Farmers’ Perception Towards Wheat Row Planting Practices by Smallholder Farming Households in Elfeta District, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perception of farmers towards wheat row planting practices by smallholder farmers in the study area. This study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches to achieve the study's goals. Primary data were collected from 141sample households which are selected at randomly. Additional information was also obtained from focus group discussion and key informant interview. The data has been analyzed by using descriptive statistics such as mean, percentage and standard deviation by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20. Qualitative data were used to validate the responses of questionnaire. The result of the study showed that, 63.6% of the respondents were cannot read and write from non-adopter and 47.8% completion of primary school from adopter farmers in the study area. The result of the study also indicated that 51.7% of both non-adopter and adopter farmers responded as strongly disagree on access to extension service given by DA in the study area. According to the result of the study 53.9% of both non-adopter and adopter farmers responded as strongly disagree on perception on access to credit service given by government in the study area. Additionally, both non-adopter and adopter of the farmers revealed that there was low technical training from government and development agency in the study area. Therefore, the study concludes that, Policies and strategies that focus on farmers’ education, implementation of well-established extension package, linkages of farmers, researchers, development agent, and stakeholders are helpful so as to achieve wider adoption of row planting technology of smallholder farmer in the study area.