The contribution of agriculture extension services to the development of livestock production in Bwanswa sub county, Kibaale district.

Abstract

The study was cross sectional and was carried out in Bwanswa sub county, kibaale district to evaluate the contributions of agriculture extension services to the development of livestock production. Lack of information on how far extension services contribute to livestock production in Bwanswa sub county triggered the study; data was collected from 100 respondents using a questionnaire analysed using Microsoft office excel spread sheet and presented in tables and graphs. The study found out that 89% of the respondents received extension services and the major sources of extension services were mass media (61.79%) and extension staff (55.05%). The major providers of extension services were; NAADS (82.02%), large scale farmers (19.1%), government extension workers. (12.35%) and NGOs (11.23%). The major forms of extension services received were Iivestock health management (67%), breeding (51%) and value addition (46%).78.7% of the respondents were members of farmer groups and found the groups helpful. 81.94% said the groups increase production and 88.88% said the groups increased the resources available. Only 21.34% of the respondents received livestock inputs, the major inputs supplied were goats. The study revealed that 44.94% of the respondents noticed a moderate increase in production while 43.82% had a high increase in production as a result of extension services. The study concluded that agriculture extension services such as advisory services and farmer empowerment significantly contributed to the development of the livestock industry in Bwanswa sub county, kibaale district while some of the extension services such as input delivery did not have significant contribution. The study recommended that there is need to increase the number of extension workers to cover more farmers make regular audits to find out the performance of extension services increase the number of beneficiaries of livestock inputs.