Analysis Of Quality And Economic Performance Of Extension Services In The South Central Region Of Burkina Faso: A Public Private Comparison

Abstract

In the context of privatisation of agricultural extension services as recommended by the Government of Burkina Faso, there was a need for empirical research to inform policy makers about the opportunity of such privatisation. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the perception of farmers under private and public systems about the quality of extension services, estimating their willingness to pay for better and sustainable extension services, assessing their farm technical efficiency levels and analysing the profitability of a private organisation delivering extension services. Four services were selected in this study. These services were: Facilitation of access to credit, facilitation of input provision, technical support and facilitation of access to market. The private sector was represented by a Catholic non-governmental organisation called Organisation Catholique pour le Développement et la Solidarité (OCADES-CARITAS) and the public sector was represented by three provincial Departments of the Ministry of Agriculture. Two groups of farmers were selected from six localities in the South Central Region of Burkina Faso. The first group, selected from three localities, included 136 farmers under public extension system. The second group included 135 farmers selected from three localities covered by private extension services. Using Likert scale measurement techniques, descriptive statistics and econometrics methods (Probit and Tobit), it was found that both farmers who access public and private extension services were satisfied with the quality of facilitation of access to credit, facilitation of input provision, technical support, and facilitation of access to market. However, it was observed that farmers under private extension system had better appreciation of the quality of services they received than farmers under public extension. Farmers under public extension services (who currently receive fee free services) were willing to pay to receive better quality services. The average amounts they were willing to pay were 300 FCFA/month for facilitation of access to credit, 455 FCFA/month for facilitation of input provision, 400 FCFA/month for technical support and 450 FCFA/month for facilitation of access to market. Farmers under private extension were ready to pay 245 FCFA/month more for facilitation of access to credit, 855 FCFA/month more for facilitation of input provision, 825 FCFA/month for technical support and 900 FCFA/month more for facilitation of access to market. In terms of efficiency of food crop farms, it was found that farmers under public extension system were on average 54% technically efficient, while the score was estimated at 46% for those under private extension system. All food crop farmers irrespective of service provider are inefficient. The public receivers are cotton farmers, who could use information received from cotton extension companies for their food crop, hence, the higher inefficiency. The estimated extension costs (376,642,125 FCFA) make the delivery of the services not profitable for the private organisation which supplies them (the Benefit-Cost ratio calculated was less than one). External support of farmers should continue; for farmer to benefit from extension information (whether they pay or not) training on effective application of extension information is key.

Description

Thesis (PhD)

Keywords

Quality, Economic Performance, Extension Services, South Central Region, Burkina Faso, Public Private Comparison

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