Constraints to agricultural extension work in Ethiopia: the insiders' view

Abstract

This paper examines principal obstacles to agricultural extension work in Ethiopia. The historical review reveals that extension programs and policies have been formulated without due consideration to the farmers' opinion, the various extension approaches have been biased against the livestock sub-sector, and research and extension activities have been carried out by different organizations without proper coordination. Both the historical review and the survey results confirm that extension work in the country has not been participatory in its nature, the research-extension linkage has been very poor, and extension agents have been involved in different activities which are not related to their normal duties. The study reveals that apart from the fact that the number of extension workers in the country is very small, their qualification and communication skills leave a lot to be desired. The study makes it also clear that a host of factors, most of which are policy related, obstructs extension agents from discharging their duties properly.