The Role Of Rural Community Training In Agricultural Production And Household Food Security The Experience Of A Gri-ser Vice Ethiopia (ngo) In Bale Zone Oromia Regional State

This paper comprises all rounded analysis of literature mId empirical results of the impact ofrncommunity training on household food security. The study is based on Bale zone threernworedas-Gassera Gololcha, Ginir and Goro. These woredas are preferred because Agri-servicernEthiopia, local NGO, has been providing rural community training for selected faImers throughrnits integrated rural development program since 1987. Highland area of Bale is taken asrnpotential area for agricultural production. Despite its potentiality, Bale zone is not thoroughlyrnstudied to maximize its potential. As a result small-scale farmers are less access to modemrntechnology and methods of fatming to change their life style. Consequently, this study focusedrnto deal with the role of community training on patticipant household agricultural productionrnand food security. Comparing approach of pmticipant and non-participant farmers is applied tornindicate the differences between the two groups of farmers. Primary data collection isrnundertaken in January 2001 from the woredas, Kebeles and villages equally fifty percent fi·omrnparticipant households of Agri-service Ethiopia and non-participants.rnDiscussion and atlalysis of the finding is made both qualitati vely and econometrically. Thernbasic data analysis of age, sex, educational status, ethnic group, religion of household head andrnfamily size was made. Agricultural production activities of-cereals and pulses (main crop),rngarden, tree crops and livestock production, input utilization and finally consumption pattern ofrntwo groups of household is thoroughly investigated. In addition to these, based on their mainrncrop production, those households food secure and insecure are distinguished. The factors thatrndetermine the status of household to be food self-sufficient m·e also econometrically measured.The results of the study indicate that the impact of community training provided for farm ers isrnwith less (insignificant) impacts on the main crop production compared to non-trained farmers.rnThe role of training is reflected on natural resource conservation, garden and tree crops, inputrnutil ization rate and production of poultry and bee-keeping production and quality of livestock.rnCrop damage that faced participant fanners is one cause that reduced the positive impact ofrncommunity training.rnEmpirical analysis indicated that 32.7 percent of participant fanners and 25.7 percent of nonparticipantsrnare found to be food insecure at 2100 Kcl minimum calorie requirement using mainrncrops production. The status household food self-sufficiency is highly negati vely cOlTelatedrnwith family size; crop loss (damage) occurred and improved seed used. The status of foodrnsecurity is also strongly positively correlated with cultivated land, asset sold by household andrnfeliilizer input used.rnFinall y, therefore, the strategy to apply family planning in rural households and ' supplyingrndisease and pest controlling improved seeds, which help to reduce the risk of crop damage.rnSince cultivated land size is one of main detenninants to attain food self-sufficiency fannersrnwith small size of lands should benefited with access to non-farm activities for diversification.rnFall11erS should be oriented to keep and improve the natural quality (fertility) of their cultivatedrnland

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