FACTORS AFFECTING WOMEN FARMERS' PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES FOR IMPROVING THE PRODUCTION IN RURAL DISTRICT OF DENDI WEST SHOA ZONE, ETHIOPIA

This study investigated the factors affecting women farmers agricultural extension services consisting of production related information in improving the production capacity of farmers in Dendi district. Required data were collected from three kebele’s of Dendi district from 120 randomly selected households (60 participants and 60 nonparticipants female headed), 10 in-depth interviews with key informants and eight focus group discussions. The data were entered in SPSS software and organized in tables and figures and further described and analyzed following descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis procedure chi-square test, independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result of the regression model revealed that marital status, age of farmers access to market, access to credit and contacts with agricultural extension agent’s increases women’s’ participation to agricultural extension service, Age, educational level, family member less than 64 years old, use of improved seed, and knowledge and attitude on agricultural extension Service (AEAS) for income were found significantly influencing the index of all respondents’ and male headed farmers’ diet diversification function. On the other hand, farming experience was found significantly influencing the index of female headed farmers’ participation on rural women’s to agricultural extension service. Therefore, it was recommended that women in agricultural extension service programmes be sustained and encouraged by Dendi woreda agricultural office