Analysis of Stallholder Farmers’ Participation in Agricultural Extension Services in Yayo and Hurumu Districts of Oromia, South-West Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examines farmers’ participation and applicability of agricultural extension service demonstration in Yayo and Hurumu districts of Oromia, South-West Ethiopia. Specifically, it aims to evaluate factors determining households’ participation in agricultural extension service; applicability of the extension service field demonstration; and major sources of information from where rural households get information about the service. The primary data was collected from 143 household heads selected based on systematic random sampling from four Kebeles, and interview conducted with 10 key informants. Analysis is made by descriptive and inferential statistics. Ordered logit econometric model is used with robustness test. Marginal effect is used to interpret the effect of explanatory variables on the dependent variable. Result of the study reveals that about 15.3% of literate households frequently participate in the extension service while only 4.23% of illiterate households fall under the category of frequently participating in the service. Factors determining households’ participation in extension service include; age, sex, farming experience, family size, economic status, experience in extension service, DAs contact with farmers, DAs politeness, and farmers’ access to social networks. Among these, except age of household which is negatively related to the degree of participation in extension service, all other variables are positively influencing households’ participation in the extension service. The study also indicates that applicability of the field demonstration through farmers’ farm visit, demonstration at FTCs, and model farmers’ approach of scaling-up best practices are ineffective. The main sources of information through which rural households get information about extension service include development agents, neighbors/relatives, social networks, Kebele administration, and mass media. But, about 90% of the sampled households argued that the contribution of NGOs and model farmers’ in information dissemination and technology transfer has been poor. The policy implication is that government has to make the extension service delivery approach more demand driven and pluralistic where different multi-extension service providers such as farmers’ union, NGOs and private sectors can contribute their part. To promote participation of private and NGOs particularly local NGOs, government better design legal frameworks through which stakeholders could involve in providing agricultural extension service. Keywords: Extension service, FTCs, FFS, Model farmers, Social networks. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-21-02 Publication date: November 30 th 2021