Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia
This is a case study-based research project investigating the status of Advisory Extension Services in southern Ethiopia. The goal was to determine whether available service provisions meet the requirements of smallholder farmers and enabled them to improve their farming practices and livelihoods. A...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/9/9/159 |
| _version_ | 1797553896540864512 |
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| author | Miki Dowsing Sarah Cardey |
| author_facet | Miki Dowsing Sarah Cardey |
| author_sort | Miki Dowsing |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This is a case study-based research project investigating the status of Advisory Extension Services in southern Ethiopia. The goal was to determine whether available service provisions meet the requirements of smallholder farmers and enabled them to improve their farming practices and livelihoods. A combination of an exploratory inductive approach and mixed methods was used (e.g., questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews). Participants included members of farming households, and agents, experts, and providers working in the agricultural rural sector. The key findings suggested that limited access to resources and unpredictable environmental conditions were stifling smallholder farmer innovation and livelihoods. Service provisions should be better tailored to local conditions, provide greater resource access, and work more closely with farmers. The development and implementation of service provision should involve a wide range of institutions and farmers throughout the process. Local community- and farmer-based organisations are especially important, and can work alongside innovative and talented farmers to enable more effective dissemination of information. Agricultural rural development and service provision should focus greater attention on the views and perspectives of farmers from a range of areas with differing socio-demographic and agro-ecological characteristics for comparative analysis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:23:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-03451a50410046e699ba02adba6a0474 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:23:08Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-03451a50410046e699ba02adba6a04742023-11-20T13:27:53ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602020-09-019915910.3390/socsci9090159Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern EthiopiaMiki Dowsing0Sarah Cardey1School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AR, UKSchool of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AR, UKThis is a case study-based research project investigating the status of Advisory Extension Services in southern Ethiopia. The goal was to determine whether available service provisions meet the requirements of smallholder farmers and enabled them to improve their farming practices and livelihoods. A combination of an exploratory inductive approach and mixed methods was used (e.g., questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews). Participants included members of farming households, and agents, experts, and providers working in the agricultural rural sector. The key findings suggested that limited access to resources and unpredictable environmental conditions were stifling smallholder farmer innovation and livelihoods. Service provisions should be better tailored to local conditions, provide greater resource access, and work more closely with farmers. The development and implementation of service provision should involve a wide range of institutions and farmers throughout the process. Local community- and farmer-based organisations are especially important, and can work alongside innovative and talented farmers to enable more effective dissemination of information. Agricultural rural development and service provision should focus greater attention on the views and perspectives of farmers from a range of areas with differing socio-demographic and agro-ecological characteristics for comparative analysis.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/9/9/159Advisory Extension Servicessmallholder farmersagriculture rural developmentlivelihood developmentEthiopia |
| spellingShingle | Miki Dowsing Sarah Cardey Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia Social Sciences Advisory Extension Services smallholder farmers agriculture rural development livelihood development Ethiopia |
| title | Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Smallholder Farmers’ Perspectives on Advisory Extension Services: A Case Study of the Gamo Communities of Southern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | smallholder farmers perspectives on advisory extension services a case study of the gamo communities of southern ethiopia |
| topic | Advisory Extension Services smallholder farmers agriculture rural development livelihood development Ethiopia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/9/9/159 |
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