The Impact of Agricultural Extension Services on Farm Output: A Worldwide Viewpoint

Stavros Kalogiannidis

Department of Business Administration, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50150, Greece

Dimitrios Syndoukas

Department of Business Administration, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50150, Greece

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/rwae.v5i1.999

Received: 10 December 2023; Received in revised form: 13 March 2024; Accepted: 15 March 2024; Published: 31 March 2024

Copyright © 2024 Stavros Kalogiannidis, Dimitrios Syndoukas. Published by Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte. Ltd.

Creative Commons LicenseThis is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.


Abstract

In order to increase farm productivity and sustainability on a worldwide scale, agricultural extension services are essential in bridging the gap between research and actual farming. This study examined agricultural extension services and their effects on farm productivity. Data were collected using a questionnaire from 382 professional farmers. The results show that agricultural workshops and training positively affect farm productivity, access to government demonstration farms positively influences farm productivity, and media-based agricultural programs have a positive effect on farm productivity. Workshops and training in agriculture may have a very favorable impact on farm output. It’s important to remember that the success of agricultural workshops and training might vary depending on a number of variables, including the training's quality, the information's applicability to local circumstances, the farmers' readiness to embrace new techniques, and the post-training assistance offered. In order to increase and facilitate access to knowledge, suitable production methods, and better inputs, the findings highlight the need to strengthen farmers' organizations and last-mile agricultural input providers. Farmers must have access to knowledge about marketing and other support services that are essential for agricultural growth in order to enhance global development in order to achieve greater farm productivity.

Keywords: Agricultural extension services; Farm productivity; Agricultural workshops and training; Media agricultural programs


References

[1] Lampach, N., Nguyen-Van, P., Nguyen-Anh, T., 2021. The role of agricultural extension programs on crop farming technical efficiency. Preprint. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-891170/v1

[2] Bitzer, V., 2016. Incentives for enhanced performance of agricultural extension systems. Kit Sustainable Economic Development & Gender. 6, 1–8.

[3] Irz, X., Lin, L., Thirtle, C., et al., 2001. Agricultural productivity growth and poverty alleviation. Development Policy Review. 19(4), 449–466. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-7679.00144

[4] Tivy, J., 2020. Agricultural productivity. Agricultural ecology. Routledge: London. pp. 98–122.

[5] Lee, Y., An, D., Kim, T., 2020. The effects of agricultural extension service on crop production, revenue, and profit: Evidence from Mbale district in Uganda. Korean Agricultural Economics Association. 61(3), 161–179. (in Korean). DOI: https://doi.org/10.24997/kjae.2020.61.3.161

[6] Sebaggala, R., Matovu, F., 2020. Effects of Agricultural Extension Services on Farm Productivity in Uganda. African Economic Research Consortium – AERC: Nairobi.

[7] Kalogiannidis, S., Kalfas, D., Giannarakis, G., et al., 2023. Integration of water resources management strategies in land use planning towards environmental conservation. Sustainability. 15(21), 15242. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su152115242

[8] Kaini, M., 2020. Role of agriculture in ensuring food security. International Journal of Humanities and Applied Social Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33642/ijhass.v5n1p1

[9] Giller, K.E., Delaune, T., Silva, J.V., et al., 2021. The future of farming: Who will produce our food? Food Security. 13, 1073–1099. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-021-01184-6

[10] Wickramasinghe, G.A.U., 2018. Fostering productivity in the rural and agricultural sector for inclusive growth in Asia and the Pacific. Asia-Pacific Development Journal. 24(2), 1–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18356/f85ba82d-en

[11] Evenson, R.E., Mwabu, G., 2001. The effect of agricultural extension on farm yields in Kenya. African Development Review. 13(1), 1–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8268.00028

[12] Ragasa, C., Mazunda, J., 2018. The impact of agricultural extension services in the context of a heavily subsidized input system: The case of Malawi. World Development. 105, 25–47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.12.004

[13] Kalogiannidis, S., Chatzitheodoridis, F., Kalfas, D., et al., 2023. Socio-psychological, economic and environmental effects of forest fires. Fire. 6(7), 280. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6070280

[14] OECD, 2021. Agriculture policy (Dimension 14). Competitiveness in South East Europe 2021. OECD: Paris. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/9b8c3a5d-en

[15] Kalogiannidis, S., Papadopoulou, C.I., Loizou, E., et al., 2023. Risk, vulnerability, and resilience in agriculture and their impact on sustainable rural economy development: A case study of Greece. Agriculture. 13(6), 1222. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13061222

[16] Lampach, N., Phu, N.V., The, N.T., 2021. The effect of agricultural extension programs on technical efficiency of crop farms in low and middle-income countries. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3208034

[17] Ahmad, S., Jamal, M., Ikramullah, A., et al., 2007. Role of extension services on the farm productivity of District Swat (a case study of two villages). Sarhad Journal of Agriculture. 23(4), 1265–1271.

[18] Boix-Fayos, C., de Vente, J., 2023. Challenges and potential pathways towards sustainable agriculture within the European Green Deal. Agricultural Systems. 207, 103634. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103634

[19] Chatzitheodoridis, F., Melfou, K., Kontogeorgos, A., et al., 2023. Exploring key aspects of an integrated sustainable urban development strategy in Greece: The case of Thessaloniki City. Smart Cities. 6(1), 19–39. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/smartcities6010002

[20] FAO and ITU, 2020. Status of digital agriculture in 18 countries of Europe and Central Asia. FAO and ITU: Geneva.

[21] Wesley, A., Faminow, M., 2014. Research and Development and Extension Services in Agriculture and Food Security [Internet]. Asian Development Bank. Manila, Philippines. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/151701/ewp-425.pdf

[22] Okafor, G.O., Malizu, C.F., 2013. New media and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. New Media and Mass Communication. 20, 66–73.

[23] Wonde, K.M., Tsehay, A.S., Lemma, S.E., 2022. Training at farmers training centers and its impact on crop productivity and households’ income in Ethiopia: A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Heliyon. 8(7), e09837. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09837

[24] Kosim, M., Aji, J.M.M., Hapsari, T.D., 2021. The impact of agricultural extension on productivity of smallholder sugarcane farmers in East Java. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 892(1), 012009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/892/1/012009

[25] Samsudin, M., & Bin, A. F. (2010). Agriculture Extension and Its Roles in Ensuring Food Safety, Quality and Productivity in Malaysia. Available from: https://www.nodai.ac.jp/cip/iss/english/9th_iss/fullpaper/1-2-1upm-Fikri.pdf

[26] Transforming Food Systems with Farmers: A Pathway for the EU [Internet]. World Economic Forum. Available from: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/consulting/us-transforming-food-systems-farmers.pdf

[27] Mbise, M., 2016. The impact of extension services on agricultural production : A case of maize in Ludewa District of Njombe Region, Tanzania. Research Application Summary. 14(14), 105–111.

[28] Boosting Productivity in the Aftermath of COVID-19 [Internet]. International Monetary Fund. Available from: https://www.imf.org/external/np/g20/pdf/2021/061021.pdf

[29] Gollin, D., 2019. Farm size and productivity: Lessons from recent literature. IFAD Research Series. (34), 1-35.

[30] The Economic Lives of Smallholder Farmers [Internet]. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation. Available from: https://www.fao.org/3/i5251e/i5251e.pdf

[31] Ghimire, R., Joshi, N., Ghimire, S., 2021. Agricultural extension services in Nepal: past, present, & future. book Innovations in Agricultural Extension published by Michigan State University.

[32] Impact Evaluation of the Farmer Training and Development Activity in Honduras [Internet]. NORC. Available from: https://www.oecd.org/countries/honduras/report-100512-evaluation-hon-farmer-training-and-development.pdf

[33] Productivity and Efficiency Measurement in Agriculture: Literature Review and Gaps Analysis [Internet]. FAO. Available from: https://www.fao.org/3/ca6428en/ca6428en.pdf

[34] Tambi, M. D., 2019. Agricultural Training and Its Impact on Food Crop Production in Cameroon. Journal of Socioeconomics and Development, 2(1), 1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31328/jsed.v2i1.740

[35] Normile, M.A., Leetmaa, S.E., 2004. U.S.-EU Food and Agriculture Comparisons. Agriculture and Trade Report. WRS-04-04. Available from: https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/outlooks/40408/30650_wrs0404_002.pdf?v=7245.3

[36] Papaevangelou, O., Syndoukas, D., Kalogiannidis, S., et al., 2023. Information technology and human resource management in educational institutions. Journal of System and Management Sciences. 13(2), 258–272. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33168/JSMS.2023.0218

[37] Jelliffe, J., Gerval, A., Husby, M., et al., 2023. United Kingdom Agricultural Production and Trade Policy Post-Brexit. Available from: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/333547

[38] Afin, R. Natural disasters, agricultural extension, and productivity: Empirical Evidence from Papua New Guinea. Available from: https://devpolicy.org/Events/2023/Workshop-on-Microeconomics-of-Development-in-the-Pacific_14-15Feb/Papers/7_Afin.pdf

[39] Agricultural Extension Manual for Extension Workers [Internet]. SAP & FAO. Available from: https://www.fao.org/3/ca5007en/ca5007en.pdf

[40] Kalfas, D., Kalogiannidis, S., Chatzitheodoridis, F., et al., 2023. Urbanization and land use planning for achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs): A case study of Greece. Urban Science. 7(2), 43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7020043

[41] World Bank, 2007. World development report 2008: Agriculture for development. The World Bank.

[42] Amone, W., 2014. Agricultural productivity and economic development in Uganda: An inclusive growth analysis [Ph.D. thesis]. Mbarara: Mbarara University of Science & Technology.

[43] Kalogiannidis, S., Kalfas, D., Chatzitheodoridis, F., et al., 2022. Role of crop-protection technologies in sustainable agricultural productivity and management. Land. 11(10), 1680. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101680

[44] World Bank, 2011. Growth and productivity in agriculture and agribusiness. World Bank: Washington, D.C. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-8606-4

[45] Zikhali, W., 2017. Impact of agricultural staff training and development on agricultural productivity: a case of Bubi district, Zimbabwe. International Journal of Academic Research and Reflection. 5(3), 11-20.

[46] Kalogiannidis, S., 2021. Business trust and communication as predictors of business growth. WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics. 18, 1512–1522. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2021.18.138

[47] Cabrera Blázquez, F. J., Cappello, M., Talavera Milla, J., et al., 2022. Investing in European Works: The Obligations on VoD Providers. Strasbourg: European Audiovisual Observatory.

[48] Lemma, T., Sehai, E., Hoekstra, D., 2011. Status and capacity of farmer training centers (FTCs) in the improving productivity and market success (IPMS) pilot learning woredas (PLWs).

[49] Giller, K.E., Hijbeek, R., Andersson, J.A., et al., 2021. Regenerative agriculture: An agronomic perspective. Outlook on Agriculture. 50(1), 13–25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0030727021998063

[50] Preparing for Future AKIS in Europe [Internet]. European Commission. Available from: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/document/download/576bd513-6809-4e28-b11c-057e2078ec5a_en?filename=report-preparing-for-future-akis-in-europe_en.pdf

[51] Ndaghu, A.A., Taru, V.B., 2013. Role of mass media in agricultural productivity in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Global Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 11(2), 111–116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/gjass.v11i2.7

[52] Kalogiannidis, S., Kontsas, S., Nikolaou, E.E., et al., 2023. The rationale of integrated planning and sustainable development strategies in the development of local government regional unit. Advances in empirical economic research. Springer: Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22749-3_27

[53] Danso-Abbeam, G., Ehiakpor, D.S., Aidoo, R., 2018. Agricultural extension and its effects on farm productivity and income: Insight from Northern Ghana. Agriculture and Food Security. 7, 74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-018-0225-x

[54] Training Workshop on Agricultural Technology Transfter and Training [Internet]. Available from: https://www.apec.org/docs/default-source/Publications/2005/4/Training-Workshop-on-Agricultural-Technology-Transfer-and-Training-April-2005/05_atc_techtransfer.pdf

[55] Estimating Yield of Food Crops Grown by Smallholder Farmers [Internet]. International Food Policy Research Institute. Available from: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/6278813.pdf

[56] Yamane, T., 1973. Statistics: An introductory analysis. Harper & Row Ltd.: New York.

[57] Sseguya, H., Robinson, D.S., Mwango, H.R., et al., 2021. The impact of demonstration plots on improved agricultural input purchase in Tanzania: Implications for policy and practice. PLoS ONE. 16(1), e0243896. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243896

[58] Concepts and Practices in Agricultural Extension in Developing Countries: A Source Book [Internet]. Available from: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/132630922.pdf

[59] Dwyer, J., Maredia, K., 2021. Overview & Importance of Agricultural Extension. A book chapter published in Innovations in Agricultural Extension, 1-1..

[60] Kalogiannidis, S., Chatzitheodoridis, F., Papaevangelou, O., et al., 2023. Management information technology and quality service delivery in government institutions, WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics. 20, 1074–1099. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2023.20.97

[61] Mgendi, G., Mao, S., Qiao, F., 2021. Is a training program sufficient to improve the smallholder farmers’ productivity in Africa? Empirical evidence from a Chinese agricultural technology demonstration center in Tanzania. Sustainability. 13(3), 1527. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031527

[62] Buehren, N., Goldstein, M., Molina, E., et al., 2017. The impact of strengthening agricultural extension services: evidence from Ethiopia. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, No. 8169.

[63] Berthe, A., 2015. Extension and Advisory Services Rural Extension Services for Agricultural Transformation. Asian Development Bank – ADB: Mali. Available from: https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Events/DakAgri2015/Extension_and_Advisory_Services_Rural_Extension_Services_for_Agricultural_Transformation.pdf

[64] Cambodia Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map [Internet]. Asian Development Bank. Available from: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/718806/cambodia-agriculture-rural-development-road-map.pdf

[65] Kalogiannidis, S., Chatzitheodoridis, F., 2023. Strategic communication and sustainable agricultural competitiveness: A Greek case study. International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics. 9(4), 350–373. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSAMI.2023.10056114

Online ISSN: 2737-4785, Print ISSN: 2737-4777, Published by Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte. Ltd.