include use of poor impact evaluation methodologies, lack of reliable data and insufficient capacity to conduct rigorous impact evaluations. Conclusion:Due to these challenges and the shift in agricultural research and extension approaches, it is recommended that rather than investing effort in trying to prove impact, greater attention should be given to improving impact as well as using other innovative monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and learning tools that consider the dynamic nature of agricultural development.

Changes in agri-business outcomes among the dairy beneficiaries of contracted extension service delivery model in Kenya

“…The evaluation of benefits of extension services to beneficiaries is at the outcome and impact levels (Spielman, 2008;White, 2009). Most of the impact evaluations of extension programme in Africa report positive and significant impacts, but the results are disputed because agricultural production and productivity has over the years remained stagnant (Taye, 2013). This reflects challenges in impact evaluation of extension interventions, which includes failure to control for extraneous factors, design effects and estimating the counterfactual conditions.…”

Analysis of Effects of Agriculture Intervention Using Propensity Score Matching

“…There is less common rigorous impact evaluations of agricultural extension interventions despite the vast literature dealing with issues related to agricultural extension (Waddington et al, 2010). Heinrich et al (2010) argue that this is a result of several problems accompanied by the evaluation of the programmes.…”

Profitability and efficiency evaluation of the financial management of a socio-economic intervention

“…One relevant research on the evaluation of extension services is the study conducted by Taye (2013). He found that positive impacts were mostly reported in the evaluation.…”