Prospects and challenges of privatization of agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria

Abstract

Privatization of extension service delivery has been considered lately as the only option to remedy the
decline in both the funding and overall organization and administration of extension due to so many
challenges facing effectiveness of publicly funded extension delivery, particularly since the withdrawal
of the World Bank sponsorship of agricultural programmes in Nigeria. The adoption of privatization of
extension in Nigeria is not expected to be a “go-smooth” programme since it has been publicly funded.
This is why the study analyzed the challenges and prospects of alternative funding to agricultural
extension service delivery in Nigeria. The rationale for privatization was analyzed and lessons on
extension funding from other countries indicated that even though these countries all adopted one form
of alternative funding or the other, most of them have not completely privatized the extension system.
The alternative funding arrangements were not done in isolation of public sector which is mainly
responsible for agricultural extension policy formulation and implementation in these countries.
However, in Nigeria the challenges include: farmers willingness to pay for the services, institutional
framework, professionalism and competence of the extension system, corruption, availability of
infrastructures and environmental imperatives. Despite these challenges, Nigeria still stands a chance
of undertaking a gradual or partial privatization of extension. It is recommended that a critical study of
the privatization strategies adopted by some other countries as mentioned in this paper should be
looked into, with the view to consolidating private and public collaborative efforts in making extension
policies function effectively in Nigeria.