Factors affecting public sector agricultural extension agents’ performance under the decentralised system in the Western Region of Ghana

Abstract

Agricultural extension planning, management, resource-raising and, or allocation in Ghana is executed by the Department Of Agriculture (DA) through local government (LG) for public sector AEAs to be effectively responsive to the contextual needs of farmers under the decentralised system. The study determined public sector AEAs’ performance and factors that affected such performance under the decentralised system in the Western Region. Using a cross-sectional survey, a population of 59 AEAs and randomly selected 334 farmer group representatives were interviewed with questionnaires and structured interview schedules in six districts. The results showed that, public sector AEAs’ performance was good on the indicators used by the study except stakeholder inclusion and participation in extension activities, which had a satisfactory performance. The best predictor variables of AEAs’ performance in the region were individual capacity, organisational capacity and partnership and linkages. The study concluded that there is no statistical significant difference in the AEAs’ performance among the districts. Again, not all the factors considered by the study affected AEAs’ performance in the Western Region. The study recommended among others that, agricultural policy makers and decision takers are to plan, work and develop the identified predicted variables for utilisation when prioritising and sequencing interventions to improve public sector AEAs’ performance under the decentralised system to achieve the SDGs of poverty eradication and food security in the Western Region.