Matching Extension Service With Farmers' Needs: Towards Combining Social And Agro-Ecological Approaches In Ethiopian Extension

Abstract

An extension service grounded in the social, economic and ecological realities
of the farming family and the farm can better target its programs to meet farmers' needs. In this study 305 farm households, from two districts of northcentral Ethiopia are used as a case study, to examine key socio-economic and ecological indicators that affect effective use of extension services. Data was collected using the household questionnaire method and analysed using univariate statistical methods to see factors that impact effective use of
extension inputs. Of the seven variables selected for analysis, plot topography (TOPGRAPH, p < 0.000), holding size (HOLDSIZE, p < 0.006) and number of oxen owned (OXOWN, p < 0.006) were significantly correlated with the amount of fertilizer use. In other words, those fertilizer-using respondents with flat topography, manageable size of land and a pair of oxen were able to use more fertilizers. For an effective extension service, three approaches are necessary: agro-ecology sensitive extension, need-driven extension service and
effective use of indigenous farming knowledge. The three are complementary and provide an integrated extension approach at the local level.

EASSRR Vol. 24 (2) 2008: pp. 1-26