Smallholder farming systems in Uganda face challenges related to yield variability, necessitating methodological improvements for effective policy interventions. A DiD regression analysis was employed, utilising data from cross-sectional surveys conducted in two Ugandan districts over three years. The study aimed at quantifying the impact of agricultural extension services on crop yields compared to control groups without such interventions. The DiD model revealed a statistically significant increase in yield by approximately 15% for farms receiving agricultural extension services, indicating a strong positive effect. The DiD method demonstrated its potential as an effective tool for evaluating yield improvement among smallholder farmers. Future research should explore long-term impacts and scalability of these findings. Policy makers should prioritise the provision of agricultural extension services to enhance yields in Uganda's rural areas, alongside other sustainable farming practices. Difference-in-Differences (DiD), Smallholder Farms, Agricultural Extension Services, Yield Improvement Model estimation used =argmin_ᵢ (yᵢ, f_ (xᵢ) ) +₂², with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.
Ssebuloba et al. (Wed,) studied this question.