PhD research: Understanding Agricultural Extension Services in Ethiopia

Date
October 2018 to September 2023
Countries
Keywords
agricultural extension
AIS & ToT
deductive approach
extension agents’ role
farmers' interaction
Institutions
Bahir Dar University (Ethiopia)
Research fields
Agriculture and Food Sciences

Agricultural extension services in Ethiopia are crucial in improving farming practices, commercialization, educating farmers, conserving natural resources, introducing new technology, supporting sustainable agriculture, and disseminating information. The ultimate goal is to increase farmers' productivity, income, and livelihoods. However, some limitations hinder its effectiveness, such as poor interaction, low participation, insufficient technical expertise, underutilization of services, weak connections between research and extension, lack of incentives, and inadequate technology adoption across the country). Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were deployed to understand agricultural extension services in Ethiopia. The socio-economic characteristics of farmers considerably impact their level of interaction with extension agencies; , it is notable that top-down ToT (Transfer of Technology) approaches are predominantly utilized in practice; when choosing agricultural extension methods, it is essential to consider farmers' personal and institutional characteristics and our research realized that EAs (Extension Agents) in the area have a weak ability to self-organize without much external intervention or instruction. Therefore, the government must address these limitations and leverage potential opportunities to improve Ethiopia's agricultural sector. It is essential to understand that agricultural extension services differ depending on the area and involve various parties.