Strengthening the accountability of agricultural field agents: a principal-agent perspective

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To assess the potential of a paper diary for strengthening accountability in public agricultural extension services. Therefore a paper diary called ‘Diary for Agricultural Extension Officers’ was developed and tested in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative case study research approach was applied for the development and assessment of the diary. Data were collected using focus group discussions and individual face-to-face interviews. Data analysis was conducted using the content analysis method.

Findings

Paper diaries can strengthen accountability in public agricultural extension services by enabling alignment of the extension activities of the field agents to the goals of the extension service and to the needs of the beneficiaries, in addition to mitigating information asymmetry about the extension activities. However, the implementation of paper diaries requires sensitization of the beneficiaries on the need for verification and feedback.

Practical Implications

This study is centred around addressing a practical problem of field agents’ accountability and results have the potential to improve management of public services such as agricultural extension. Moreover, the findings could also be relevant for all types of organizations and service delivery methods.

Theoretical implications

This study expanded the boundaries of the principal-agent theory by applying it to the accountability of agricultural extension services using paper diaries, which have hitherto not been widely applied.

Originality/value

This study advances the debates of accountability and coordination of agricultural extension services by assessing the potential of a paper diary as the literature has to date assessed the potential of electronic diaries.

KEYWORDS:

• Accountability
• paper diary
• principal-agent theory
• agricultural extension services
• public sector
• Uganda

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Notes on contributors

Angella Namyenya

Angella Namyenya is a Senior Agricultural Extension Skills Management Officer in the Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services, at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries of the Republic of Uganda. She possesses 12 years of experience in farm planning and agricultural extension service delivery. Angella Namyenya holds a PhD in Agricultural sciences from the University of Hohenheim, Germany. She also holds an MSc in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a BSc in Agriculture both from Makerere University. Her research interests focus, among other topics, on performance and management of agricultural extension services, smart agricultural innovations especially the use of digital technology in Agriculture, agricultural policy, governance of agricultural institutions and the role of agriculture in rural development.

Patience B. Rwamigisa

Patience B. Rwamigisa is the Assistant Commissioner Agricultural Extension Coordination in the Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services, at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries of the Republic of Uganda since 2016. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension from Makerere University and his expertise is largely in agricultural extension reforms. He possesses 27 years of experience in agricultural extension service delivery and has provided technical leadership in the ongoing reform of agricultural extension services in Uganda. He has in the past served as an adjunct lecturer at the School of Veterinary Medicine and also as a guest lecturer at the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University. He also serves as an external examiner at the same University. He has made several publications on agricultural extension reforms in Africa.

Regina Birner

Regina Birner is the Chair of Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development at the the Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), University of Hohenheim, Germany. Regina Birner specializes in the analysis of agricultural institutions, including extension services and has more than 20 years of conducting empirical research in developing countries. She has been consulting with international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank. Regina Birner holds a Ph.D. in Socio-Economics of Agricultural Development from the University of Göttingen.