Determinants of Agricultural Information Need and Access of Smallholder Farmers The Case of Wondo Intaye District West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

To enhance agricultural productivity, farmers should have access to timely, well organized, need based and relevant information. A better understanding of farmers‘ agricultural information needs and information sources could help guide extension and other agricultural programs to better target specific groups of farmers. Farmers differ in their access to and need of agricultural information. Such diversity among farmers could relate to various personal, social, economic, psychological, situational and institutional factors. Understanding reasons behind such diversity and farmers current level of access and need of agricultural information is paramount importance. This requires some level of investigation through scientific research to provide reliable and concrete information concerning agricultural information need and accessibility. The objectives of this study were to identify agricultural information needs of the smallholder farmers, to assess the extent of agricultural information access and its determinant factors, and to identify the constraints and opportunities in accessing agricultural information by smallholder farmers. A three-stage sampling procedure was used in which both non-probability sampling for the study area and probability sampling procedures were followed to select three kebeles and 151 respondents. Primary data were collected from the respondents through personal interview schedules FGD, key informant interview and secondary data also collected from district Office of Agricultural and Rural Development and by reviewing relevant materials. A structured interview schedule was used for collecting the essential quantitative data from the sampled respondents. To generate qualitative data, field assessment, informal discussion with key informants, and focus groups discussions were conducted. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tools, statistical tests (chi-square, and ANOVA) and the econometric model, namely, ordered logit model. The major output of the study indicates that agricultural information access of smallholder farmers was significantly affected by sex, literacy level, extension contact, and Cosmo politeness, information seeking behavior, innovation proneness, and livestock ownership. The majority of sample respondents fall in to the low category of information access level. The constraints that hold back farmers from access to agricultural information were poor extension system, lack of quality inputs availability, lack of support of DAs, farmers lack of interest, information not address farmers‘ interest and lack of electricity. Some of opportunities to access agricultural information where the study area were short proximity to such town as Shashemene and Hawassa, social Media (Shashemene Fana and Hawassa FM radio), most of the DAs were the natives of the study area and it has agricultural institutions (research center, University and NGOs). In conclusion, policy and development interventions in the study area should give emphasis to resolve such constraints and to use opportunities effectively to increase agricultural information accessibility, which will ultimately increase the productivity and income of smallholder farmers.