Evaluation of the Determinants of Smallholder Famers’ Participation in Agricultural Extension in Western Ethiopia

Abstract

The study brought new estimates of determinants of smallholder farmers' decision to participate in agricultural extension service in Western Ethiopia using 2017/18 farm household survey data. Multi-stage proportionate random sampling technique wasused to collect farm data of 360 households of which 245 farm households are participants and the remaining 115 farm households are non-participants in extension service. Both quantitative and qualitative research method was used and Primary data was obtained using structured questionnaires. Secondary data was also collected from reports, journals, past research works, official documents and the internet. The result of maximum likelihood estimation showed that sex of household, education level of household, family size, age of household, experience in extension, farming experience, farmers' access to social network and DAs' frequency of visitwere found to be significant determinants for the household participation in agricultural extension services. The conclusion is that the local and regional government should focus and invests massively in supply of extension services to smallholder farmers in order to promote crop production and food consumption.