Implications of Agricultural Extension and Gender on Seed Sourcing Among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda
Conference Year
2023
Abstract
Agricultural extension services have been vital for the development of the agricultural sector across the globe, providing access to information and support for farmers to improve their productivity and economic livelihoods. However, many studies have shown that access to extension services may not be equitable, mediated by factors such as gender, geographic location, and type of production system. In East African countries, resource constraints and gender substantially shape which small-scale farmers access extension services. This study uses data from two waves of the Ugandan National Panel Survey (collected with support from the World Bank through the Living Standards Measurement Study – Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS – ISA) to investigate associations between access to agricultural extension services, gender, and participation in the formal seed sector among Ugandan small-scale farmers. Seed choices warrant consideration, given that they are the most important input for crop-based production systems and have anchored many development efforts seeking to enhance the productivity of small-scale farmers (i.e., Green Revolution, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, etc.). Findings suggest that small-scale farmers are more likely to purchase seeds of improved crop varieties through formal market channels after receiving agricultural extension services. We also find that female-headed households are significantly less likely to access extension or participate in the formal seed sector, limiting their access to seeds of improved varieties, providing further evidence that women farmers often confront more resource and social constraints than men. These findings emphasize the need for careful attention to how agricultural extension services can exacerbate existing social inequities and highlight the importance of identifying effective policy approaches to mitigate gender gaps in accessing training, seeds, and other resources.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Daniel Tobin
Secondary Mentor Name
Travis Reynolds
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Program/Major
Community and International Development
Primary Research Category
Social Science
Implications of Agricultural Extension and Gender on Seed Sourcing Among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda
Agricultural extension services have been vital for the development of the agricultural sector across the globe, providing access to information and support for farmers to improve their productivity and economic livelihoods. However, many studies have shown that access to extension services may not be equitable, mediated by factors such as gender, geographic location, and type of production system. In East African countries, resource constraints and gender substantially shape which small-scale farmers access extension services. This study uses data from two waves of the Ugandan National Panel Survey (collected with support from the World Bank through the Living Standards Measurement Study – Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS – ISA) to investigate associations between access to agricultural extension services, gender, and participation in the formal seed sector among Ugandan small-scale farmers. Seed choices warrant consideration, given that they are the most important input for crop-based production systems and have anchored many development efforts seeking to enhance the productivity of small-scale farmers (i.e., Green Revolution, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, etc.). Findings suggest that small-scale farmers are more likely to purchase seeds of improved crop varieties through formal market channels after receiving agricultural extension services. We also find that female-headed households are significantly less likely to access extension or participate in the formal seed sector, limiting their access to seeds of improved varieties, providing further evidence that women farmers often confront more resource and social constraints than men. These findings emphasize the need for careful attention to how agricultural extension services can exacerbate existing social inequities and highlight the importance of identifying effective policy approaches to mitigate gender gaps in accessing training, seeds, and other resources.