Directorate of Agricultural Extension services

Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services

Mandate

“To promote adoption of appropriate information, knowledge, and technological innovations for commercialization of agriculture.”

Main Objectives and outputs

Main Objectives

  • To strengthen human and institutional capacity for delivery of agricultural extension services in local governments and the Private Sector.
  • To strengthen and support linkages and collaboration nationally within and with other sectors as well as regionally and internationally on issues pertaining agricultural extension service delivery.
  • To Promote agribusiness services and agricultural value chain development in close collaboration with the private sector.
  • To render advisory and technical services through local governments related to crop, animal and fisheries production, and strengthen.
  • To continuously identify emerging areas for public and private sector investments and advise Uganda Investment Authority and the private sector accordingly.

Key Functions

  • Policy formulation and reviews on matters related to agricultural extension.
  • Strengthen coordination of local government production departments, NGOs and private sector in provision of agricultural extension services.
  • Provide technical advice on agricultural extension and advisory services.
  • Setting standards for service delivery in local governments and private sector.
  • Quality assurance of agricultural extension services.
  • Support agricultural enterprise development nationally.
  • Provide information and communication services to MAAIF and local governments.
  • Strengthen inter-institutional linkages between research, educational and farmer institutions.
  • Promote agribusiness services and agricultural value chain development in close collaboration with the private sector.
  • Support farmer institutional development through capacity building programs.
  • Support skill and manpower development in the agricultural sector.
  • Identify investment opportunities in the agricultural sector.

Departments of the Directorate

skills

Department of Extension and Skills Management

This department has 3 Divisions which include:

  • Division of Information and Communication.
  • Division of Skills Management.
  • Division of Agricultural Extension Coordination.

Department of Agricultural Investment and Enterprise Development

The National Agricultural Extension Service Delivery System

Mandate

The National Agricultural Extension Service Delivery System is implemented using the approved structure and functions at National, District and Sub-county levels. The approved structures for Production Department at District Local Government Headquarter and sub-county levels.

Main functions

  • Provide information and communication services to MAAIF and local governments
  • Strengthen inter-institutional linkages between research, educational and farmer institutions
  • Promote agribusiness services and agricultural value chain development in close collaboration with the private sector
  • Support farmer institutional development through capacity building programs
  • Support skilling and manpower development in the agricultural sector
  • Identify investment opportunities in the agricultural sector

Key Interventions Areas:

  • Policies, strategies, plans and guidelines
  • Human Resource Development
  • Coordination of Agricultural Extension Services
  • Regulation of Agricultural Extension Services
  • Support to Farmer Institutional Development
  • Technology Development, Packaging and Dissemination
  • Agribusiness Development Services and Market Linkage
  • Agricultural Knowledge Management and Information
  • Youth involvement in Agriculture.

 

National Agricultural Extension Strategic interventions

  • The areas for policy intervention focused on improving:
    • Policy and regulatory environment
    • Delivery system,
    • Technical content and
    • Access of extension services by beneficiaries

Strategies developed were aimed at achieving the policy strategic objectives.

Policy Strategic Areas:

  • The policy identified eight strategic areas for intervention:
    • Establishment of an effective organizational and institutional framework for pluralistic agricultural extension services
    • Regulation and quality assurance of extension services
    • Human Resource Management and Capacity Development
    • Technology Development, Packaging and Dissemination
    • Agribusiness Development Services and Market Linkages
    • Agricultural Knowledge Management and Information
    • Farmer organizations and empowerment
    • Targeting youth, gender and other vulnerable groups