Abstract:
Dairy production is an integral part of rural livelihoods in Ethiopia in general and in Ada’a
woreda in particular. Farming households in the study area produce milk for both generating
income and own production. But lack of information related to dairy production and
marketing is one of the major challenges for this smallholder farmers. Understanding the
reasons behind such problem and dairy farmers’ current information accessibility is
paramount importance. This study was conducted in Ada’a woreda, Eas Shewa, Oromia
Regional State, Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to identify factors that affect access
to dairy information, sources of agricultural information and to identify the constraints and
opportunities in accessing agricultural information by smallholder dairy farmers. A
three-stage sampling procedure was employed in which both non-probability sampling for the
study area and probability sampling procedures were followed to select the three kebele and
136 respondents. Household survey was used to gather information from sample respondents.
Apart from this, key informants interview, and focus groups discussions were held. The survey
result showed that 81 (59.55%) and 55 (40.45%) of sample farmers were who access to dairy
information and who had no access to dairy information respectively. The result of the
econometric model indicated that, sex, education level, social participation, extension contact,
credit access, age of household head and innovation proneness had influenced access to dairy
information. The study revealed that most of the smallholder dairy farmers 82.3% preferred
DAs as their source of agricultural information regarding dairy farming while the least
13.23% used source was NGOs. The most constraint that impedes dairy farmers from access
to dairy information was low education level whereas the least constraint that impedes dairy
farmers in accessing dairy information was lack of interest. Some of opportunities to access
agricultural information where the study area were the presence of dairy related co-operatives
and NGOs, presence of research center and impute supplier, presence of FTC in all kebeles,
establishment of private and public dairy institutions. In conclusion, policy and development
interventions in the study area should give emphasis to resolve such constraints and to use
opportunities effectively to boost agricultural information accessibility which will ultimately
increase the productivity and income of smallholder dairy farmers
