Determinants of agricultural knowledge and information usage to achieve SDGs: Misrak Badawacho district, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the factors influencing the utilization of agricultural knowledge and information to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Misrak Badawacho District, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A survey was conducted among 220 households using closed-ended and semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for data analysis. The study examined independent variables, such as sex, age, education level, family size, land ownership, livestock holding, annual income, cell phone ownership, access to agricultural information, training, credit, markets, cosmopolitanism, and farmers' perceptions. The dependent variables were the use of agricultural information and knowledge. The findings revealed that ten variables significantly influenced farmers' utilization of agricultural knowledge and information to achieve the SDGs. While age and access to credit were found to have a negative impact on farmers' utilization of agricultural knowledge and information, variables such as sex, TLU (Total Livestock Units), annual income, cell phone ownership, access to agricultural information, access to marketplaces, cosmopolitanism, and farmers’ perceptions had a positive influence on their utilization. Based on these results, the researchers recommend that farmers have access to education, training, information, market opportunities, credit, and collaborations with stakeholders to enhance the utilization of agricultural knowledge and information.