Agricultural Extension Guidelines and Standards.

This Policy is drafted further to formulation of the National Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP) and aims to establish a high quality, well-coordinated and harmonized pluralistic agricultural extension delivery system to promote application of appropriate information, knowledge, and technological innovations for commercialization of agriculture, ensuring food security, expanding exports and contributing to socio-economic transformation and welfare of the population.
The Guidelines and Standards for Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services in Uganda provide a detailed framework for the organization and implementation of extension services in the country. The document emphasizes the importance of monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (MER) to ensure the effectiveness and impact of agricultural extension programs. It outlines key performance indicators (KPIs) at different levels, including impact indicators such as household incomes and food security, outcomes like increased productivity, and outputs such as the number of farmers reached and trained. The guidelines also highlight the need for participation of beneficiaries in the MER process, emphasizing the importance of feedback and validation of indicators. It stresses the importance of planning for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting in every cycle of agricultural extension planning, with providers required to have annual and quarterly work plans in place. Additionally, the document includes annexes with tools for quality assurance, such as on-spot periodic technical audit tools and report formats for different levels of extension service providers. These tools aim to ensure compliance with standards, assess performance, and provide a basis for continuous improvement in the delivery of agricultural extension services in Uganda.