IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ON FARM HOUSEHOLDS' PRODUCTIVITY AND LIVELIHOOD IN DALOCHA WOREDA

ABSTRACT In many developing countries, agriculture is still the cornerstone of the economy, playing a vital role in the economic landscape of most African countries. The main goal of this study was to assess the impact of agricultural extension on farm households" productivity and livelihood in the Dalocha Woreda. Data were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. A multi-stage sample technique was employed to identify 266 wheat producer farm households from Dalocha Woreda. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and an econometric model. The overall result of descriptive statistics showed that, there was positive mean difference between agricultural extension programme participants and non-participants farm households" regarding with wheat farm productivity and livelihood. The binary logistic regression model results revealed that, eleven variables were hypothesized that determine farm households" probability of participation in agricultural extension programme and seven of them were found significant at 6% level. Sex, extension programme, land size, access to credit, access to irrigation and improved seed had a positive and significantly influence farm households" participation in agricultural extension programme whereas distance from residence to FTC had a negative and significantly influence farm households" participation in agricultural extension programme. According to the results of the propensity score matching method, participation in agricultural extension programme has increased farm households" productivity in selected wheat crop by 184.980603 kilogram per year for participant farm households than non-participant farm households and it has increased livelihood by 615.80819 calorie getting the minimum daily energy requirement for an individual to live a healthy, active and productive life per year for participant farm households than non-participant farm households. This indicates that agricultural extension programme has positively increased wheat crop productivity and livelihood of participant farm households than non-participant farm households in agricultural extension programme. Therefore, government and concerned bodies should give better attention to the development, dissemination, scaling up, provides remedial solution and bring more improvement of farm households" participation of agricultural extension programme.