Factors Affecting Diffusion and Adoption of Agricultural Innovations among Farmers in Ethiopia Case Study of Ormia Regional State Westsern Shewa

The history and economics of diffusion and adoption of agricultural technologies began with the pioneering study of Griliches (1957). The process and models of adoption have been studied by different scholars, with the most popular and widely used being that of Everett Rogers, titled diffusion of innovations (Sherry & Gibson 2002), which spans the disciplines of economics, technology, education, political science, public health, history, and communications (Dooley 1999). In literature technology and innovation are sometimes used interchangeably. While the process by which a new technology or innovation is transmitted through certain media over time to members of society is referred to as diffusion, the rate at which a new or emerging technology is adopted depends on some important attributes of the technology including the perceived advantages relative to existing ones and its compatibility with existing needs and values of the society or potential adopter, simplicity (ease of understanding and use), trial ability for potential adjustment, and observability (ease of visualizing the results) (Rogers, 2003). The adoption of improved agricultural technologies continues to be seen as an important route out of poverty in most of the developing world. Yet, as expressed by Bandier & Rasul (2006) agricultural innovations are often adopted slowly and several aspects of adoption remain poorly understood. These are considered as potential explanations for low adoption of improved agricultural technologies. Agriculture is the supplier of basic human need, nutrition is the world’s largest user of land, occupying more than one third of Earth’s terrestrial surface and using vast amounts of water. It affects our daily life in many ways, both directly and indirectly. Humans expect Abstract: The contribution of new technology to economic growth can only be realized when and if the new technology is widely diffused and used. Diffusion itself results from a series of individual decisions to begin using the new technology, decisions which are often the result of a comparison of the uncertain benefits of the new invention with the uncertain costs of adopting it. An understanding of the factors affecting this choice is essential both for economists studying the determinants of growth and for the generators and disseminators of such technologies. The study was to determine the factors affecting farmer’s adoption of improved agricultural innovation in Welmera district western part of Oromia regional state Ethiopia. Non replaceable lottery method and proportional to size sampling techniques were employed for the selection of 130 respondents; structural questionnaires and group discussion were used. Data were analyzed using Statistical tests like chi-square, t-test, one way ANOVA and econometric model Tobit was used to identify the effect of the hypothesized variables on the dependent variable . The result of the econometric model indicated that educational level of respondent, total land holding, accesses to research and access to extension were found significant to influence adoption of improved potato production packages. The mean average age of sample respondent was 45-54. The independent t-test result shows that there was no significant difference between adopter categories in terms of age to the adoption of improved potato technology (t=1.747, p 0.991). From the sample household heads 13.85% of respondent farmers are illiterate and the remaining 86.15% are educated. Majority of high adopters have been educated from grade 5 to 10 Chi-square test also shows the significant difference between adopter categories of improved potato technologies (χ2=17.25a, P=0.004). It is time to look participatory extension approach which invites different stakeholders. FRG approach contributed significant role in the diffusion and adoption of agricultural innovations.