Non-governmental Organizations as an Important Actor in Agricultural Extension in Semiarid East Africa

Major theories are advocating a shift toward pluralistic agricultural extension models, in which the public and private sectors, including partners such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), form coalitions to provide extension services (Anderson & Crowder, 2000). With the decrease in government funding in East Africa, it is unlikely that the public sector can fully provide all of the necessary support and service. NGOs have great potential in this realm; in fact, they already are playing a vital role especially in semiarid areas (Hargrave, 1999). This paper explores the role of non-governmental organizations in extension in semiarid East Africa. Included is a comparison of the “transfer of technology” model previously used by state extension with the NGO-favored “farmer first” paradigm. Strengths and weaknesses of NGOs are examined.