Agricultural extension and technology transfer services play a vital role in disseminating research knowledge, skills and income generating strategies among the farming communities in Kenya. However, there exists a kind of disconnect between the amount of information and technologies developed in research centres and what is implemented by the farmers. The study evaluated the access and use of extension approaches in promoting uptake of improved sorghum technologies. The study systematically selected 129 farmers from four villages. Data on farmers' gender, age, household leadership, occupation and agricultural extension approaches were collected. The study revealed that 83% of the respondents were female out of which, 67% were engaged in improved sorghum production technologies. Besides, 56% young women (20 to 49 years) had embraced the growing of improved sorghum varieties Gadam and Sila 1. Further, mobile phones and radio services were the main means of access to the improved sorghum technologies. In addition, there was a strong positive correlation (r=0.122, P=0.01) between extension approaches and uptake of the sorghum technologies. Besides government agricultural extension agents, visits to progressive farmers and/or research sites and use of demonstration plots contributed to 68% and influenced uptake of improved sorghum technologies. It was concluded that gender, family position and age of the farmer contribute to the uptake of improved sorghum technologies. Moreover, mobile phones and radio technologies play an important role in access of sorghum technologies.

The agricultural extension agents play important role in facilitating and guiding farmers towards implementing various agricultural value chain technologies. However, despite the availability of extension agents and improved agricultural technologies, there is minimal corresponding uptake and output on the farmers' farms. The current study therefore assessed the influence of extension agents on the uptake of improved sorghum technologies in Embu County, Kenya. The study sampled 51 government and private extension agents from four villages. Data was collected on the agent's socioeconomic characteristics and extension, techniques. The study revealed that 65% of the respondents were male and had acquired education up to tertiary level. Further, the agents had acquired over twelve years work experience in disseminating various agricultural technologies. The study findings indicated that majority 73% of the agents disseminated technologies through farm visits, demonstrations, and agricultural shows visits and through radio technologies. There was an association (x 2 =96.7) between the extension agents and agents work experience with the work experience enhancing the uptake of improved sorghum technologies by farmers. Further, the work experience significantly (p≤0.00) influenced disseminating of the improved sorghum technologies among farmers. It was concluded that agents' gender, work experience, demonstrations techniques and farm visits, agricultural shows method complemented agents' work in disseminating the improved sorghum technologies among farmers.