In-Depth Assessment of the Public Agricultural Extension System Of

2. METHODS

The BMGF contracted a team of extension specialists and international management experts to conduct a full review of the Ethiopian extension system. Throughout the review, MOARD management provided consistent support, oversight, and input. The BMGF also provided support during the study. As a part of the process, the review team engaged a wide set of stakeholders, including the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), Ethiopian Economic Association (EEA) / Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute (EEPRI), relevant local institutions, bi- and multilateral donors, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and national agricultural universities.

Data Collection Methods Methods used to collect information for the study included a desk review of relevant literature, including successful case studies from several Asian countries; informant interviews; stakeholder consultations; focus groups; and field visits to six of the nine regions of Ethiopia. A pretest of data collection instruments was also conducted in Addis Ababa and the Oromiya Region. More details on the interviews and data sources can be found in the appendix. A significant component of the study was the field visits to the regions (Figure 1). Six regions and nine woredas were identified by criteria that would allow the study to cover a diverse set of agroecologies, regions, and production systems with the time and personnel available, and to reflect a wide range of local extension and ATVET experiences. In each region, the authors interviewed farmers and farmer groups, regional heads, office heads, subject matter specialists (SMSs), and DAs. At the ATVETs, the authors interviewed administrators, instructors, and students. The regions covered were the following: • Afar Region: Semera Town, Gewane Town, and Assayita woreda • Amhara Region: Bahir Dar Town and Bure and Dejen woredas • Benishangul-Gumuz Region: Assosa Town and Assosa woreda • Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR): Hawassa City and Dilla Zuria woreda • Tigray Region: Mekelle City and Wukro and Atsibi woredas