Examining Farmers' Knowledge and Identifying Significant Factors Affecting it in Woredas with Different Levels of Development: The Case of Dalocha and Lanforo Woredas in SNNPRS

Bekele, Mergia (2002) Examining Farmers' Knowledge and Identifying Significant Factors Affecting it in Woredas with Different Levels of Development: The Case of Dalocha and Lanforo Woredas in SNNPRS. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

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Abstract

Though farmers' knowledge plays a substantial role in the process of rural development, in actual planning practice, however, it is only passively integrated into development plans. Local level studies are hardly made so far to search for the level of knowledge that the farmers have about different development aspects, and significant factors affecting it. Comparative analysis was employed to know the knowledge pattern of farmers found in two words. The selection of the woredas was based on their level of development and with and without NGO development intervention.Accordingly, one with higher development level and having NGO development intervention and the other with lower development level and without NGO development intervention were selected and compared. Based on this, sample household head farmers were selects and were asked by using open and objective type questions, believed to be useful to understand their knowledge about elementary techniques, causation of diseases agricultural practices, nutrition, human fertility control, local credit and saving institutions and marketing situations. Multiple regression analyses and focus group discussions were employed to filter out, those hypothesized, the variable strongly significant in explaining the aforementioned aspects of farmers knowledge. Focus group discussions were also carried out. Based on multiple regression analysis and results of focus group discussions congruence is seen between the level of socioeconomic development of the woredas and empirical knowledge of the farmers. Moreover, the analyses revealed education level, exposure to mass media, spatial mobility and NGO development intervention to be the most relatively significant independent variables, which explain farmers’ knowledge. In accordance with the findings, encouraging farmers’ confidence to different sectoral policies that affect their life, incorporate agricultural marketing and basic health education in the new extension program, grain banking to avert market risks was recommended. In addition to these, extension agents should perform their intended primary job, cultural treatment for taboos existed in knowledge about human fertility control and nutritional aspects and incorporating significant independent variables in the categorization of development levels of woredas for the purpose of budget allocation were also recommended

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	Tim Khabala
Date Deposited:	08 Aug 2018 08:43
Last Modified:	08 Aug 2018 08:43
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/8404

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