Effect of social networks on soya bean technology adoption and production in jimma zone, oromiya regional state, Ethiopia

Abstract

The importance of social networks and their effects on the development process have gained wide recognition among academicians and practitioner’s; Social networks play a significant role in learning and in farmers’ adoption of new agricultural technologies. Thus, the study was carried out to identify effects of social networks on soybean technology adoption and its production. To meet the objective of the study, multistage sampling procedure was used to select Woreda, Kebles and 386-sample respondents Moreover, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected have reliable information from primary and secondary sources. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics (T-test and chi-square test), and binary logistic regression model. Social Network Analysis (Ucinet software, version6) were used as a tool to analyze the existing social networks. The results identified three type of social networks for dissemination of soya bean technology, which include: bonding, bridging and linking, among them about 82.5% of adopters and 17.5% of non-adopters involved in all type of bonding, bridging and linking of social networks. Those involved in all bonding, bridging, linking social network had the highest level of output (4.75 quintal/household), and those involved in single social network had 1.5 up to 4.125 quintal/household of soya bean production. The binary logistic regression model output showed that, family size, off/non-farm income, training for soya bean, bridging, linking, bonding and bridging, bridging and linking, all bonding, bridging, linking were found to have positive and significant influence on the adoption of recommended soya bean technology. Likewise, education and marital status have negative and significant influences on adoption of soya bean technology. In general, study showed that involving of all in bonding, bridging, linking social networks, relatives, friends, and neighbors were the most important nodes of information, seed sources; influential networks in the adoption of recommended soya bean technology and soya bean production in the study area. Therefore, government and nongovernmental organization should emphasized on capacity-building program on social capital strengthen strategy and more research investments in understanding the differentiated outcomes of these forms of social networks on use and adoption of technologies to further guide agricultural interventions.