Refugees’ perceptions of the quality of agricultural extension services provided by non – governmental organizations in Mungula and Maaji III settlements in Adjumani District

Abstract

The Self-Reliance Strategy (SRS), is one of the key tenets of Ugandan refugee policy. A policy that expects refugees to economically support themselves by utilizing a given plot of land to develop a livelihood based on subsistence agriculture. In fulfilment of this strategy and the policy, UNHCR which is UN refugee agency together with other IPs have been engaged in implementation of agricultural activities including provision of agricultural extension services in the settlement camps. The research utilizes a case-study of Mungula and Maaji III Settlements in Adjumani District, Northern Uganda to assess the perceptions of the refugees toward the quality of agricultural extension services provided by the Non-Governmental Organizations. Structured interviews with refugees in the two settlements form the basis for the collected data. The study demonstrates that, the extension training is the dominant service provided by the NGOs while Information support is the least extension services offered by the NGOs. Additionally, the farmers perceived the provision of agricultural training, agricultural inputs to be relevant, agricultural inputs and information are available when farmers need them, agricultural inputs were not provided timely and NGOs don’t monitor agricultural extension services except extension trainings. Furthermore, study found out that farmers attitudes toward agricultural extension services to be positive. The research concludes with recommendations for improving provision of agricultural extension services such as Setting up of Agriculture Working group to bring together agencies involved in agriculture to improve coordination, Designing Settlement specific extension services by experienced and qualified extension workers