Determinants of Farmers’ Satisfaction with Agricultural Extension Services: The case of Mareka Woreda, Dawuro Zone, SNNPRS, Ethiopia

Abstract

Farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural extension services is typically based on the direct extension service interaction between the farmers and the organization or its agents.In Ethiopia poor extension services were ranked as the top reason for farmers’ agricultural extension services dissatisfaction. This study was conducted to analyze determinants of farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural extension services in Mareka Woreda, Southern, Ethiopia.Cross-sectional research design was employed in the study. Twostage sampling procedure was followed to select kebeles and household heads for the study. In bothstages simple random sampling techniques were used to select five samplekebeles and 146 sample household heads.Structured interview schedule was developed, pre-tested and used for collecting the essential quantitative data.Focus group discussion and key informants’ interview were used to generate qualitative data.Ordered logit model was employed to analyze factors that influencefarmers’ satisfaction with agricultural extension services.In addition, farmers’ satisfaction index was developed based on 16 four- scale questions to capture farmers’ satisfaction level.Results of the study indicated that major type of extension services offered to farmers in study area were input provision services and information delivery about agricultural technology. The satisfaction levelresults indicated that majority of respondents were not satisfied with existing agricultural extension services in area.Moreover, results of the econometricmodel indicated that perception on economic return, contact with extension agent, perception on participatory nature of extension program, credit accesses, livestock holding of household in TLU and land sizewere significantly influenced farmers’ satisfaction. The overall finding of the study underlined the high importance of extension agent contact, credit service, participatory approach extension program, economic return after extension services and land size in hectare to enhancefarmers’ satisfaction level with agricultural extension services. Therefore, policy anddevelopment interventions should give capacity building of extension agents, designing of participatory extension program, emphasis to improvement of such institutionalsupport systemare essential recommendations to increase farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural extension services.