Evaluation of Farmers-Researcher-Extension Workers Linkages in Irrigated Maize Farm Management in Dera Woreda, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Supporting service in irrigated maize farm management through linking farmers with researchers and extension workers characterized farmers as passive recipients of technology. This has brought about weak link and fragmentation. The study is evaluating the performance of researchers, extension workers
and farmers linkages in irrigated maize agriculture in Dera Wereda, North-Western Ethiopia. Simple random sampling technique was used to select researchers, extension workers, and farmers. Their responses were elicited through unstructured questionnaire. Activities under evaluations includes farmer participation in identification of problem; centrality of research trial to low producers; link low producers to formal credit institution and cooperative association, training access, appropriateness of training advice, integration of joint activities to women groups; farmers connection to market; and sustainability of using on-farm research trial sites. Researchers, extension workers and farmers’ involvement on average statistically varied as computed using one-way ANOVA. Such finding underlined the high importance of setting appropriate integration strategy to offset the loose working relationships among researchers, extension workers, and farmers in Dera woreda.