Review of Participatory Agricultural Research Approach and its Importance in Ethiopia

The current popularity of the farmers’ participatory approach represents a fundamental shift of attitudes and approach in the agricultural research and development process. Within a farmer participatory approach, farmers’ needs and demands become the driving forces, and the constraints of the systems are the ability of the support to respond effectively to these demands. This involves the development and dissemination of technological options with an active participation of the client farmers at all stages. It could be concluded that, the benefits of participatory research approach includes development of farmers’ ownership of new technologies being tested and transferred; raising level of farmers’ awareness and enhance their income and technical and social skills; mobilization of farmers’ indigenous knowledge available within local communities for research and development planning and empowerment. Therefore, proper implementation of participatory research in research and development programs will bring sustainable development and benefit specific to the needs and conditions of farmers particularly for small scale and resource poor farmers like Ethiopia, who live in complex subsistence and risk prone environments. Keywords: Participatory, smallholder farmers, improved technologies, Ethiopi