Reaching out to socially distant trainees: experimental evidence from variations on the standard farmer trainer system.

This article examines the effectiveness of three cost-effective variations on the standard Farmer Trainer (FT) model—a farmer-to-farmer agricultural extension system—in rural Uganda, focusing on whether these variations enhance the diffusion of dairy farming information beyond the FT's immediate social network. The variations tested include (i) vouchers enabling FTs to access professional Extension Agents (EAs) (Linkage variation), (ii) a signpost advertising FT services (Signpost variation), and (iii) additional training for FTs to tailor content to trainees' needs (Needs Assessment variation). Results indicate that all variations increased FT training activity, with the Linkage variation uniquely expanding outreach to more socially distant farmers and increasing the number of training sessions, independent of the FT's prominence in the village. However, survey data suggest that knowledge gains and technology adoption predominantly occurred among farmers closely connected to the FT, highlighting persistent frictions in knowledge transmission along social network lines despite broader participation. These findings underscore the importance of ongoing support from professional extension services to FTs to enhance inclusive information diffusion in resource-constrained agricultural settings.