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

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...

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Main Author: Hailemichael Taye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2013-09-01
Series:African Evaluation Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://aejonline.org/index.php/aej/article/view/19
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spelling doaj-872524648bad4b79bf8d914051801bad2020-11-24T23:07:18ZengAOSISAfrican Evaluation Journal2310-49882306-51332013-09-0111e1e910.4102/aej.v1i1.197Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospectsHailemichael Taye0International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis AbabaBackground: 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 over estimated 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.https://aejonline.org/index.php/aej/article/view/19Baseline data, Contradictory results, Innovative M&E, Methodologies, Positive
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Hailemichael Taye
spellingShingle Hailemichael Taye
Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospects
African Evaluation Journal
Baseline data, Contradictory results, Innovative M&E, Methodologies, Positive
author_facet Hailemichael Taye
author_sort Hailemichael Taye
title Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospects
title_short Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospects
title_full Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospects
title_fullStr Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospects
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and prospects
title_sort evaluating the impact of agricultural extension programmes in sub-saharan africa: challenges and prospects
publisher AOSIS
series African Evaluation Journal
issn 2310-4988
2306-5133
publishDate 2013-09-01
description 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 over estimated 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.
topic Baseline data, Contradictory results, Innovative M&E, Methodologies, Positive
url https://aejonline.org/index.php/aej/article/view/19
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