THE EFFECT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE ON THE AGRICULTURAL INCOME OF WOMEN: A CASE OF ASSOSA DISTRICT, BENISHANGUL GUMUZ REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Access to agricultural extension service in Ethiopia is male dominated and predominantly oriented towards advising and working with male farmers. Women farmers are still characterized as economically inactive. Hence, this study is intended to assess the effect of agricultural extension service on women's agricultural income in Assosa district. The study employed mixed research approach. Beside to this, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 175 sampled women farmers using stratified, cluster, simple random and purposive sampling. In addition to this, data collection methods such as questionnaire and focus group discussion were used and analyzed using SPSS version 25 software mainly frequency, percentage, descriptive, mean and standard deviation, multiple linear regression methods pertinent to research questions and objectives of the study were utilized. Thus, the results which found via applying the aforementioned techniques implied that agricultural extension service in the study area were entrenched with various deep rooted problems such as lack of input supply and lack of sufficient technical support. On the other hand, result of multiple linear regression revealed that, agricultural extensions services, women's farmer achievement motivation, institutional related factors and challenges as well as amount of agricultural farm land and communication were statistically significant at 95% confidence level. However, woman's farmer attitude towards development agents, access to credit service, age, level of education and social participation were statistically not significant. Therefore, in the study area improving those variable that are statistically significant as well as alleviating paramount problems through frequent follow up, improving supply of agricultural extension inputs, strengthening technical supports is vital