Comparing Public and Private Agricultural Extension Services

Using primary data from the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam, a comparative analysis of the impacts of public and private agricultural extension services on acreage share of horticultural crops in total cropped area, and on farm business income generation is presented. It is revealed that farmers accessing either public or private extension services devote larger proportion of cropped area to cultivation of horticultural crops relative to farmers who do not access any type of extension services. Public extension service has been found to be marginally more effective than private extension service in this regard. Further, only public extension service is found to have a significant impact on income generation. It is suggested that outreach of the public extension services should be improved.