The Political Economy of Re-Inventing a Public Agricultural Extension System: A Case Study from Uganda

Agricultural advisory services are critical for enabling smallholder farmers in Africa to adopt practices that sustainably increase productivity and enhance climate resilience. However, establishing and fi-nancing institutions capable of delivering high-quality extension services at scale remains a persistent challenge. This paper presents an empirical case study from Uganda, applying the Advocacy Coalition Framework to analyze the political economy of agricultural extension reform. In 2014, Uganda decided to reinvent a public agricultural extension system—called the “Single Spine” system—after abandoning the World Bank–supported National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), which had out-sourced extension to private providers but ultimately failed due to design flaws and governance challenges. The design of the new Single Spine sought to address two longstanding challenges of public ex-tension systems: accountability and stable financing. Accountability was pursued through decentralization to local governments, combined with oversight by the re-established Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services in the national Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). A digital monitoring tool (the e-diary) was introduced to strengthen accountability of extension officers, who had been recruited in large numbers, starting 2016. Stable financing was addressed through the creation of an Agricultural Extension Conditional Grant for local governments. These reforms were driven by a “Pro-Public-Extension” Advocacy Coalition within MAAIF, supported by a Minister of Agriculture who shared a belief in the necessity of a strong public extension system. After initial progress, political shifts following the 2021 elections empowered a competing “Pro-Commercial Farming” Advocacy Coalition, which prioritized larger farmers. Subsequent policy changes reduced funding for extension, suspended the Conditional Grant, and weakened accountability mechanisms. Although lobbying by the Pro-Public-Extension Coalition led to a partial restoration of funding, implementation remained fragile. The case demonstrates that institutional design alone is insufficient to sustain effective public agricultural extension. Continuous political agency by supportive advocacy coalitions is essential. co-authored with Patience Rwamigisa