Extension Advice, Agricultural Productivity, and Food Security in Tanzania

Abstract

Although agriculture is a major source of livelihood in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, agricultural productivity remains low. Access to extension services can play a significant role in raising agricultural productivity and improving smallholder farmers' welfare. This paper uses a recent National Agricultural Sample Survey 2019/2020 data to examine the effect of receiving extension advice for crop production on agricultural productivity and food security in Tanzania. It uses an instrumental variable technique, extended regression model, and endogenous switching regression model to address possible selection bias and endogeneity problems. The findings show that receiving extension advice has a strong positive effect on agricultural productivity. Investigating the potential mechanisms, the findings reveal that households who received extension advice for crop production were more likely to apply organic fertiliser, use improved seeds, practice irrigation, practice conservational farming, and applied more organic and inorganic fertiliser. We also find a significant correlation between access to extension advice and food security. Overall, the results highlight the role of extension advice in boosting agricultural productivity among smallholders and indirectly improving food security.