SALALE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF AGRICUITURE AND NATRAL

RESOURCE DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
AND AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

SENIOR RESEARCH PROJECT SEMINAR

TITLE; REVIEW ON ROLE OF AGRICULTURAL

EXTENSION SERIVICE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN
ETHIOPIA.

BY; YAMROT MESERET

ID0983/13
Advisor.Mr. Birhanu A.

FICHE,ETHIOPIA

DECEMBER,2023
 ACKNOLEDGMENT
First of all I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the almighty God. Next Iwould
feel great pleasure and honor to express my heartiest gratitude and deep sense of
obligation to our advisor Mr. Birhanu,A

2
Contents
ACKNOLEDGMENT..................................................................................................2
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION..............................................................................4
ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................5
1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................6
1.1. Background of the Seminar.......................................................................................6
1.2. Objectives of the seminar..........................................................................................7
1.2.1. General objectives...............................................................................................7
1.2.2 Specific objectives...............................................................................................7
1.3 Significant of the seminar...........................................................................................7
2. LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................................8
2.1 Theoretical Review.....................................................................................................8
2.1.1. Concepts and definitions of agricultural extension service................................8
2.1.2. Extension service in innovation........................................................................11
2.1.3. Extension for adapting external factors............................................................12
2.1.4. Extension in enhancing or attracting adoption.................................................13
2.1.5. Agricultural extension for advisory services....................................................13
2.2. Empirical Review....................................................................................................15
2.2.1. Challenges of agricultural extension service....................................................15
2.2.2. Human capacity................................................................................................16
2.2. 3 Content..............................................................................................................16
2.2.4. Technology.......................................................................................................17
3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.............................................................18
3.1. Conclusions.............................................................................................................18
3.2. Recommendation.....................................................................................................19
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................20

3
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION
AEM Agricultural Extension Manual
CSA Central Statistical Agency
ESP Extension service provider
FDRE Federal De
IARF Integrated Agricultural Research for Development
IECAMA Imperial Ethiopian College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts
IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute
ILRI International Livestock Research Institute
MOA Ministry of Agriculture
MOARDS Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments
NARO National Agricultural Research Organization

4
ABSTRACT

Agriculture is the back bone of Ethiopian economy because it provides service for the
economy almost for 85%.. Similarly, Agricultural extension service has long history in
our country but its historical review revealed that extension work in Ethiopia was not
participatory in nature.The purpose of this paper is to review the role of agricultural
extension service for rural development in Ethiopia. Agricultural extension 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 compete on the
international market. Ethiopian farmers adapted to the local environment which is
especially important for the country where it’s greater diversity in agro-ecological
environments for matter of production and productivity in agricultural practices.

5
1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Seminar

Agriculture is the back bone of Ethiopian economy because it provides service for 85%
of labor force; account for nearly 50% of gross domestic product (GDP) and
contribution over 90% of total export earning of nation. Therefore, agricultural extension
should be strengthening to improve agricultural development (CSA, 2016).
Eighty-three percent of the population of Ethiopia depends directly on agriculture for
their livelihoods, while many others depend on agriculture-related cottage industries such
as textiles, leather, and food oil processing. Agriculture contributes up to 50 percent of
gross domestic product (GDP) and up to 90 percent of foreign currency through exports
(IFPRI, 2016).
The problem of Ethiopian agriculture cannot be primarily explained by natural
endowments. Ethiopia is well endowed at least in part with a fertile soil, abundant water
resources and good climatic conditions until recently (Berhanu, 2016).
According to Bill and Melinda (2016) stated that agriculture is a key driver of Ethiopia’s
long-term growth and food security. Agriculture directly supports 85 percent of the
population constitutes 43 percent of grosses domestic product (GDP) and 80 percent of
export value (2016).
The development of Ethiopian economy heavily depends up on the speed with which
agricultural growth is achieved. The rate of agricultural growth in Ethiopia in turn
depends on the speed with which current subsistence oriented production system is
transformed in to a market oriented production system. Among the money institutional
support services that need to catalyze/support the transformation process, the agricultural
extension service plays a critical role, since it contributes to the development of the skill ,
approaches and processes with which the skill development and access to information are
realized (Berhanu et al, 2016).
.

6
 1.2. Objectives of the seminar

1.2.1. General objectives

 The General objective of this Seminar is to review the role of agricultural
extension service for rural development in Ethiopia.

1.2.2 Specific objectives

 To review the importance of agricultural extension service in adoption of new
technology in Ethiopia
 To review the role of agricultural extension in training and advisory services in
Ethiopia
 To review the constraint of agricultural extension service in Ethiopia.

1.3 Significant of the seminar

Agricultural extension service has the major role for agricultural development in
particular and rural development in general. To apply this role on practices, planers,
policy makers or other disciplinary may use this seminar as supportive information
mechanisms, to identify the effectiveness and challenges of agricultural extension and
bring sustainable development. It contributes toward breaching the existing literature gap
on understanding the role of agricultural extension towards agricultural development of
Ethiopia. It can also provide baseline information for researchers who need to undertake
similar research.

7
2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Review

2.1.1. Concepts and definitions of agricultural extension service

Agricultural extension is a service or system which assists farm the rural people, through
educational procedures, in improving farming methods and techniques, increasing
production efficiency and income, bettering their levels of living and lifting the social
and educational standards of rural life. Agricultural extension can be defined as the
provision of knowledge and skill necessarily farmers to be able to adopt and apply more
efficient crop and animal production methods to improve their productivity and living
standard. There is no widely accepted definition of agricultural extension (FAO, 2023).
There were more than ten definitions given for extension during the last 50 years. In
2022), it was defined as: Extension is a series of fixed communicative interventions that
are meant, among others, to their working definition for ‘extension’ develop and/or
induce innovations
which supposedly help to resolve problematic issues.scolar are still giving their definition
for extension based on their local specific knowledge and conditions (Belay and Daniel,
2022).According to Dragi et al (2022)agricultural extension service is important for
developing state which stimulates the development of agricultural production.
Agricultural extension service has to be competent in agricultural skills, to communicate
efficiently with producers and stimulate them to acquire new knowledge. Dominance of
large number of small family farms, holdings and need to adjust to new scientific
achievements and results, as well as lower educational level of agricultural producers,
compared to workers in other fields of economy and industry, in numerous World
countries has led to forming of special institutions as part of their own policies of
technical-technological development of agriculture, and these institutions would be
engaged in application of scientific results in agricultural production (Wu, F. 2022).
Agricultural development is shifting from traditional production practices to improved
production practices while maintaining environmental protection. It is related to that of

8
the ability of the farmer’s understanding and adoption of new technology. Framers need
useful and practical information that related to agriculture. Ministry of agriculture use
agricultural extension as one of their instruments to promote agricultural development
(Namyenya., 2022). Agricultural development is often seen as an increase in agricultural
production and /or productivity of land, labor and capital in agriculture. Significant
increases have been achieved in this way in recent decades, often with decrease labor
input in the case industrialized countries (McMillan et al., 2022).

Roles of extension organizations are related with the goals that they have to achieve.
Agricultural extension is one of the policy instruments in which government usually uses
it to motivate the farmers for agricultural development. Most extension organization tries
to achieve several goals. However, they emphasize on the verities goals which differ from
country to country (Becker-Ritterspach.,2022).
In fact, all family members with this agricultural extension program every active member
or working age of the household should have to participate in production activities
throughout the year.
According to Adams, agricultural systems have five functional components.
1. Production: refers to the physical tasks involved in cultivating crops and raising
livestock.
2. Supply and credit: are concerned with obtaining the physical inputs.
3. marketing: is concerned with the storage, transport and the sales of the outputs
4. Research: aims to discover new facts about agriculture.
5. Extension: Aims to transfer this knowledge to producers.

9
Table 1 Characteristics of different types of extension work
Types of extension I t s
work c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
1. Compulsory e x t e n s i o n  It is the early stage of the
service development of
a g r i c u l t u r
e
 It is the lowest educational
level,
 Its purpose of achieving certain
goals
2. Economical e x t e n s i o n  Its purpose for economic
service incentives
 It is demonstrated in capital
deficiency.
3. Educational extension  It offers opportunities for
service learning
 It used for protection of the environment and
nature.
4. Universal e x t e n s i o n  It established on legal basis and using economical
service incentives
 It is insurance
incentives
 It is both economic and educational levels of
farmers
5. Optional e x t e n s i o n  It gives advice and information to
service farmers

Source: DragiZet al (2015)

Agricultural extension today goes to a holistic approach beyond technology transfer of
major technology for crop and livestock production systems. It includes goals for human
capital development, in terms of enhancing the management and technical skills of farm
households relating to production and postharvest handling of high value crops, livestock

10
and fisheries, sustainable natural resource management, family health and nutrition, and
leadership and organizational skills, in addition to social capital development, that is,
organizing producer groups.
The major roles of agricultural extension include assisting farmer ability to increase
agricultural production through technology transfer program that disseminated improved
production technologies to small-scale farmers through the extension service of the
Ministry of Agriculture. Strengthening the linkages between research and extension is
crucial to streamline the process of technology creation and dissemination and to provide
appropriate feedback to research for technological interventions for agricultural
development. To expand the new technology, through extension services, improved grain
storage and preservation technologies as well as agro-processing techniques suitable for
small-scale producers (Kassa, 2016).

2.1.2. Extension service in innovation

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

According to Appau etal.,(2016) innovative farmers were demonstrating how to intensify

and/or diversify current farming systems. These farmers are often very successful in
Ethiopia, some have become farmer millionaires. 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. Thus, they attempted to successfully
produce and market these crops/products. Once successful, they begin to scale up their
own production.
These innovative farmers were also creating job opportunities to other local farmers by
sharing and disseminating their learning’s and by promoting the scale up of the successful
innovations 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 markets
exist to absorb the different crops and products. As markets expand for these different

11
crops/products, many of these enterprises become scalable. An innovative extension
system can first identify these innovative farmers and their respective enterprises, and
then begin the process of engaging other farmers in scaling up a number of these
enterprises among different groups of farmers, given land and labor availability.

12
 International And Education
regional institutions
Research Organizations
organizations

Farmers/users Nongovernment
Farmer-base al
Organizations/
Organizations
Financial
Extension
institutions
institutions
Ministries/
Departments/And
agencies of
government
Source, DragiZ, Sreten J, Soar R (2009).

Figure 1 Integrated agricultural research for agricultural development diagram.

The above figure show that different organizations or institution’s integration had a role
of building capacity and enabling farmers to operate in the innovation system.

2.1.3. Extension for adapting 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 do matter for production and productivity of agricultural practices. It is also
especially critical for resource-poor farmers for whom the risk factor is a serious
consideration. A much greater investment in adaptive trial work in which farmers,
extension and researchers participate collaboratively, each as 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 technology in research proofed. The location-specific
nature of sustainable agriculture implies that extension must make use of farmers’
knowledge and work together with farmers. Often, indigenous practices, which have been
ignored under the impact of farming activities, can be fruitfully revived.

13
 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 adoption. Adoption is either at a farm level or at aggregate level.
This is a degree of use of a new technology in long-run term when the farmer has full
information about the technology (Abrhaley, 2016).The study by Abrhaley (2015)
indicated adopter farmers were visited by extension agent more frequently than non-
adopters.
As noted by Huang, Z. and Karimanzira, T.T.P., (2016) agricultural extension assisted in
the adoption of improved crop technologies. This, sequentially, develops farmers’
aspiration for change through adopting different farm technologies that is suitable to their
farming system. Adopter farmers searched for new knowledge and technologies as well
as creating partnerships that enhance application of the knowledge and technologies.
They initiated in collective and individual learning about innovations to enhance
community’s capacity to innovate. Collective action helps to find appropriate solution.
Hence, different farms participated in learning, and experimenting together and sharing
experiences that enhance them to understand more about the technology.

2.1.5. Agricultural extension for advisory services

According towoHansra, B.S,(2016). Workingwith the training and advisory extension
system (TAES) 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 compete on the
international market, promoting different technologies which suit farmers’ conditions,
Enhancing food processing 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 fields of plant, animal and natural
resources/irrigation) assigned per kebele to provide farmers with extension and advice
services as well as trainings (Girma, end).

14
The FTCs are designed as locallevel focal points for farmers to receive information,
training, demonstrations, and advice, and include both classroom and demonstration
fields. The FTC staffed by three DAs (one each in the areas of crops, livestock, and
natural resource management) and supported by a peripatetic DA covering several FTCs
and trained in cooperatives management or a related field. Each DA is expected to train
120 farmers per year in his/her field of specialization through a broad range of
demandresponsive extension and short‐term training services (Stefan, et al 2016).

Agricultural extension facilitates problem solving situation; creates links to markets and
other group of actors in the agricultural value chain, and provides access to information,
skills, and technologies. The conceptual framework described here focuses specifically on
the role of agricultural extension approaches in engaging and facilitating farmers’ access
to information. This is one of several functions extension is now expected to address in
the provision of a diverse set of services. Information can be easily transferable and it is
context independent while knowledge is a process of contextualizing information through
awareness so that it becomes situation-specific. Despite the wide scope agricultural
extension must now cover, focusing the analysis on information provision and access will
help identify challenges, constraints, and possible solutions that can help refine the
existing methods and approaches (IFPRI, 2015)

Table 2 Ethiopian farm advisory services SWOT analysis

1. S t r e n g t 2. W e a k n e s s
h s e s

 Comparatively wide grassroots  Continuance of top-down transfer of technology

coverage paradigm
 Policy enabling environment – agriculture as the engine  Insufficient adequately qualified front line
of growth extension agents
 well educated & experienced  comparative lack of appropriate technologies for resource
15
 senior staff poor farmers
 Commitment in principle to decentralize to the  Attitude’ of too many extension staff towards listening & learning
grassroots from farmers
 Principle of implementing participatory extension approach embedded in agricultural and rural development  Inadequate in-service training & field backstopping for all technical &
policies and strategies extension staff
 Absence of capacity empowerment programs for rural
communities

3. O p p o r t u n i t i 4. T h r e a t s –
e s r i s k s

 Policy enabling environment and government commitment to agricultural/ rural  Central reluctance to fully commit to
development decentralization
 Commitment to decentralization to  Reluctance to foster a pluralist extension
grassroots service
 Upgrading of grassroots extension workers in academic  Inadequate support & continual mentoring of front-line
qualifications. development agents

2.2. Empirical Review

2.2.1. Challenges of agricultural extension service

According toBelay K. and Daniel T., (2015). Effectiveness of agricultural services
depends on a number of factors including the relationship 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 environment for agriculture and rural development, weak
institutional arrangements, inefficient institutional support services such as supply of

16
inputs, credit and agricultural markets, lack of political support and commitment, shortage
of funds, etc.
But according to Belay et al (2016) challenges of agricultural extension service was:
absence of national framework of agricultural extension policy that has been developed in
a participatory manner-top down, un clear extension approach, lack of suitable adaptation
of technology packages to local conditions, frequent reorganization of the extension
institution, limitation in the quality of field and technical staff, inadequate budget for the
implementation of the extension system, limited private sector involvement in service
delivery, administrators unnecessary interferences on technical matters, lack of
monitoring and evaluation of the extension system, weak system of agricultural inputs
supply and distribution (seeds, fertilizer ,credit, subsidies etc) systems, involvement of
experts on duties other than extension responsibility, weak market linkage and
information system, weak linkage of research-extension farmer, absence of public private
Knowledge of local people, absence of irrigated agriculture focused extension and
research systems.

2.2.2. 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
farmers in the operational area affects the use and impact of this knowledge on farmer
productivity and income. Additionally, supporting farmers to process and integrate
information from many different sources is important (IFPRI, 2016).
According to FDRE, 2015.The economic development strategy, in general and
agricultural development strategy in particular, is based on building the productive
capacity of the labor force and employing the same intensively in development activities.
Building capacity of human or the labor force is very important for development that
include.Further developing the drive preparedness andindustriousnes of the labor force.
Upgrading agricultural skills the health status of the population aligning the above with
the supply, replication and diffusion of technology.
This 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. Accordingly, the various aspects of the development

17
initiative that have been undertaken by the government acknowledged the prime
importance of the need for capacity building. The capacity building strategy, the
government has reorganized its 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 socioeconomic transformation in
Ethiopia (FDRE. 2016).

2.2. 3 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 insights, farmers’
experience, and off-farm enterprise information, as well as the integration of information
to create links with supporting services and inputs (IFPRI, 2016).
During the provision of information/technology, market intelligence of the farmer, policy
insight in the country, off-farm enterprise could affect development of the country.
A farmer that was high market 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 affect agricultural production and
development in the country. Since some people may go without work their farm activities
for searching off-income through daily work and the like. It decreases the use of family
labor. It leads to decline own-farm agricultural production due to competition for family
labor between farm and off-farm works. Due to this the new technology which was given
through agricultural extension, may fail (Raphael O. B., 2015).

2.2.4. 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
technology for the user and the content shared via this technology (IFPRI, 2015).
.

18
3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

3.1. Conclusions
Any farmers that participated in the family agricultural extension system not only
produced high value agricultural commodities, but also involve in the other
agricultural activities at the same time in agricultural extension systems, innovative
farmers are considered for creating job opportunities to the local farmer professor
where they share and disseminate their learning’s and promote the scale up of the
successful innovations across farming communities.Innovativefarmers were
demonstrating how to intensify and/or diversify current farming systems.
The role of Agricultural extension in national agriculturaldevelopment is pertinent. It
has been established that nonation will have real growth in the agricultural
sectorwithout effective extension service. The AgriculturalExtension Organization
(extension workers andservices) have an important role to play in order toactualize the
crucial role of agricultural extension innational development. Agricultural extension is
aneducational process and brings about desired behavioralchange in farmers and other
stakeholders. Extensionalso uses its own delivery me

19
3.2. Recommendation
All family members should be engaged with the production of other agricultural
commodities maximize the income of the household. With this program every active
member or working age of the household should have to participate in production
activities throughout the year.

 The Agricultural Extension Organization (extension workers and services) should

play an important role to mobilize the vital role of agricultural extension in
national Development.
 Agricultural extension should be strengthening to improve the important roles of
agricultural extension in transferring agricultural technologies, and improving
livelihoods of the people and maintaining the natural resources of a country.
 Agricultural Extension programs and policies should be formulated with
consideration of the farmers' opinions and their traditional knowledge system.
 The quality of improved seeds should be improved and training farmers how to
use it to increase their production and productivities.
 Training should be provided to the farmers about how to use agricultural inputs
before applying to their farm land to decrease problems.
 Farmers should use agricultural inputs services effectively and efficiently.
 Different organizations or institution or different disciplinary should integrate for
building of human capacity that enabling farmers to operate in the innovation
system and accord with entrepreneurship.
 Farmers’ indigenous knowledge and indigenous practices should have been
ignored under the impact of farming activities but it fruitfully revived and changed
traditional practices.

20
REFERENCES
Wu, F. (2022). Adoption and income effects of new agricultural technology on family farms in
China. PLoS One, 17(4), e0267101.
Namyenya, A., Daum, T., Rwamigisa, P. B., & Birner, R. (2022). E-diary: a digital tool for
strengthening accountability in agricultural extension. Information Technology for
Development, 28(2), 319-345.

McMillan, M., & Zeufack, A. (2022). Labor productivity growth and industrialization in
Africa. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 36(1), 3-32.

Becker-Ritterspach, F. A., Lange, K. S., & Allen, M. M. (2022). Dominant modes of economic
coordination and varieties of firm internationalization support. International Business
Review, 31(3), 101975.

Abrhaley G., (2016). Farmers’ Perception and Adoption of Integrated Striga

Management Technology in Tahtayadiabo Woreda, Janamora, Ethiopia, M.Sc.
Thesis, November, 2016, Salale University, Ethiopiakeep and update sequence.
Appau, A., Drope, J., Witoelar, F., Chavez, J.J. and Eccha, R., 2015. Why do farmers
grow tobacco?A qualitativeexploration of farmerperspectives in Indonesiaand
Philippines.International Journal of environmentalResearch and Public
Health, 16(13), p.2330.
Ashworth V. (2015) the Challenges ofChangefor Agricultural Extension in Ethiopia
March 07, 2005
Belay K. and Daniel T., (2015).“Extension’s Role in Sustainable Agricultural
Development Salale University
AzageT. (2016). Commercialization of Ethiopian Agriculture: Extension Service from
Input Supplies to Knowledge Broker and Facilitator.
Berhanu N. (2015). Intensification of Ethiopian Agricultural. Ethiopian Economic
Association, Addis Ababa
Bill and Melinda (2016) "Accelerating Ethiopian Agriculture Development for Growth,
Food Security, and Equity"
DragiZ, Sreten J., Zorro R (2015). The Role of Knowledge, Innovation and Human
Capital in Multifunctional Agriculture and Territorial Rural Development
Belgrade, Republic of Serbia December 9-11, 2015,
FAO (2016). Law and Sustainable Development sinceRio: Legal Trends in Agriculture
and Nature L Resource Management. FAOLegislative Study, No. 73. Rome’s

21
 Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO),Rome(1959). The Agricultural
Division of FAO: A Summary orthonormalization, Development, and
Accomplishments from 2 December 1946 to 31 December 1958.
FDRE, (2015) Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED) July, 2015
Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
Hansra, B.S., 2016. Agricultural Extension Systems: Issues and Approaches. Concept
Publishing Company. Developing Countries Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

22