This study identified the socio-economic factors that significantly influence adoption of agricultural extension package technologies on sorghum crop production. Primary and secondary data were collected for the study. In the sampling procedure, multi stage sampling procedure was used. Data was analyzed using both descriptive statistics and econometric models. In econometric models Multivariate Probit (MVP) and Double Hurdle models were used. Multivariate Probit output indicates that, the probability of the household to use inorganic fertilizer (NPS and Urea), organic fertilizer, crop protection chemicals and row planting were 43.43, 63.07, 12.51, and 25.04%, respectively. Multivariate Probit output also shows that, the joint probability of success and failure of using all agricultural extension package technologies were 3.18 and 24.81%, respectively. Multivariate Probit and Double Hurdle models result confirm that district, extension visit, livestock holding, perception of the expectation of the coming rainfall, total farm land and participation on agricultural training significantly affect adoption decision and intensity use of different agricultural extension package technologies.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food security crop in Ethiopia. However, low soil fertility and the use of haphazard nitrogen (N) fertilizer with little attention to the rate and timing of N application constrain productivity. Therefore, field experiments were conducted during the 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons to investigate the response of maize to different N application rates and timings. The treatments consisted of six N fertilizer rates (0, 23, 46, 69, 92, and 115 kg N ha −1 ) and four application timings (all at vegetative stages; one-half at sowing + one-half at vegetative stages; one-third at sowing + one-third at vegetative stages + one-third at tasseling; one-fourth at sowing + two-fourths at vegetative stages + one-fourth at tasseling). The experiments were a randomized block design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The results of the study revealed that ears per plant, ear length, grains per row, grains per ear, stover, and grain yield were significantly (p ≤ .001) influenced by the interaction effects of N application rates and timings. The highest stover (9.99 t ha −1 ) and grain yield (9.41 t ha −1 ) were obtained from the application of 92 kg N ha −1 in three split applications of one-fourth at sowing, one-half at vegetative stages, and one-fourth at tasseling. Therefore, it is concluded that 92 kg N ha −1 in three split applications of one-fourth at sowing, two-fourths at vegetative stages, and one-fourth at tasseling was found to be the most economical in the study area.

An effective and efficient agricultural extension system can enhance the agricultural productivity and production of smallholders through the development of innovative, systematic, and farmer-owned agricultural extensions. This study identified major constraints of adoption of agricultural extension package technologies such as adoption of inorganic and organic fertilizers, improved seeds, row planting, and crop protection chemicals at smallholder household level on sorghum crop production. The study used cross-sectional survey data collected from 201 sample respondent household farmers. To analyze data, descriptive statistics, ranking indexes, graphs, and tables were used. The study identified the major constraints of agricultural extension package technologies. High price, problem of on-time provision, shortage and uneven distribution of rainfall, and problem of accessibility were the major constraints that hinder the use of inorganic fertilizer. Using sources of organic fertilizer for other purposes, insufficient availability, undeveloped infrastructure, and facilities and requirement of more labor were the major constraints to the use of organic fertilizer.

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