Introduction:

# SEE EED FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMHINO TO REACH VOMEN FARMERS THROUGH EXTENSION

1. Agricultural extension has not been particularly kind to Africa's women farmers. On a continent where women produce 90 percent of the food (FAO, 1983a) and 60 percent of total agricultural output (US Department of Commerce/USAID, 1984), insensitivity and neglect by extension services is the norm. **As** one indicator, women are negligibly represented within extension Eervices.1 A survey of extension services worldwide revealed that in 10 African countries where data were available, only 2.6 percent of the extension staff overall were women, and in no African country did women represent -ore than 9 percent of the staff (Swanson and Rassi, 1981).

2. More importantly, numerous case studies have pointed out "the gender gap" that exists in the pro)vision of extension services to women farmers. Compared to male farmers or farming couples, women farmers receive far less attention from extension services and consequently benefit much less from improved farming techniques. This is true even when it is widely recognized that women contribute significantly to agricultural production in the area.<sup>2</sup> 3. A study of extension activities in western Kenya is representative (Staudt, 1982). It showed that farms managed jointly by a farming couple received at least one visit in 75 percent of the cases, yet women-managed farms were visited in only 50 percent of the cases. This discrepancy remains even wht... controlling such factors as farm size, wealth, or willingness to adopt new practices. A study of the Tanga region of Tanzania produced similar results (Due, Mollel, and Malone, 1987). Jointly-managed farms were four times more likely than female-managed farms to receive at least one extension visit Uith the consequence that jointly-managed farms were more likely to adopt improved practices that resulted in almost doubling their yields of maize.

4. Finally, in Cameroon itself, a study in the South West Province (Almy and others, 1988) revealed that extension workers were better known to maleheaded farming households. When asked for the name and post of the local extension agent, every male heading a household could accurately give the name compared to 42 percent of the women farmers heading households. The likely reason is again frequency of visits. Half the male- and jointly-managed farms had received an extension visit; only 18 percent of the women-managed farms had seen an extension agent.

5. Compare these rather bleak results with thoc. from Cameroon's North West province where, for the last five years, the Misszon de Developpement de

**1 There is an** ongoLng **debate** about **the** relatlonship **between** women's representation **In the** extonslon **service and success In** reaching **farmers.** A **few** (Knudson **and Yates.** 1981) seem to argue that **womn In the** extenslon **service Ls** both **a** necessary **nd** sufficient conlitLon for reaching **women farmrs. The** majority view (Ashby, 1981, PAO, **19S3bu** Borger, **Delancey and Heiiencamp.** 1984, **WioLdean,** 1987) **is** that **vosen In the** extonaLon **service ts necessary but** not **suffiCelnt** to **ensuro** extension service **reach wi n.** Other, **mere** recent studies (Spring, **1986), argue** that **wo** n in **tLe extension may not even be necessary** to **reach womn farm. Thus, with** the exception of **zhe** third p repective, women's representation in **the extensLon** service **is an indicator** of attention to **nd concern** for **women farers.**

2 ThLs **is the** conclusion of **Berger,** Delancey **and Nellenemp** (1964) who **base their** opinLon on **the basli** of 12 case **studies** of **extenslon** programs **in** 7 **Sub-Saharan African countries.**