Jieknyal Jr, Bijiek Gatwech2016-03-112016-03-112016-03-10vt_gsexam:7110http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64912The purpose of this study was to explore food security and agricultural challenges to examine the feasibility of using extension services as food security challenges intervention. The study used extension services, microfinance, farm cooperatives, and educational strategy to apply the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to investigate culturally specific attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral constructs in relationship to female economic development through agricultural production. The use of semi-structured interviews in a qualitative research design was found useful in exploring the informants' experiences in challenges to food security and agricultural productivity not only in South Sudan, but also in Sub-Saharan Africa. In-depth one on one semi-structured interviews were conducted with farmers and international agriculture researchers.ETDIn CopyrightAgricultureExtension educationDissertation