Comparison of Extension Delivery System available to Farmers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Ghana Tobacco Company Limited at Wenchi and Ejura District in Ghana

Abstract

This study attempted to compare and contrast the effectiveness of the extension delivery systems available to farmers and staff of two agricultural institutions namely:- The Ministry of Agriculture (Government controlled and financed) and the Ghana Tobacco Company limited (a private participation). Specifically the study was designed to determines (1) The extension teaching methods used by the two organizations. (2 ) Farmers source of farm information. (3) The degree of contact between the farmers and the field extension staff and its effect or impact on agricultural extension and finally (4) To find out whether extension addressed itself to farmers needs and problems. The research findings were based upon a study of both food and cash crop fanners and field extension staff of the two organizations. The study revealed that the G.T.C. extension services to their farmers were more effective in terms of provision of production inputs and extension teaching methods used than those of the Ministry of Agriculture. The effectiveness of G.T.C. extension services seems to have been greatly enhanced by (1 ) the low staff/farmer ratio as compared to a high ratio of f' the Ministry of Agriculture. (2 ) The high mobility of G.T.C. staff and (3) The regularly monitored activities of G.T.C. staff by their supervisors. Both G.T.C. and the Ministry of Agriculture use group teaching method particularly, demonstration and farmers meeting as forms of educational instructions with their farmers. Both groups of farmers realise the positive contribution extension plays in their farming education and adoption of new practices but found extension staff effort to assist them woefully inadequate. lack of transportation, poor service conditions and lack of farm inputs were some of the problems hampering field extension staff in their work. Teaching methods and extension programmes designed were more service rather than education oriented.