ACTOR PERSPECTIVES ON AQUACULTURE EXTENSION SERVICE PROVISION IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN UGANDA

The purpose of extension service provision to farmers is to meet farmers' needs including knowledge, skills and other services so as to improve productivity and general socio-economic wellbeing of household members. Such interventions are needed in aquaculture as a way of increasing fish production since fish supply from the natural sources has drastically declined. Drawing from the Actor Oriented Perspective, this paper explores individual farmer and household level characteristics that influence interactions between aquaculture extension service providers with members of households practicing fish farming in ponds.

Survey data were collected from a random sample of households involved in fish farming and supplemented with information obtained from Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with fish farmers. Additional information was got from interviews with extension service providers. Data obtained from the survey was analysed using SPSS while Atlas.ti was used to analyse information from FGDs. Findings revealed that fish farmers perceived the level of extension service provision as low as demonstrated by few and erratic farm visits.  Yet, fish farmers experienced various constraints related to technical competence about rearing fish and financing of the fish enterprises. Alongside government fisheries extension staff, farmer to farmer extension encounters were common while use of Information Communication Technologies such as radio and cell phones was minimal.  Membership to fish farmer groups significantly influenced the frequency of extension visits (p<0.05) compared to individual farmer demographic and socio-economic factors. Relevant training is necessary to enable extension staff help farmers build and sustain farmer organisations. Strong farmer groups promote effective delivery of extension services; enhance learning, knowledge sharing and application.