IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ON SIZE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FAMILY FARMS IN NORTHERN INHAMBANE PROVINCE, MOZAMBIQUE

This study was conducted during the periods from May to September 2024 to assess the impacts of agricultural techniques disseminated by extension technicians on family farms in the northern part of the Inhambane province in Mozambique. The research involved agricultural technicians who helped identify and select farmers for the interviews. The results revealed that Agricultural Extension services played a preponderant role in increasing agricultural production, especially for small family farmers. Agricultural Extension services in the northern part of Inhambane province were mostly used by women, representing 52% of all farmers interviewed. Farmers who used these services were characterized by a low level of education, with 50% of these farmers having only the primary level of education. Many of them were considered illiterate, given that they could not read and write Portuguese correctly. Field Visits (60%) and meetings (40%) were the main methods used in the study to disseminate agricultural production techniques. The techniques promoted by extension agents were soil preparation (22%), seeding compass (36%), fertilization (17%) and crop spraying (25%). Ninety percent of all the farmers interviewed affirmed that their production increased as the result of the technical assistance they received.