Purpose: To assess the potential of a paper diary for strengthening accountability in public agricultural extension services. Therefore a paper diary called 'Diary for Agricultural Extension Officers' was developed and tested in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study research approach was applied for the development and…

Albeit its critical role in the development of the agriculture sector, the delivery of Extension and Advisory Services (EASs) in Tanzania has remained unsatisfactory and has had a limited impact on the sector. Among others, conventional approaches used in providing EASs have been found inadequate in meeting the priority needs of their clientele.…

Purpose: The aim of the research was to analyze the impact of the regional innovation system on the efficiency and productivity enterprises dedicated to protected agriculture in Hidalgo, Mexico. Methodology: The regional innovation system was analyzed by identifying the innovation networks. Subsequently, a typology of enterprises was generated…

Purpose: Agricultural innovation implies sharing information between researchers and farmers. Acknowledging the value of the other partner's knowledge is a preliminary step to facilitate agricultural interactive models. Traditionally, researchers' knowledges have been dominant, and farmers' knowledges have been underestimated. A large number of…

Purpose: The paper aims to examine interactions between demonstrations at programme level and Agricultural Advisory Services (AAS). It situates analysis of the demonstration programme activities within contemporary advisory contexts, asking: how do demonstration programmes interact with the AAS in which they are situated; and what role do…

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of privatization of advisory services on the quality of the services. Design/methodology/approach: The front- and back-office dimensions of advisory activities were analyzed through interviews with 43 advisers involved in the advisory services provided as part of a cocoa exporter's certification program.…

Competence-based education and training (CBE/T) has been implemented in Ethiopia to develop the competences of (future) professionals and to improve their performance. However, empirical evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of CBE/T is scarce. Positioning the study within the theory of strategic alignment and comprehensive competence-based…

Purpose: Participatory extension programmes (PEPs) are a well-known approach to achieve change on an on-farm level. This study examines whether there is a change in on-farm resilience due to PEP participation, by identifying whether participation leads to an increase in resilience capacities, and which aspects of the programme contribute to this.…

Purpose: This paper argues that large-scale agricultural programmes embedded with the Agricultural Innovations Systems (AIS) thinking helps in facilitating innovations. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted a qualitative approach involving focus group discussions, key informant interviews and secondary document analysis. This approach…

Purpose: To assess the performance of agricultural extension managers and the factors influencing it in the case study of Uganda. Design/methodology/approach: Secondary data was analysed using descriptive statistics and econometric models. Findings: The amount of extension grant received and the education of the extension manager positively…

Purpose: An Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) is a collaborative governance (CG) arrangement which brings together several actors in the agriculture sector forming an innovation platform (IP). This study presents findings of CG dynamics obtained from an IP. Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative study used focus group discussions, key…

Purpose: Farmers experience poor health outcomes and are considered 'hard to reach'. Agricultural advisors ('advisors') are uniquely positioned to support and signpost farmers on health issues. This paper explores the acceptability and terms of reference of a potential health role for advisors, and offers key recommendations for developing a…

Purpose: To evaluate pluralistic Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) systems performance and outcomes, and share the experiences made with applying a participatory semi-quantitative approach allowing for cross-country comparability. Design/methodology/approach: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) developed the…

Purpose: To assess the extent to which privatised extension service, which is premised to be demand-driven, delivers downward accountability to smallholder farmers who are both owners and users of agricultural services. Design/methodology/approach: The research collected data through focus group discussions with smallholder tea farmers and key…

Purpose: To explore the structures and processes within agricultural advisory organisations that may enhance absorptive capacity (AC) and determine how organisations develop their AC. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative explorative case study of advisory services in Norway, which are structured as farmer cooperatives. Interviews, document…