Effect Of Devolution On Management Of Agricultural Extension Services In Kericho County

Abstract

The devolved governance structure in Kenya places the provision of agricultural sector services such as extension at the county level. In the current agricultural extension services dispensation, there is no clear linkage between the national and county government in terms of policy implementation and actual effect on general agricultural extension mandate. The effect of devolution on agricultural extension services have not been well understood. In order to provide clarity and enhance the understanding of the problem, this study sought to determine the effect of devolution on performance of agricultural extension service. The focus was to determine the effect of devolution on management of agricultural extension services in Kericho County, Kenya The study employed the theory of change. Descriptive research design was used in the study. Multistage cluster sampling and simple random sampling technique were used to obtain a sample of 156 farmers from a target population of 22, 317 small scale farmers. All the thirty (30) extension staff were involved in the study. An interview schedule, a structured questionnaire and Focus group discussion guide was designed and used to collect information from the small scale farmers, extension staff and opinion leaders in the community respectively from each Sub-County of Kericho. Data was analysed using frequencies, percentages and chi-square with the aid of SPSS computer programme version 25. The results was presented in tables, frequencies and percentages. The majority of the respondents strongly agreed that devolution has adversely affected the management of agricultural services.