Abstract
This paper examines the significance and impact of privatisation on the management and organisation
of agricultural extension services in Cameroon. The focus is on how government action to implement
new policies in agriculture is perceived by, and has affected farmers. The issues explored are the
pressures for privatisation, the implementation of privatisation, influence on agricultural extension and
farmers’ responses to privatisation. Qualitative and quantitative research methods related to the
Grounded Theory approach were used. 114 farmers, 26 extension agents and 14 senior extension
officers were purposively sampled on the basis of their involvement in four agricultural extension
projects in three regions, which typify different ecological and socio-cultural aspects of farming in
Cameroon. The findings show that persistent economic constraints have increased the country’s
dependency on external sources of funding for agricultural extension programmes with pressure to
reduce government spending, a high level of awareness among farmers with respect to new
organisational changes in extension, and their willingness to accept innovations in their methods of
working with support services that provide appropriate solutions to their farm problems. Privatisation
of agricultural extension services has brought with it greater involvement with private companies and
non-governmental organisations, and greater collaboration among them in delivering extension
services to farmer clients. This increases the effectiveness and sustainability of the information
systems available to farmers.
Key words: Agricultural extension and privatisation, liberalisation and organisational change.
