Exploring Communication Intervention in Enhancing Agricultural Production to Improve the Livelihood of Rural Communities in Ethiopia
Abstract
The main goal of this research is to explore communication intervention and its application in enhancing agricultural production to improve the livelihoods of rural communities in Ethiopia. This study examines the effectiveness of communication approaches used and the opportunities and problems faced by farmers and development agents. The study used focus groups and in-depth interviews to gather qualitative data. The findings indicate that top-down communication is the prevailing strategy for development agents while planning, and experts made changes as they saw fit without considering the community’s voices. Model farmers are better responsive to DAs, so the selective communication strategy focuses on them. DAs are disinterested and do not wish to be DAs for long. DAs participated in nonagricultural activities. The community's propensity to seek aid is growing. Access to and use of the media for disseminating agricultural programs are limited, and the culture of attending agricultural programs is poor. Based on the results, pro-non-model farmers’ policy is essential to include the community's excluded group. It is vital to examine the worsening factor that causes DAs to lose interest in their jobs. The Ministry of Agriculture may exploit the findings. Agricultural offices can gain a broad perspective and address issues that prevent effective communication interventions. It also provides stakeholders working in the field of agricultural communication with current interrelated problems. This study stands out because it is comprehensive. It explores a wide range of factors that intertwine and hence prevent development agents from using effective communication. It cautions about the future and continuation of the agricultural practice by the current generation. This study adds to the body of knowledge by providing insight into the pertinent concerns and the interconnected challenges that need to be addressed when thinking about the use of effective communication for agricultural productivity in a country like Ethiopia.
Keywords: top-down communication, intervention, livelihood, agricultural production.
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