AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION POLICY PROCESS IN UGANDA: IMPLICATIONS ON THE DELIVERY OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES. By:

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1 AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION POLICY PROCESS IN UGANDA: IMPLICATIONS ON THE DELIVERY OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES A Presentation to the IFPRI Organized Workshop on Making Rural Institutions work for the Poor held on 24 th June 2010 in Kampala, Uganda By: Patience B. Rwamigisa Department of Livestock Health & Entomology Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry & Fisheries Entebbe Dr. Margaret N. Mangheni Faculty of Agriculture Ma kerere University Kampala

2 Problem statement Uganda underwent the most far-reaching reform of its national extension system in Africa The extension reforms spearheaded by NAADS program did not succeed in resolving many of the challenges inherent in extension There are major knowledge gaps on the way in which the changing political context influenced NAADS Also how the policy process contributed to the problems encountered by the program.

3 Objectives To examine the agricultural extension policy process in Uganda that led to the establishment of NAADS program. To identify the actors that were involved, the coalitions they formed and the strategies they used in the policy process To examine the role the political and economic factors played in influencing policy outcomes

4 Objectives (cont..) To identify the gaps existing between agricultural extension policy making and policy implementation and how these gaps influence the delivery of extension services. To examine the influence of decentralization policy implementation with respect to agricultural extension and determine the implications on the delivery of agricultural extension services.

5 Influencing factors * Administrative and political system * Coordination * Information * Communication * International influence *Socio-Economic and cultural factors * Agricultural system * Socio-cultural factors Time-related factors * Electoral cycles * Planning cycles *Program/project cycles Nonaligned actors Interest coalition A Interests Beliefs Resources Interest coalition B Interests Beliefs Resources Resources - Financial - Human capital - Social capital Actors - Government * Ministries, Depts., Agencies * Local governments - Development partners - Universities, think tanks - NGOs, farmers organizations -Media- Political capital Political and administrative decisions Political capital Strategies by interest coalitions - Mobilize stakeholders - Lobbying - Ideology / discourse - Use of scientific evidence Policy Implementation Aspects - Institutional set-up - Capacity and management - Planning - Delivery methods - Monitoring & Evaluation Policy Outcome

6 Principles of Good Policy Making Forward and outward looking Innovative, Flexible: Encourages new and creative ideas, identify and manage risk Looks beyond institutional boundaries Evidence based: Policy decisions based on best available evidence Inclusive: Consultative for implementers and the affected, assessing the likely impact Evaluated and Reviews Lessons learned from experience Policy issues at play constitute conflicting and deeply held values/interests, competing goals, striking tradeoffs, large amounts of money, and, at some point authoritarian coercion.

7 Methodology Key informant interviews Respondents from policy making institutions(31) Respondents policy implementing institutions (10) Academic institutions (3) Participant observations Document Analysis Focus Group Discussions (4gps 32 participants)

8 Institutional Framework for Policy Making in Uganda The Presidency: Articles 98 (1) and 99 (1) vests the executive authority in the President and therefore is a source of many policy initiatives Cabinet is the highest policy making organ and Article 111 (2) empowers it to determine, formulate and implement the policy of government

9 Institutional mechanism Cabinet Secretariat is the centre of the institutional mechanism that supports cabinet in decision making Cabinet secretariat mandated to support development of policy capacity across government institutions Cabinet secretariat prepares Public Service to manage transitions in government Translate election manifesto into policies and programs MAAIF constitutionally mandated as the lead government agency on matters of agricultural policy

10 Findings on beliefs, interests and perceptions Members Radical reform coalition Ministry of Finance Donors led by World Bank NAADS leadership Gradual reform coalition Ministry of Agriculture Local Governments NARO, PMA Policy beliefs Role of public sector Role of private sector/ngos Self-Perception Other-Perception Need to create semiautonomous institutions; reform within existing system not possible More efficient than public sector; have to play important role True reformers; defending farmers interests Defending vested interests of bureaucracy and politicians; opposing any reform Semi-autonomous institutions undermine reform efforts within existing system Have limited capacity; contracting them too expensive to be sustainable True understanding of the system; able to identify what can work Captured by donor and their reform models; dominated by rent seeking behavior Not open to locally adapted

11 Findings on strategies by Advocacy Coalitions Radical reform coalition Main resource used to build political capital Financial resources (donor funding) and human capital Main strategy used to build political capital Direct influence on high-level decisionmakers Use of scientific evidence Gradual reform coalition Main resources used is human capital and social networks across the country Main strategy is use of scientific evidence

12 Extension policy process NAADS Act 2001 is the main policy document guiding agricultural extension NAADS program designed in parallel with PMA with assistance of external consultants NAADS program documents used to guide development of NAADS Act 2001 Long term agricultural extension policy to guide implementation not yet in place The policy process largely dominated and guided by donors The process is strategically aligned to Donor s funding cycles and country electoral cycles

13 Key Features of extension policy The implementation of the other complimentary policies have lagged behind agricultural extension Encourages new and creative ideas but limited capacity to manage risk Limited provisions for management of resistance to reform Evidence largely based on program evaluation studies sanctioned by donors; and also from international experience Systematic evaluation is not well integrated in the policy making process

14 Institutional and structural challenges in policy process The reform processes have weakened MAAIF capacity to support, guide and manage the policy process Migration of functions from MAAIF to agencies and other ministries creating different and uncoordinated decision making centres Structural arrangements for decision making in the policy process Parallel institutional setups resulting into weak institutional linkages with poor feedback and feedforward mechanisms A decentralized Administrative and political system not in tandem with program design that is centralized in decision making

15 Implications Programs not well designed to match institutional capacity Agricultural extension is not viewed within the context of the wider agricultural system Ownership of the programs by implementing institutions is undermined Extension reforms not uniformly understood across institutions Extension concept not clear across institutions in view of the paradigm shift Hurried implementation and frequent changes /deviations from program design

16 Policy outcomes Extension service delivery system has remained weak and reach limited number of farmers. Increased political interference in delivery of extension services resulting from flaws in the policy process A policy and institutional environment not conducive for effective program implementation

17 Conclusion The challenges observed in the policy process can largely be attributed to a failure of the two reform coalitions to reach a consensus. This has resulted in partial implementation of reforms Unless a fruitful dialogue is attained by the two coalitions, agricultural extension programs are not likely to attain the desired objectives It may be necessary to explore the possibility of a neutral party to broker the two coalitions Building capacity of MAAIF and recognizing its central position in the reform process is vital.

18 THANK YOU END OF PRESENTATION