THE ROLE OF FARMERS TRAINING CENTERS IN IMPROVING THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE RURAL HOUSEHOLDS. THE CASE STUDY OF AMURU WEREDA

Abstract

As agriculture is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy and contributes for about 39% of Gross Domestic Product and 75% of export earnings, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has devised Agricultural Development Led Industrialization (ADLI) strategy. However, it is characterized by subsistence farming system using backward traditional farm tools, with low productivity. To this end, the government has been implementing development strategies with the aim of changing the backward farm practices. One of the strategies was the establishment and organization of Farmers’ Training Centers (FTCs) to provide training and other agricultural extension activities to the farmers by the professionals. Farmers training centers (FTCs) are extension strategy geared towards human capital development through need-based, hands-on practical training in order to facilitate agricultural transformation and rural livelihood improvement. However, many researches were done on the performance and constraints of FTCs but none of them have carried out on the roles it played in improving the livelihood of the rural households and improvements brought after the introduction of FTCs were not evaluated. Therefore this paper is aimed to know the role of farmers training centers (FTCs) in improving the livelihood of the rural households in Horo Guduru Wellega Zone, Amuru Wereda. So the researcher is aimed to fill this gap. The specific objectives of the study were to assess the status of FTCs and livelihood situation of rural households; to examine the role of FTCs based training on the livelihood of rural households; to assess the major challenges of FTC based training in improving the livelihood situation of rural households. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The study used multistage sampling to select the sample households. First four kebeles were selected by purposive sampling and these four kebeles has total households of 1435 farmers and from these the researcher used Kothari (2004) formula to determine the sample size andaccordingly the researcher have taken 136. In addition, all development agents (9 male and 3 female), 2 supervisors and 8 key informants were selected. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules and additional data were also collected from the Amuru Wereda Agricultural and Natural Resource Development Office. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study established that the farmers training centers have a positive role on the livelihood of rural households. There are changes in the productivity of farmers after the introduction of farmers training centers in the wereda under consideration. There is larger number of oxen when compared to that of five and ten years ago. There is also changes in the nature of households; potential of farmer; saving habits than before. The study further established that farmers adopted inputs and practices recommended by the extension services such as improved seeds, timely preparation of land and planting and timely harvesting among others. However the study also found some challenges of the farmers that the respondents said that there were some problems in the lack of technology, market access, small size of demonstration lands and there should be demonstration lands in the model farmers land for each villages since the farmers can practice easily; the government should lower the farm inputs through subsidies to encourage the farmers to use more fertilizer in planting; rural households should be encouraged to use agriculturaldiversification