Human Resource Development in Agriculture Extension and Advisory Services in Kenya
Abstract
Agriculture extension and advisory services is a multidisciplinary discipline based on human interaction seeking to improve the livelihoods of farming communities and individuals by providing information and technologies. The training of extension staff is important as it has a bearing on their effectiveness in the office and in the field. This study sought to determine the HRD activities in agricultural extension and advisory services in the public and private sector. The study was done in 5 counties in Kenya and a total of 440 agricultural extension agents were sampled from the public and private extension service. HRD activities focused on formal and in-service training. 68 % of the respondents had attended formal education to improve their education with the majority 63.5 percent, having trained at the diploma level from certificate level while 21.1 % had undergone training at the degree level from diploma level. The main areas of specialization were Agricultural education (34.1 %), General agriculture (28.1 %) and Horticulture (11.7 %). The inclusion of non-agricultural areas of specialization such as Sustainable development and Strategic planning and management show the multidisciplinary nature of agriculture. In-service courses attended were in the form of short courses, seminars, or workshops. These were clustered in five general areas; Crop Management, Management, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, and Animal Science. Most respondents (40.9 percent) had undergone training in Crop management which covered various crop enterprises from breeding to postharvest management. The shift of agricultural policy toward business orientation is reflected in 13.0 % the respondents specializing in Agricultural Economics. These HRD activities show commitment of agricultural extension providers to improve the competencies of their staff to deliver effective services to farmers. The wide range of formal and in-service courses attended also reflects the need to meet the management and technical requirements of a pluralistic and demand driven extension service.
Introduction
The role of the agricultural sector in Kenya is of great importance because it directly influences the country’s economic growth and will continue to feature prominently in the country’s development agenda as a basis for food security, employment creation and foreign exchange generation (GoK, 2010). The sector also accounts for 65 percent of Kenya’s total exports and provides more than 18 per cent of formal employment and over 70 percent of informal employment is in the rural areas (GoK,2010). Vision 2030 has identified agriculture as one of the key sectors to deliver the 10 per cent annual economic growth rate envisaged under the economic pillar. To achieve this growth, transforming smallholder agriculture from subsistence to an innovative, commercially oriented and modern agricultural sector is critical (GOK, 2010). The development of an efficient agricultural sector stimulates the national and rural economy by improving incomes, food security and living standards and this is the role of the national extension system (GOK, 2008).