Trust, perception and effectiveness of extension services in Uganda: A case of National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)

In order to increase the effectiveness of extension services, the government of Uganda adopted a farmer driven extension approach in 2001. In this approach, the government contracts out the extension services to the agribusiness enterprises that provide the services to the farmers at a fee. This study aimed at finding out whether farmers’ trust and perception on this arrangement influences the effectiveness of extension services in terms increasing production, adoption of profitable enterprises and technologies and increase in marketable input. To achieve this, a survey was done involving 261 farmers in one sub-county that was selected purposively. Correlations among the study variables and regression models were done to establish the relationships and predictive powers of the study variables respectively. Results showed that farmers trust and perception on this extension approach is low and these have affected the effectiveness of the extension approach. The study recommends that for increased agricultural output, a holistic approach that builds trust among farmers is essential. This can be done through paying attention to farmers on a more frequent basis, encourage and maintain reliable relationships with them and timely delivery of extension services. Key words: Trust, perception, effectiveness, agricultural extension.