Factors Affecting Women Farmers' Participation in Agricultural Extension Services for Improving the Production in Rural District of Dendi West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study Investigated the factors affecting women farmers agricultural  extension  services consisting of  production related  information in improving the production capacity  of  farmers  in  Dendi  district.  Required data were collected from three kebele’s of Dendi district from 120 randomly selected households (60 participants and 60 non-participants female headed), 10 in-depth interviews with key informants and eight focus group discussions. The data were entered in SPSS software and organized in tables and figures and further  described  and  analyzed  following descriptive  statistics, bivariate correlation,  and  multiple  linear  regression analysis procedure chi-square test, independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA).  The result of the regression model revealed that marital status, age of farmers access to market,  access  to  credit  and  contacts  with  agricultural  extension  agent’s increases women’s’ participation to agricultural extension service..  Age, educational  level,  family  member  less  than  64  years  old,  use  of  improved  seed,  and  knowledge  and  attitude  on  agricultural  extension  Service  (AEAS)  for  income were found significantly influencing the index of all respondents’ and male headed farmers’ diet  diversification  function. On the other hand, farming experience was found significantly influencing the index of female headed farmers’ participation on rural women’s to agricultural extension service. Therefore, it was recommended that women in agricultural extension service programmes be sustained and encouraged by Dendi woreda agricultural office.

Keywords: Extension service Binary logit, Constraints, Policy makers.