Reconsidering Home or Farm Visits Extension Method for Improving Impact of Agricultural Extension in Tanzania

Abstract

This study examined how agricultural extension agents conduct farm or home visits. It analysed the extent to which extension agents follow the guidelines for conducting farm/home visits and the relationship between extension agent’s characteristics and implementation of guidelines for conducting home/farm visits. Data for the study were collected through a survey of 69 agricultural extension agents obtained from 22 Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar regions. Also, qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with key informants. In general, findings showed that home or farm visits are poorly planned which negatively affected the conduct of the visits. Furthermore, due to the high farmer extension ratio, extension agents do not always make follow-ups of their visits. A large number of farmers constrained extension agents from visiting all farmers, despite this reality farm or farm visit is still an important extension method. Nevertheless, for extension agents to be effective, they need to consider planning home or farm visits as part of the successful extension work.