COMMUNITY-BASED DEMONSTRATION AND ASSESSMENT OF A PORTABLE ENSET FERMENTING DEVICE IN WEST SHEWA, ETHIOPIA

The prime objective of the current demonstration activity was to demonstrate farmers and agricultural extension personnel improved enset fermenter then to collect feedback on the performance of the technology showcased. The research was undertaken in Toke kutaye and Dire enchini districts involving 45 farmers in the two districts with 98 percent women participation. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis in which narration, explanation and simple descriptive statistics were applied. The result revealed that the variation in duration of fermentation was not statistically significant between the kocho fermentation methods of local and improved device. In the contrary the mean difference of kocho yield using fermentation methods of local and demonstrated device is significant at 5% significant level Furthermore FGDs were held among farmers, development agents, and woreda experts. They positively rated the device as compared to the traditional enset fermenting method and some farmers wondered if they could access the device. On the basis of the results, then it was concluded that the technology demonstrated was of improvement that can render a viable solution to an unaddressed problem faced by women farmers for years. Therefore, the technology would be recommended for wider promotion in pre scaling up/out form in other enset culture areas of Ethiopia.