The contribution of national agricultural advisory services to rural women household development in Serere district

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating the Contribution of National Agricultural Advisory Services to Rural Women Household Development in Olio Sub County, Serere District. The objectives of this study included to ascertain the benefits of NAADS Program to rural women, find out the challenges faced by rural women in implementing the NAADS Program and identify strategies that will improve implementation of the NAADs Program. The study was carried out using a case study design and targeted 51 respondents including 44 rural women household, 3 technical staff, 2 area local councilors, 1 sub- accountant, and 1 top sub county administrator. Purposeful and random sampling methods were used to get the sample from which the researcher collected data using questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussion. The data collected was coded, edited and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively and presented in tabular form, use of pie charts and bar graphs. The major findings of the study were that in spite of the major challenges of NAADS like late supply of inputs, slow adoption of modern farming technologies, unfair selection of beneficiaries, lack of close supervision and improper storage facilities faced by the rural women households in Olio Sub County, those who benefited from the Program had their household incomes improved and gained skills from the NAADS trainings. Among the strategies that would help improve the implementation of NAADS Program included timely supply of inputs and technologies, adoption of modern farming methods, fair selection of beneficiaries, improved storage facilities and road networks among others. The major conclusions arrived at were that there was need to improve on the administration of NAADS activities because it was an important aspect that determined the performance of the Program. Among the key recommendations the researcher came up with, NAADS should hire more qualified and professional personnel to help in the selection of beneficiaries. The researcher also recommended that the government should use a bottom-top approach to programming in order to involve grassroots Program beneficiaries in the planning and implementation of a community Program for a community ownership and sustainability of the Program