World bank Project: Quality Agricultural Services for Uganda's Farmers

World Bank, April 2007

Over the last 10 years, the main sources of growth in Ugandan agriculture-which are expansion of area under cultivation and improvement of incentives for farmers to produce-have been played out, meaning that Uganda must look to such alternatives as increasing productivity of land and labor and shifting production patterns from low-value staples to higher value commodities.

Approach 

According to the Bank, low productivity of Ugandan farmers is attributed to research and extension services that are not adequately demand-driven and low use of new technologies by farmers even when they are available. Uganda's Plan for the Modernization of Agriculture assigns first priority to agriculture extension and research, focusing on achieving greater relevance in both the research and extension programs. This effort is supported by a multi-donor National Agricultural Advisory Services Project (NAADS)-designed to make poor farmers aware of and equipped to adopt, improved technology and management practices. By the end of 2006, the project was operating in 37 districts (of a total of 80). By the end of 2007, it is expected to have reached 64 districts.

Results

The project is ongoing, but initial surveys suggest that farmers in those counties covered by the project are adopting technologies that lead to real improvements in yields and farm incomes. Productivity of those farmers is reported to be 27 percent higher than those in areas not currently served by the project.

Highlights:
- The NAADS project continues to expand rapidly.
- As a result of the confidence in the program, the government budget allocation for the program of agricultural advisory services increased 46 percent in 2006/07.
- 64 percent of farmers groups have reported replicating some aspects of the new project technology on their own fields.

More information on the project can be found here