Abstract:
Technology adoption is a dynamic aspect of an innovation process of
dissemination and diffusion of knowledge and hardware component of
a technology. For efficient impact to be registered on farm households,
it requires synergy between policy, technical and institutional
innovations.
Since 1995, Ethiopia has been undertaking a home grown development
strategy known as, Agricultural Development Led Industrialization
[ ADLI]. One of the main facets of this strategy in the agricultural sector
has been the generation, adoption and diffusion of new farm technologies
in the form of new and improved inputs and practices. In the
mobilization of small farmers and the dissemination of better farming
practices, the agricultural development strategy has been operationalized
through Participatory Demonstration & Extension Training System
[PADETS]. ,
Ensuing enhanced farm output and productivity via increased yield,
cropped area, quality improvement and diversification aim at raising
the level of living of the rural population, the development of a home
market for industry, raising the technical base of agriculture, generating
foreign exchange and improved sustainability are the main objectives
of the study.
1A Although PADETS have been in operation for about 6 years, there has
not been a comprehensive national level evaluation of the programme.
The cursory monitoring reports are too general and rarely quantified
from a scientifically designed and processed data base. Evaluation is
essential to assess the outcome of the programme in terms of its stated
objectives, identifying its strong institutional and dissemination strategies
to reinforce and replicate them as the programme expands into new
areas and broaden its scope and depth in the existing ones.
Towards this end, the Ethiopian Development Research Institute
undertook research on Agricultural Extension, Adoption, Diffusion and
Impact Assessment in the four regions vis. Tigrai, Amara, Oromia and
the South in 2001-2002.
