Agricultural Information System: The Case of Hawassa Area, Southern Ethiopia

In this research, a combination of literature study, surveys, as well as annual research review participation were implemented. The results of the study showed that different factors are constraining the system in the area. Low capacity of farmers, lack of motivation of stakeholders, lack of motivation and knowledge of development agents, poor linkage among actors, negligence of farmers' indigenous knowledge, and low interest/resistance of farmers to newly emerging technologies were among the main bottlenecks in their respective orders. Based on the finding of this study, it is concluded that practicing participatory research approach, capacity building, training, and mobilization of farmers towards agricultural information & knowledge transfer system, equipping development agent workers with knowledge, motivating them and monitoring their performance, giving air time in the government Medias to broadcast agricultural information, considering and incorporating farmers indigenous knowledge from the beginning of technology development needs to get due attention so as to improve the information system as well as smallholders livelihood.

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