Improving Agricultural Extension Services through Faith-Based Initiatives: A Case of the Bahati Farmers Project in Kenya

Abstract

Development-oriented religious organizations could benefit local communities by providing social services particularly in agricultural extension. U.S. President George Bush’s “faith-based initiative” policy, aimed at allowing churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious bodies in the United States to seek government funding for social services recognizes this fact. Though governments will always have responsibility for poverty alleviation, religious organizations seem most suited to working with the poor. They know these people better and are likely to be easily accepted by them when introducing improved agricultural technologies. President Bush’s policy has relevance for all countries, especially a developing country like Kenya. The advocacy for a faith-based approach to rural development in Kenya is particularly timely in view of Kenya’s ongoing retrenchment of extension agents, her limited financial and logistical support for extension, and the high incidence of corruption in public and business sectors. This paper describes a pilot project, the Bahati African Inland Church leaders’ initiative to make extension responsive to community needs and aspirations through a Christian Life Promotion Program. The project was quite successful, indicating that religious organizations could enhance the delivery of extension services.