Determinants of smallholder farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural extension services in Embu County, Kenya

Abstract

Agricultural extension services (AES) positively foster agricultural sustainability through knowledge transfer of agricultural technologies, hence enhancing household food security among the rural poor. However, information on farmers’ satisfaction with AES is limited in many areas within Kenya, although these services have been offered to farmers for decades. This study assessed smallholder farmers’ satisfaction with AES in Embu County in Kenya and identified its associated household demographic, socio-economic, and institutional determinants. Data were collected from 396 farmers using a structured interview schedule through a cross-sectional survey with a multistage stratified sampling procedure. Data analyses were performed using the Cumulative Link Mixed Models (CLMMs) with a random effect for the village ID to adjust the results for the correlation of farmers’ satisfaction within the village. This study revealed that 10.1%, 38.6%, 43.2%, and 8.1% of the farmers were very satisfied, moderately satisfied, moderately dissatisfied and very dissatisfied with AES, respectively. The results of the multivariate CLMM analysis identified education level, off-farm income, the land tenure system, frequent extension contact, and access to credit as significant determinants of farmers’ satisfaction with AES. The findings will help policy makers and extension workers to develop context-specific AES that take into account farmers’ extension needs, thereby improving the AES delivery system and enhancing agricultural development in the area.