Vol. 2, Issue 4, Part E (2016)

Abstract

Agricultural productivity of smallholder farm household was low and declining. One of the key reasons attributed to the poor performance of smallholder farmers were low use of modern agricultural technologies. This is due to multiple and interwoven problems in socio-economic, cultural, institutional and agro-ecological setting of a particular area. Therefore, the objective of this research is mainly to assess the extent of modern agricultural technologies adoption.

The study was conducted in Alamata woreda Northern Ethiopia. Multistage sampling technique was employed to identify the sample households. From 174 sample households, 111 adopters and 63 non-adopters were identified randomly. The data were collected using questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical technique whereas qualitative data was analyzed by narration. The results were presented in the form of tables and statement.

The finding reveals that, adoption of modern agricultural technologies varies in different agro-climate zones. In addition, smallholder farm household extent of adoption differs on agro climatic zone and socio-economic characteristics of the households. Unsuitability of the input, high cost of the inputs, untimely available of the inputs, unconvinced household and lack of cash were listed as influential variable for non-adoption decisions.

It needs to work more on agricultural extension and research in the woreda in order to identify the reasons why some of the technologies were not adopted and vice versa as well as identifying appropriate agricultural technologies for the woreda in general and for each agro-climatic zone in particular.