Overall Research Hypothesis:
"Linking market and production oriented extension approaches results in more successful entrepreneurship activities among smallholder farmers."
Too frequently, agricultural extension is focused on crop production with far less emphasis on consideration of available or new potential markets. This type of extension approach often leads to farmers growing more produce, however, with an unintended consequence of their having no place to sell it. Our hypothesis tests whether exposure to both production- and market-oriented extension, rather than one or the other, results in positive development outcomes. We are testing this hypothesis through quantitative and qualitative evaluations of changes in farmers' income, vegetable production practices, agribusiness and marketing connections and skills, and measures of empowerment.
"Linking market and production oriented extension approaches results in more successful entrepreneurship activities among smallholder farmers."
Too frequently, agricultural extension is focused on crop production with far less emphasis on consideration of available or new potential markets. This type of extension approach often leads to farmers growing more produce, however, with an unintended consequence of their having no place to sell it. Our hypothesis tests whether exposure to both production- and market-oriented extension, rather than one or the other, results in positive development outcomes. We are testing this hypothesis through quantitative and qualitative evaluations of changes in farmers' income, vegetable production practices, agribusiness and marketing connections and skills, and measures of empowerment.