Abstract

Simon Yang, Bello Inoni and Achu Hayatou

This paper examines the significance and impact of privatisation on the management and organisation of agricultural extension services in Cameroon. The focus is on how government action to implement new policies in agriculture is perceived by, and has affected farmers. The issues explored are the pressures for privatisation, the implementation of privatisation, influence on agricultural extension and farmers’ responses to privatisation. Qualitative and quantitative research methods related to the Grounded Theory approach were used. 114 farmers, 26 extension agents and 14 senior extension officers were purposively sampled on the basis of their involvement in four agricultural extension projects in three regions, which typify different ecological and socio -cultural aspects of farming in Cameroon. The findings show that persistent economic constraints have increased the country’s dependency on external sources of funding for agricultural extension programmes with pressure to reduce government spending, a high level of awareness among farmers with respect to new organisational changes in extension, and their willingness to accept innovations in their methods of working with support services that provide appropriate solutions to their farm problems. Privatisation of agricultural extension services has brought with it greater involvement with private companies and non-governmental organisations, and greater collaboration among them in delivering extension services to farmer clients. This increases the effectiveness and sustainability of the information systems available to farmers.