DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION TECHNOLOGY FOR DAIRY PRODUCTION

Abstract

Despite Ethiopia possessing the largest number of livestock in Africa, its benefit to the country and dairy holder farmers was small as more than 99% of the cattle are local breeds with low productivity. Though the government introduced Artificial Insemination (AI) technology to improve this condition, adoption of AI by dairy farmers was still low. The use of AI technology in zala woreda was intended to allow breed improvement in order to ensure high productivity and better living standard among dairy farmers. Dairy farming is highly important for those farmers who have small land holding size that diversifies in croplivestock integrated mixed farming system. The objective of the study was to identify determinant factors affecting adoption of AI technology for dairy farmers. In this study both qualitative and quantitative data from Primary and secondary sources were collected. A survey questionnaire was used to collect raw data from AI adopters and non-adopters. AI adopters were selected by using purposive sampling because all sampled household heads were the only adopters in the study area whereas non-adopters were selected by using random sampling. The data was analyzed by using SPSS software. Farmer’s perception regarding AI technology has direct linkage with adoption of AI technology. Descriptive statistics and binary regression model were used for analyzing data. A binary logit model was used to analyze the determinants of adoption of AI technology. Totally eleven variables were included in the model of which age of household head, awareness creation on AI, and frequency of DA contact were found significant at 1% (P<0.01) probability level. On the other hand household head’s educational level, access to AI information, and distance from AI centre were significant at 5% (P<0.05) probability level. Finally an effort should be given by the woreda government and livestock and fishery development office in increasing rural adult education, expanding AI centre, strengthening DA's regular contact with dairy farmers, strong and appropriate information should be disseminated and training on AI technology should be given, which widens the knowledge of farmers on the technology.