WOLAITA SODO UNIVERESTIY

COLLAGE OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTUREAL EXTENSION

(RDAE)

TITILE: THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE FOR RURAL

DEVELOPMENT IN ETHIOPIA.

BY: JARSO BORU

SUBMITTED TO COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT RDEA

ADVISOR ; DAWIT. U(MSc.)

ID. AGR/R/486/11

WOLAITA SODO ETHIOPIA

 Table of contents

Contents Pages
Table of contents .............................................................................................................................. I
Acronyms/ Abbreviation ................................................................................................................. II
List of table ................................................................................................................................... III
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background and Justifications .............................................................................................. 1
1.2 Statement of the problem ...................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Objective of the Seminar .................................................................................................. 2
1.3.1 General Objectives ......................................................................................................... 2
1.3.2 Specific Objectives ......................................................................................................... 2
1.4 Justifications of the seminar .................................................................................................. 2
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................ 3
2.1 The Role of Agricultural Extension Service for Rural Development ................................... 3
2.1.1 Concepts and Definitions of Agricultural Extension Service ............................................ 3
2.1.2 Extension service in the innovation ................................................................................... 5
2.1.3 Extension for Adopting external factors ............................................................................ 6
2.1.4 Extension in enhancing or attracting adoption ................................................................... 6
2.1.5 Agricultural extension for advisory service ....................................................................... 6
2.1.6 Challenges Of Agricultural Extension Service .................................................................. 8
2.1.6.1 HUMAN CAPACITY ..................................................................................................... 8
2.1.6.2 Content ............................................................................................................................ 9
2.1.6.3 Technology .................................................................................................................. 10
2.1.7 Future Direction Work .................................................................................................... 10
3. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................ 11
3.1 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 11
3.2. Recommendation ................................................................................................................ 12
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 13

I
Acronyms/ Abbreviation
GDP Growth Domestic Plants

CSA Central Statistical Agency

IECAMA Imperial Ethiopian College of Agriculture and Mechanical Art

IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute

TAS Training Advisory Systems

FTCs Farmer Training Center

FDRE Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

PEAP Participatory Extension Approach Practice

II
 List of tables
Tables Pages

Table 1: Characteristics of different types of extension Works Cited ............................................ 4

Table 2 : Ethiopian form advisory services SWOT analysis . ........................................................ 7

III
 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background and Justifications
Agriculture is the back bone of Ethiopian economy systems because it provides services for
85% of labour force; Account for nearly 50% of grass domestic products (GDP) and
contributions over 90% of total export earning of Nations. Therefore agricultural extensions
should be strengthening to improve agricultural development (CSA, 2005).

83% of the populations of Ethiopia depend directly on agriculture for their livelihoods, while
many others depends on agriculture related cottage industries such as textile, leather and food oil
processing. Ethiopia is well endowed at least in part with a fertile soil, Abundant water resources
and good climatic conditions until recently (Berhanu, 2003).

According to bill and Belinda (2010) stated that agriculture is a key driver of Ethiopia’s long
term growth and food security, agriculture directly supports 85% of populations contributes 43%
of growth domestic products and 80% of export value.

Agricultural extensions service plays a critical role to catalyze/ support the transformation
process. Since it contributes to the development of the skill and knowledge of farmers to Adopt
new and improved technologies, and the approaches and process with which the skill
development and access to information’s are realized (Berhanu et,al, 2006). Agricultural
extensions service work in Ethiopia began in 1931 with the establishment of the Ambo
agricultural school which is one of the oldest agricultural institutions in Ethiopia the real
extensions work began in the early 1950s following the establishment of the imperial Ethiopian
college of agriculture and mechanical arts (IECAMAA).

Now Aremaya university with the assistance of the united states of America under the point of
some program the academic program of the collage was modeled on the land grant collage
systems with four fundamental programs.

Related responsibilities; training high level man power: promoting agricultural research and
disseminating appropriate technologies (Kassa, 2003), at present extension activities are the
entire responsibility of regional agricultural extensions.

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Region are given full-self rule in the planning, excursions, monitoring and evaluations of
extensions program (Kassa, 2003).

1.2 Statement of the problem

Agricultural extension has the role to play in agricultural development through support and
facilitate people engaged in agricultural productions to solve problem and to obtain information,
skills and technologies to improve their livelihoods and well- being.

Majority of Ethiopian farmers have been using traditional way of agricultural practices which
persists to low productivity. To solve this problems governmental and non- governmental
organizations have made effort to bring about change through agricultural extension strategies.
But this effort not with standing the rural population still practices subsistence. This actually is in
so many parts of Ethiopia as example when we see incase of our woreda (Miyo woreda)
agricultural extension service relating problem is there such as:

 Lack of enough water to producing agricultural productions.

 Lack of suitable adaption of technology, inadequate profession/literacy level of
the farmers, lack of qualified extension supervisor and worker.
 Lack of the staff morale, lack of mobility and virtually no equipment. As well as
weak extension linkage and the like are the problem that need the solutions or
that have to be solved as soon as possible.

1.3 Objective of the Seminar

1.3.1 General Objectives
 To assess the role of agricultural extension for agricultural development in Ethiopia.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

 To assess the importance of agricultural extensions in adoption of new technologies.
 To examine the role of agricultural extension in innovations and advisory service.
 To indicate the future directions or perspectives of agricultural extension in Ethiopia.

1.4 Justifications of the seminar

Agricultural extension service has major for agricultural development in particular and rural
development in general to apply these role on practices, planners, policy makers or other
disciplinary may use these seminar as supportive information mechanisms, to identify the
effectiveness and challenges of agricultural extension and bring sustainable development on
understanding the role of agricultural extension towards agricultural development of Ethiopia. It
can also provide base line information for researchers who need to undertake similar research.

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 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 The Role of Agricultural Extension Service for Rural Development

2.1.1 Concepts and Definitions of Agricultural Extension Service

Agricultural extension is a service or system which assist farm people, through educational
procedures, in improving farming method and techniques, increasing productions efficiency and
income, bettering their level of living and lifting the social and educational standards of rural
life.

Agricultural extension can be defined as the provision of knowledge and skill necessary farmers
to be able to adopt and apply more efficient crop and animal production method to improve their
productivity and living standards. There is no widely accepted definitions of agricultural
extension (FAO, 2002).

There were more than ten (10) definitions given for extension during the last 50 years in 2004, it
was defined as; extension is a series of fixed communicative interventions that are meant, among
others, to develop and/or induce innovations which supposedly help to resolve problematic
issues. Schools are still giving their working definitions for “Extension” based on their local
specific knowledge and conditions (Belay and Daniel, 2011).

According to Dragic et al (2009) agricultural extension service is important for developing state
which stimulates the development of agricultural productions. Agricultural extension service in
numerous world countries has led to forming of special institution as part of their own policies of
technical- technological development of agriculture, and this institution would be engaged in
application of scientific results in agricultural production.

Agricultural development is shifting from traditional production practice to improved production

practices while maintaining environmental protection. It is related to the farmers ability and
adoptions of new technology. Ministry of agriculture use agricultural extension as one of their
instrument to promote agricultural development. Agricultural development is often seen as an
increase in agricultural production and/or productivity of land, labour and capital in agriculture.

Roles of extension organizations are related with the goal that they have to achieve. Agricultural
extension is one of the policy instruments in which government usually uses it to motivate the

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farmers for agricultural development. Girma et al (nd) stated that farmers that participated in the
family agricultural commodities, but also involve in the other agricultural activities at the
sometime. According to Adams, agricultural systems have six functional components.

1. Production:- refers to the physical tasks involved in cultivating crops and raising
livestock’s.
2. Supply and credit:- are concerned with obtaining the physical inputs.
3. Marketing:- is concerned with the storage transport and the sales of the out puts.
4. Research:- aims to discover new facts about agriculture.
5. Extension:- aims to transfer this knowledge to producer.
6. Regulation:- is concerned with the allocations of resources.

Such as land and water with agricultural rules, with quality control

Table 1: Characteristics of different types of extension Works Cited

There are no sources in the current document.

No Types of extensions It characteristics

1 Compulsory extension service
2 Economical extension service
3 Educational extension service
4 Universal extension service
5 Optional extension service
 It is the early stage of the development of
agriculture
 It is the lowest educational level
 It purpose of achieving certain goals.
 It purpose for economic incentives
 It is demonstrated in capital deficiency
 It offers opportunity for learning
 It used for protection of the environment and
nature
 It established on legal basis and using economic
incentive
 It is insurance incentives
 It is both economic and educational levels of
farmers.
 It gives advice and information to farmers.

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The agricultural extensions today goes to the holistic approach beyond technology transfer of
major technology for crop and livestock’s production systems. It include goals for human capital
development in terms of enhancing the management and technical skills of farm households
relating to production and post-harvest handling of high value crops, livestock and fishers,
sustainable natural resource management, family health and nutrition’s and leadership and
organizational skills, in addition to social capital development, that is, organizing producers
groups (Swanson, 2008) cited in (IFPRI) 2010.

Strengthening the linkage between research and extension is crucial to expand the new
technology, through extension service, improved grain storage and preservation technologies as
well as Agro-processing techniques suitable for small-scale producer (Kassa. 2003).

2.1.2 Extension service in the innovation

Innovation is the process of introduction of a new product or qualitative in the existing products.
It is also the opening of the new market and development of new sources of supply for new
material or other inputs. It is the change in industrial organization. It is the word used to describe
the vast number of changes to Affrim activities that lead improve the firm performance,
products, process and investment in a new machine marketing expenditures, creation of
intellectual property the purchasing power of technology.

Innovative farmers were demonstrating how to intensify and/or diversity current farming
systems. These innovative farmers played strategic role grounded in their interest in pursuing
new high-value crops, livestock and other enterprises to increase their farm income. These
innovative farmers were also creating job opportunities to other local farmers by sharing and
disseminating their learning and by promoting the scale up of the successful innovation across
farming communities.

Many small- scale farmers were conscious that innovative farmers were trying something new,
but it is challenging for these farmers to handle the potential risk unless market exist the absorb
the different crops and products as markets expand for these different crops/ products, many of
these enterprise become scalable. When different organizations or institutions integration had a
role of building capacity and enabling farmers to operate in the innovation systems.

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2.1.3 Extension for Adopting external factors
According to Ashworth (2005) Ethiopian farmers adapted to the local environment which was
especially important for the country where its greater diversity in agro-ecological environments
to matter for production and productivity of agricultural practices.

A much greater investment in adaptive trial work in which farmers, extensions and researcher
participate collaborate, each are full and equal partners is needed.

The major role of extension in adaptation is to make new things visible using of their knowledge
that is introduces new technologies in research proofed, indigenous technology development
practices and farmer experimentation can be an important entry point for introducing sustainable
farming practices but it should be gradually these traditional practices.

2.1.4 Extension in enhancing or attracting adoption

Adoption is the decision making process in which an individual passes from first hearing about
innovation to final adoptions. Adoption is either at the farm-level or at aggregate level. This the
degree of use of a new technology in long- run term when the farmer has full information about
the technology (Abhaley, 2006), the study by Abhaley (2006) indicated adopter farmers were
visited by extension agent more frequently than non- adopters.

Adopter farmers searched for new knowledge and technologies as well as creating partnerships
that enhance application of the knowledge and technologies. They indicated in collective and
individual learning about innovation to enhance communities capacity to innovate.

2.1.5 Agricultural extension for advisory service

According to Girma et al (nd) working with the training and advisory extension systems (TAS)
identified beneficiaries, and specified contents and an organizational structure. This system
enhanced effective use of natural and human resources to produce quality and marketable
products for both local and foreign markets in order to increase the household income by
producing good quality products which complete on the international market promoting different
technologies in areas where surplus production is available, enhancing natural resource
development, conservation and efficient use of these resources. Thus farmers got primary
education and training about modern agriculture and three development agents (specialized in the
field of plant, animal and natural resource/irrigation).

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Assigned per kebeles to provide farmers with extension and advise services as well as
training(girmand ).the FTCS are designed as local –level focal point for farmers to receive
information’s ,training demonstrations, and advice ,and include both class room and
demonstration fields .the FTC staffed by three DAS(one each in the areas of crops ,livestock’s
and natural resource management ) and supported by a peripatetic DA covering several FTCs
and trained in cooperatives management or a related fields. Each Dais expected to train 120
farmers per year in his /her field of specializations through aboard range of demand responsive
extension and short –term training services (Stefan,et al 2008).

Table 2 : Ethiopian form advisory services SWOT analysis .

1. strength 2. weaknesses

 Comparatively wide grass roots  Continuance of top –down transfer of

coverage
 Policy enabling environment
agricultural as the engine of growth
 Will educated and experienced senior
staff
 Commitment in principle
decentralize to the grassroots
 Principle of implementing participatory
extension approach embedded in
agricultural and rural development
policies and strategies .
3. opportunities
 Policy enabling environment and
government commitment to agricultural
/rural development
 Commitment to decentralization to
grassroots
 Upgrading of grass roots extension
workers in academic qualifications
technologies paradigm
 Insufficient adequately qualified front
line extension agents .
 Comparative lack of appropriate
technologies for resources poor
to farmers.
 Attitude of too many extension staff
towards listening and learning from
farmers.
 Inadequate in- service training and
field back stopping for all technical
and extension staff .
 Absence of capacity empowerment
programs for rural communities.
Threats- risk
 Central reluctance to fully commit to
decentralization
 Reluctance to foster a pluralist
extension service
 Inadequate support and continual
mentoring of front line development
agent

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2.1.6 Challenges Of Agricultural Extension Service
According to belay et al (2006) effectiveness of agricultural service depend on the number of
factors including the relation ships between extension service activities and changes in attitude of
farmers, skills, to use technologies and improved practices, farmers access to information and
availability of technology, input supply and other support mechanisms.

Challenges of coverage ,lack of appropriate and relevant technologies , poor policy environments
for agriculture and rural development ,weak institutional arrangements ,inefficient institutional
support service such as supply of inputs ,credits and agricultural markets lack of political support
and commitment shortage of funds etc .

2.1.6.1 HUMAN CAPACITY

Human capacity refers to both the quality and quantity of extension personnel. Their ability to
acquire and develop new information and knowledge and to contextualize it for farmer in the
operational area affect the use and impact of these knowledge on farmer productivity and income

Additionally supporting farmers to process and integrate information from many different
sources is important (IFPRI,2010).

According to FDRE,2002. The economic development strategy , In general and agricultural

development strategy in particular and employing the same intensively in development
activities . building capacity of human or the labor force is very important to development that
include ,.

 Further developing the drive ,preparedness and industriousness of the labor force .
 Upgrading agricultural skills
 The health status of the population
 Aligning the above with the supply replication and diffusion of technology .

These human development capacity is very important to bring sustainable development in the
country . lack of capacity building in terms of number and quality of institutions ,working
systems , and human resources was the chief obstacles that resist in the way of realizing
development of country .

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According the various aspects of the development initiative that have been under taken by the
governments acknowledged the prime importance of the need for capacity building

The capacity building strategy the government has reorganized it executive branch and created
a few more line ministries considered instrumental for the realization of the broad development
objectives. It would bring together and coordinate all the various fragmented capacity building
activities under one integrated and harmonized operation that would best help achieve national
development objectives .

The holistic and comprehensive nature of the national capacity building initiative critical
linkage to all the efforts of economic growth and poverty reduction is a reflection of the country
envisaged socio –economic transformation in Ethiopia (FDRE,2002).

2.1.6.2 Content
The reliability ,relevance ,usability ,and time lines of the information are critical beyond the
provision of information on the main cereal crops and technologies efforts are needed to augment
the content to include market intelligence , policy insight ,farmers experience , and off farm
enterprise information as well as the integration of information to create link with supporting
services and inputs (IFPRI,2010).

During the provision of information /technology market intelligence of the farmer, policy insight
in the country off farm enterprise could affects development of the country . a farmer that was
high farmer intelligence he would change one farm enterprise which is market situation is low
for the farm product to another farm business which have high market price . off farm farming
activity may affects agricultural production and development in the country. Since some people
may go with out work their farm activities for searching off income through daily work and
the like .

It decrease the use of family labor between farm and off farm works . due to this the new
technology which was given through agricultural extension may fail(Raphael D ,B ,nd )

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2.1.6.3 Technology
Increasing use of technology can improve the nature and speed of information sharing . effective
and sustainable use of technology depends on the appropriateness of the user and the content
shared via this technology (IFPRI,2010).

2.1.7 Future Direction Work

The current extension service delivery systems needs to be studied in participatory way to
formulate the national agricultural extension policy frame work . the following strategic actions
are mentoring at this stage in time .

 Study the effectiveness of the current extension systems implemented throughout the
country and formulates a pluralistic national extension systems policy frame work.
 Establish the newly formulated extension system address effectively both the rain fed
and irrigated agricultural production system under the growth pole concepts .
According to the official agricultural and rural development policy and strategy
documents , a participatory approach is accepted as the official extension methodology .
The challenge now is to learn from the positive experiences with approach in Ethiopia
and scale –up the participatory extension approach practice(PEAP) through out the
country.

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 3. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 Conclusions
Agricultural extension is a service or systems which assist farm people ,through educational
procedures , in improving farming method and techniques , increasing productions efficiency
and income ; bettering their level of living and lifting the social and educational standards of
rural life.

Agricultural extension service in numerous world countries has led to forming of special
institution as part of their own policies of technical – technological development of agriculture
and this institutions would be engaged in application of scientific result in agricultural
productions.

Agricultural development is often seen as an increasing in agricultural production and /or

productivity of land ,labor and capital in agriculture . up on my evaluations the agricultural
extension activities in all sides are leads to the development of the house hold and ss well as
country. These activities are such as;

 Production : refers to physical tasks involved in cultivating crops and raising live
stocks.
 Supply and credits : are concerned with obtaining the physical inputs.
 Marketing : is concerned with the storage , transport and the sales of the out puts ;
research aim to discover new facts about agriculture ;extension aims to transfer this
knowledge to producer ; regulation is concerned with the allocation of resources.
Generally this all activities of agricultural productions are facilitated by the persons
us individual and by the governmental and non governmental institutions . so that
starting from small house hold up to extension service level the linkage of encouraging
agricultural systems have to be take place doing in this encouraging activity is having to
be obligatory of even every individuals.
 These systems enhanced effectives use of natural and human

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3.2. Recommendation
 All family members should be engaged with the production of other agricultural
commodities to maximize the income of the house hold. With this program every active
members or working age of the house hold should have to participate in production
activities throughout the year.
 The agricultural extension organization (extension workers and service) should play an
important role to mobilize the vital role of agricultural extension in natural
development.
 Agricultural extension program and policies should be formulated with consideration of
the farmers’ opinions and their traditional knowledge system.
 The quality of improved seed should be improved and training farmers how to use it to
increase their production and product ivies
 Farmers should use agricultural input service effectively and efficiently.

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 REFERENCES
Abrhaley. G(2006). Farmers perception and adoption of integrated striga management
technology in tahtayadiabo woreda, tigray , Ethiopia MSc THESIS DECEMBER 2006,
haramaya university, Ethiopia keep and up date sequence.

Belay K and Daniel T (2011). Extension role in sustainable agricultural development ``

Haramaya university``.

Berhan N. (20030. Intensification of Ethiopian agriculture , Ethiopian economic association ,``

Addis ababa.

Berhan G. Hoekstra D. Azeze T (2006). Commercialization of Ethiopian agriculture extension

service from input supplies to knowledge broker and facilitator.

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