Challenges and Prospects of Community Participation in Improving Environmental Rehabilitation and Agricultural Extension: The Case of Boloso Sore Woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Abstract

A number of scientific research and educational system have given attention to the needs and priorities of local communities. However, utilization of community potential through integrating indigenous and modern practical knowledge to enhance agricultural extension and environmental rehabilitation has been not satisfactory. Therefore, this study has assessed the bottlenecks and opportunities of community participation in environmental rehabilitation and agricultural extension in Boloso Sore Woreda. The study has employed personal interviews, questionnaire, focus group discussions, and observation in addition to using available documents. The study was mainly based on the data obtained sample household respondents which were selected using stratified random sampling technique. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis were used for the purpose of describing different variables of the study. It was also examined the structure, mechanisms and its key problems of community participation in environmental rehabilitation and agricultural extension activities. The data analysis process was also made by making use of frequency distribution tables, percentage and pie charts. As a result, there is lack of integration, not only between the local government and community but also within communities themselves. This indicates that there existed insufficient coordination level of the Woreda administration and lack of transparency within the administrative bodies’ working procedure in the resource allocation processes. This in turn affected the commitment level of local people to participate in different activities of environmental rehabilitation and agricultural extension.

Keywords: Community, Coordination, Indigenous, Integrating, Participation, Transparency