Analysis Of Quality And Economic Performance Of Extension Services In The South Central Region Of Burkina Faso: A Public Private Comparison
Date
2017-09
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Ghana
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