The search for effective mechanisms in technology adoption is high on the agenda of researchers and policy makers. In Ethiopia, adoption of technologies followed the diffusion of innovation information through public extension agents, cooperatives and their unions. The use of statutory channels evidenced to largely limit the innovation diffusion and the timely reach of technologies to the end user farmers for adoption due to their operational inefficiencies and bureaucracies emanating from statutory rules and regulations. This raises concerns how innovative ways of intermediating such technologies can be developed in a way that users trust and make informed decisions about the adoption of technologies. Thus, this study explains the roles of Afoosha social networks for technology uptake. Afoosha social network functions on the basis of orders in the predominant social capital, trustworthiness, altruism and with no self-centeredness. The existence of Afoosha social networks in the rural villages of Ethiopia would provide complementary pathways for effective diffusion of innovation and adoption of technologies. This study, therefore, generates a shred of evidence for the innovative mode of diffusing innovation concepts and adopting technologies that help to design policies that integrate the customary and statutory approaches for better technology adoption.

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Much of the sustained agricultural growth necessary for poverty reduction and sustainable development comes from adequate and expanded improved agricultural inputs use like hybrid seeds, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and inorganic fertilizer. However, smallholder farmers faced various and empirically unidentified constraints in the sustainable use of improved agricultural inputs. This study, therefore, is to examine the trends and challenges farmers faced to use improved inputs. The study has used secondary data from various databases such as FAOSTAT, World Bank, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research and agricultural statistics. Simple graphical sketch, tabular and percentage analysis was employed for interpretation of the data. The study revealed that the trends in the use of various improved inputs are not based on the regular basis. The sustainable improved input intensification by smallholder farmers was influenced by various socio-economic, physical, and institutional factors. Understanding trends and challenges in input utilization provide baseline information for input intensification policies and strategies. Therefore, this review pointed out that it is possible to increase inputs intensification by smallholder farmers.

Agricultural extension agents provide informal education to equip farmers with new knowledge and skills. They play critical roles for the transfer of agricultural knowledge, technologies, and innovations. However, most of them dissatisfied and intend to find other employment in Ethiopia. Thus, this study was conducted to examine agricultural extension agents’ education, perceptions towards job satisfaction, and turnover intention in public agricultural extension services in Ethiopia. The sample frame was the list of all first, second, and third-year mid-career students joined Haramaya University to upgrade their educational qualification. Total 123 extension agents were involved in the study. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results revealed that about 89.40% of extension agents acquired new knowledge, skills, practices, and attitudinal change during attending their education at Haramaya University. Results also showed that extension agents were dissatisfied with their current job and organization in terms of payment, promotion, benefits, and recognition. Furthermore, survey results indicate that about 68.3% of extension agents intended to leave their current position and extension organization after completing a Bachelor of Science degree. Therefore, government, private sectors and other stakeholders who work in extension organizations should work on the education and training programs, work motivation, and job satisfaction of agricultural extension agents by designing various incentive packages to increase their work motivation and reduce turnover intentions.

Agricultural innovations can be triggered by the social networks in which farmers have purposefully organized to support themselves. This paper, therefore, explores the values of social connectedness within locally established societies' mutual support associations for agricultural innovations. This study explains how mutual support social network associations trigger agricultural innovations and the way farmers utilize such networks to spiral agricultural innovations. Indigenous mutual support associations like Guuza, Iqubi and Afoosha function in trust-based self-enforcing orders, social networks and relationships in a more flexible and reciprocity-based order. These informal social networks are employed by farmers to collaborate on society's mutual support practices. Trust, norms and group membership are the key components of social capital within indigenous mutual support associations. The social connectedness within the sort of labor-sharing arrangement, informal financial group, funeral association and inter-village link aids member's collective capacity to figure the development of agricultural innovations. Inherently embedded social networks, mutual support, information sharing, interaction and trust among the members within mutual support associations are the ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Agricultural productions of smallholder farmers are vulnerable to rainfall shortage and variability in Ethiopia. Thus, this study was aimed to examine water storage strategies practiced by farmers for small-scale irrigation systems in east Hararghe zone, Ethiopia. Data was collected from 300 irrigation user households using an interview schedule. Collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Multivariate Probit model. The research findings revealed that about 62.67, 54.33, 20.33 and 17.67% of households have used borehole, shallow wells, hand-dug, and farm pond water storage practices for small-scale irrigation, respectively. The finding of the Multivariate Probit (MVP) model showed that the choice of using borehole water storage practices affected by education level and frequency of extension contacts. The choice of shallow wells to store water was influenced by livestock size, participation in non-farm activities, and the use of the improved seed. Furthermore, the choice of using hand-dug is affected by household size, farm size, access to training, external support, and weather information. Finally, the size of livestock ownership influenced the choice of ponds for small-scale irrigation. Therefore, various stakeholders should work to enhance the water storage capacity of the farmers by reducing the hindrances and strengthening enabling factors in the study areas.

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