Competency and constraints of higher education and research institutions for rural transformation in the <i>Amhara</i>region, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is an agrarian country and agriculture is the backbone of its economy. Consequently, the government of Ethiopia has devised Agricultural Development Led Industrialization (ADLI) as the country’s overall economic development policy. For the last 15 years, public investment towards the expansion of higher education, research and extension in agriculture has been so enormous. In reality, however, these higher education and research institutions were not sufficiently responsive to rural transformation. Thus, to evaluate the role of higher education and research institutions in stimulating rural transformation and to identify main training constraints accountable for their poor performances in institutional learning and rural transformation is of paramount importance. To this effect focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted. Stratified and purposive sampling technique was dominantly employed during the survey studies. The result of the study has shown that higher education and research institutions were less responsive to address the actual problems of small-scale farmers and they were limited by a number of constraints/challenges to address the actual problems of farmers. The major constraints were, to list some, limited involvement in research and extension works by the university staff, students limited practical attachments of the training programmes with farming communities, limited infrastructures and facilities and limited availability of contextualized learning resources. In addressing the aforesaid constraints/challenges, the university staff should proportionally allocate time in the research and extension activities on top of practical teaching supported by local research results and experience;involving students on practical attachments both in their academic and vacation time;giving emphasis on basic training preparation like fulfilling libraries, laboratories, demonstration fields and transportation facilities;and lastly to revise the existing curriculum in to the direction of solving the real problems of the Amhara region then the country Ethiopia.

Relating mechanisms of higher education and research closely to the reality in the society for rural transformation in the <i>Amhara</i>region, Ethiopia

Higher education and research in Ethiopia is going through a decisive phase of reform and expansion. As a system it is increasingly required to respond and gear adequately to the development needs of the society and the country. This change is taking place through a government-led radical review of the system’s status and challenges, and by devising mechanisms of consensus building, as well as ownership and overcoming the resistance to change. Higher education and research institutions of Bahir Dar and Gondar Universities and ARARI, in Ethiopia are not satisfactorily responsive to rural transformation in addressing problems of small-scale farmers. This calls for responsive education and research that addresses farmers’ constraints. Thus, to survey the suitability/appropriateness of the current training programmes of higher education and research institutions to address the actual problems of farmers is of paramount importance. To this effect, tools such as interview guide, checklist and questionnaires were put to use for data collection. Primary data was collected from observation, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics for quantitative data and triangulation for qualitative data were the prime techniques for data analysis. The result of the study shows that university heads, instructors, students, research heads, researchers and employees rated the suggested mechanisms, namely “inviting speakers from industries and farming community”, “visiting guest lecturers” and “special entrepreneurial project”, as the top most important for ensuring training and research closely to the reality in the society of Amhara region in facilitating agricultural growth and rural transformation. Besides, employers and farmers responded that fresh graduates are deficient with relevant technical skills because of less emphasis on experiential learning on higher education. Therefore, the curriculum for the training should give much weight to incorporate these suggested mechanisms and the higher institutions curriculum should be arranged in such a way that the trainees could obtain appropriate technical know-how.

China’s Rural Development in the 14^(th) Five-Year Plan Period

The 14^(th) Five-Year Plan period(2021-2025)is a critical transition for China’s social and economic development.After achieving moderate prosperity and eradicating absolute poverty in 2020,China will embark upon a new journey towards an affluent society with rural revitalization replacing poverty eradication as a new priority of government agenda on agriculture and rural affairs.In the 14^(th) FYP period,China should increase rural prosperity in all respects,modernize agriculture and the countryside,address food security challenges,raise farmers’incomes,and roll out rural reforms.

Recreational value estimation of suburban leisure agriculture:a case study of the Qianjiangyue agritourism farm

As a form of economic and community development, agritourism has a strong and widespread appeal to all tourists. To explore the situation and value of agritourism in China, the Qianjiangyue agritourism farm located between Fuzhou City and Yongtai County was chosen to evaluate recreational values. The data was obtained from tourists and farm samples in Qianjiangyue agritourism farm by questionnaires. Two basic models including the zonal travel cost method （ZTCM） and the individual travel cost method （ITCM） were applied for data analysis. The recreational value estimation results obtained from ITCM and ZTCM showed that the total consumer surplus （CS） of the Qianjiangyue agritourism farm in 2Oll was estimated at 54,533,300 CNY （8,894,682 US$） which was equal to a CS per tourist of 3029.63 CNY （494.i5 US$）, and the annual recreational value of agricultural landscapes per hm2 was 36i,o78 CNY （58,893.82 US$）. The average annual recreational value of agritourism farmland was 15.7 times of that from traditional farming, and 6 times of present land business income. This paper will be helpful for exploring and utilizing appropriate environmental resources in China.

Enhancement of Growth and Grain Yield of Rice in Nutrient Deficient Soils by Rice Probiotic Bacteria

Plant associated bacteria are promising alternatives to chemical fertilizers for plant growth and yield improvement in an eco-friendly manner.In this study,rice associated bacteria were isolated and assessed for mineral phosphate solubilization and indole-3-acetic acid(IAA) production activity in vitro.Six promising strains,which were tentatively identified as phylotaxon Pseudochrobactrum sp.(BRRh-1),Burkholderia sp.(BRRh-2),Burkholderia sp.(BRRh-3),Burkholderia sp.(BRRh-4),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(BRRh-5 and BRRh-6) based on their 16 S rRNA gene phylogeny,exhibited significant phosphate solubilizing activity in National Botanical Research Institute phosphate growth medium,and BRRh-4 displayed the highest phosphate solubilizing activity,followed by BRRh-5.The p H of the culture broth declined,resulting in increase of growth rate of bacteria at p H 7,which might be due to organic acid secretion by the strains.In presence of L-tryptophan,five isolates synthesized IAA and the maximum IAA was produced by BRRh-2,followed by BRRh-1.Application of two most efficient phosphate solubilizing isolates BRRh-4 and BRRh-5 by root dipping(colonization) of seedling and spraying at the flowering stage significantly enhanced the growth and grain yield of rice variety BRRI dhan-29.Interestingly,application of both strains with 50% of recommended nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium fertilizers produced equivalent or higher grain yield of rice compared to the control grown with full recommended fertilizer doses,which suggests that these strains may have the potential to be used as bioinoculants for sustainable rice production.

Influence of Tree Density on Vegetation Composition and Soil Chemical Properties in Savanna Rangeland of Eastern Cape, South Africa

The proliferation of woody species alters the vegetation structure, leading to loss of rangeland productivity. It aimed to assess the influence of tree density on vegetation and soil chemical properties at three levels of encroachment;open, moderate and dense. Each level of encroachment was replicated 3 times, a 5000 m2 plot was marked per replicate. Four belt transects 200 m2 were placed per plot. Woody species within each belt transect per replicate were identified and recorded to evaluate woody species composition. Grass species composition was assessed using a step point method. Soil was sampled per replicate and analysed for chemical properties. Results showed that 71% of grasses were increasers and 29% decreasers. Digitaria eriantha and Eragrostis obtusa were the most dominant species. Vachellia karoo and Aloe ferox were the most dominant woody species. The dense had high nitrogen (1.48%) compared to the moderate (0.23%) and the open (0.17%). Increaser species, soil carbon, soil pH increased with the increase of tree density. It was concluded that the replacement of highly palatable grasses with inferior ones was due to improper rangeland management practices. It was recommended that land users form rangeland management associations and set up conservation agreements for proper management of resources.

An Analysis of the Underlying Causes of Land and Environmental Degradation in Zimbabwe:Implications for Sustainable Evelopment

In recent years,the achievement of sustainable development has been the subject of international debate yet it remains a largely elusive goal for most developing countries.The broad objective of this study was to characterize land and environmental degradation in Zimbabwe’s communal areas.A semi-structured interview guide was used to

Economic Impact of GM Hysteria on EU Feed Market

A growing world population coupled with changing diet is projected to increase demand for food production by 70% by 2050. Helping farmers lose less of their crops will be a key factor in promoting food security. In addition to pesticides GM crops will continue to be a vital tool in the diverse range of technologies that can maintain and improve living standards for the people of the world. The EU is dependent for 65% on imports of protein-rich feedstuffs for which there are no substitutes in the short term. The EU livestock sector uses imported soybean, soybean meal and maize by-products as animal feed. Without an adequate supply of these feed ingredients, the EU’s livestock production will loose competitiveness. However, demands from the EU differ to those from third countries with respect to the GM varieties grown, and what are authorised for import into the EU. The risk that supplies of soya products and maize by-products could be affected by the low-level presence of non-EU approved GM material has not been fully resolved as the EU has allowed just a 0.1% tolerance for this plus 0.05% tolerance for measuring uncertainty. This could cause supply problems for the animal feed industry, and ultimately supply of food to consumers. The importance of the EU market and EU requirements for the major soybean and maize exporter countries is declining over time and it is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain a non-GM supply chain in the EU. Food companies and supermarkets will struggle to stay GM-free. EU member states dependent on imports will be forced to deal with more GM presence in their chain. Market forces are forcing governments to authorize products more efficiently, develop tolerance policies or tolerate unapproved varieties in their imports.

Seasonal Variation of Major Elements in South Lake Cyohoha, Rwanda

The paper analyzed the seasonal variation of the concentrations of Cr, Mn, A1, N, P, As, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, and K in South Lake Cyohoha water using spectroscopic technique. Water samples were taken monthly at Ngenda, Karehe and Nyamabuye stations from January 2009 to December 2010. The results showed that the concentrations of aluminum, nitrogen, potassium, arsenic, phosphorous, manganese, chromium, barium and copper were high during the raining season and low during the dry season, while calcium, iron and magnesium varied independently with seasonal change. The results of conductivity and pH also confirmed the effects of seasonal change on the quality of water in the South Lake Cyohoha since the highest value of conductivity was found during the raining season, while the smallest was observed during the dry season, for pH the highest number was noticed during the dry season and the lowest during the raining season.

Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics in the North-Eastern Somali Rangelands of Eastern Ethiopia

Drastic changes have occurred in Siti zone rangeland over nearly the last three decades, due to rapid land conversion dynamics in the area. In the zone, the land-use change over time and space and temporal trends rangeland condition have never been studied. This study analyzed land use and land cover (LULC) change dynamics since the 1980s. Three dates, 1985, 2001 and 2017, Landsat images were used for classification and analysis of the various LULC. The three images were geo-referenced, re-sampled and processed for classification, using the maximum likelihood classifier algorithm. Moreover, field observations and information from local people were used for triangulation to patterns LULC dynamics. From 1985 to 2017, the general trend observed in the land use/cover change in the rangeland resources in the study districts implies a loss of grassland cover was compensated by an increase in cultivated areas, settlement and shrub/bush land cover. Moreover, the encroachments of invasive plant, Prosopis, settlement and the promotion of cultivation to pastoral way of livelihood have exacerbated the decline of rangeland cover. The study findings have shown important changes in the LULC patterns in the north-eastern Somali rangelands of eastern Ethiopia. These trends are certainly the characteristics of a pastoral way of life turn to settlement. This suggests that major changes in the socio-ecological driving forces affecting landscape dynamics have occurred in the last three decades or so.

Ticks, Demographics, Vegetation Cover, and Farmer’s Age Influence Red Meat Production in Resource-Poor Regions of Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

This study presents an integrated examination of livestock production constraints associating with communal farming in six district municipalities (DMs) of the Eastern Cape Province. We collected data on demographic and socio-economic factors from 271 farmers randomly given questionnaires. About 26 Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) owned by communal farmers were surveyed to ascertain the condition of grazing land, meanwhile, tick species and distribution on cattle and goats found in 158 sampling sites of the study area were also recorded. From the results, a total of 34,929 adult ticks belonging to five genera and 10 species were encountered. The most abundant tick genera were Rhipicephalus of the subgenus Boophilus (68.91%), Amblyomma (20.72%), Hyalomma (8.64%), Ixodes (1.22%), and Haemaphysalis (0.51%). By geographic distributions, Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus were common to all DMs, while R. microplus and R. decoloratus were found in the drier regions. From the map plotted for 16 custom feeding centers, lack of marketing channels (23%), poor animal conditions (20%), lack of infrastructure (19%), high price of medicine (14%), shortage of feed (10%), stock theft (8%), and age of animals (too old) to be marketed (6%) are the major shortcomings in red meat production. We found that the associations between gender (χ2 = 31.3481, p < 0.0001), age (χ2 = 32.4889, p < 0.0001), and farming experience (χ2 = 52.7556, p < 0.0001) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher. Additionally, we found that farming commodities were significantly influenced by gender and farming experience. From the surveyed LRAD farms, we observed a higher proportion of increaser II grass species in Alfred Nzo (55.6%), Amathole (53.9%), and Chris Hani (46.4%) DMs. On the other hand, the decreaser grass species were few in Alfred Nzo (16.5%), Amathole (13.8%), and Chris Hani (21.8%). Inferences from the data indicate the need for government and stakeholders’ intervention to farmers through the provision of infrastructures, marketing channels, and training on livestock based programs.

Local-Scale Governance： A Review of the Zambian Approach to Fisheries Management

Despite Zambia＇s recent policies for optimizing sustainable management of fisheries, their success has been modest in practice. Artisanal and industrial fleets have led to decline in fish catches in the presence of currently prescribed management possibilities. Among other factors, excessive fishing and unsustainable fishing methods attributed to common property and free access to the resources are key. The country adopted co-management approach to fisheries management in the 1990s with a view to improve the fisheries stocks through community enforcement of fishery management regulations. Neither the success of co-management has been easy to measure nor its results appreciated. In view of overfishing, it is required to continue providing a range of empirical evidence of area-specific co-management interventions as basis for designing realistic and innovative solutions for the nation. This implies that new policies and institutions need to be developed by research to understand fisheries systems and better promote sustainable trajectories. The following review recommendation to central government is a coherent approach that uses and crystallizes the multiple interests and skills of co-management stakeholders. Most stakeholder groups have been involved in an ad hoc fashion through workshops, public meetings and consultative processes mainly organized by Department of Fisheries. Stakeholders should be involved from the design of the process to each step in the process, including the ongoing monitoring and evaluation. A form of memorandum of understanding is suggested. This will formally set out a process that acknowledges each stakeholder＇s interests and provide forums to facilitate discussion, consultation and monitoring of management activities.

The Logic of Chinese Farmer’s Citizenization

Farmers’ citizenization concerns three logical aspects. First, farmers’ viability determines whether they can truly be citizenized and whether they can realize scale management of rural land. Second, farmers’ viability also determines the time for the realization of scale management of rural land and subsequently determines the coming of the Lewis turning point and commercialization point. Third, the key to viability’s coming into play lies in the government’s institutional supply. Citizenization is in step with the long process of scale management of farmland, the coming of the Lewis turning point and commercialization point, the eventual eradication of the impact of the household registration system, and the development of professional farmers. Farmers’ viability is the ultimate key to such synchronized challenges. There are two approaches to the enhancement of farmers’ viability. The first is “to invest in farmers” and the second is to alleviate the existing household registration system’s constraints on farmers. The first approach outweighs the second, for its quintessential essence is to increase farmers’ per capita capital, enhance their viability and transform China from a country with vast human resources into a country with quality human resources.

Nutritive Value of Four Lucerne Cultivars Planted in Two Soil Types at Bathurst Research Station, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Medicago sativa (lucerne) is a widely used perennial fodder crop and ranked amongst the highly nutritive fodders globally. This study assessed the nutritive value (i.e. CP % and TDN %) of four lucerne cultivars under two soil types at Bathurst Research Station. A random grid (quadrant) sampling method was used for sampling and samples were submitted to the laboratory for analysis to determine forage quality. Data collection was carried out by separating harvested biomass for each cultivar using clean packs, weighed and dried at 70&#730;C for 48 hours then crude protein (CP %) and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN %) were determined. The results of the study showed that soil type (site) had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the overall quality of dry matter produced. In soil 1 (S1) the overall CP % content was 11.48% while it was 19.03% in soil 2 (S2). Cultivar 3 (KKS 9911) was the least nutritive cultivar in site 1, while the same cultivar was the most nutritive cultivar in site 2 pertaining CP content. Soil type also significantly affected (P < 0.05) the overall total digestible nutrient (TDN %) content of different lucerne cultivars. In S1, C4 (WL 525) had the highest (P < 0.05) TDN content in comparison to the rest of the cultivars while in the same soil type C1 (SA Std.) had the least TDN content. The four tested lucerne cultivars generally produced highly nutritive lucerne in S2 while they produced less nutritive lucerne in relation to both CP and TDN content in S1.

Socio-Demographic Impact Study of Nepal Earthquake 2015 at Sindhuli District

As a result of the two major earthquakes that struck Nepal at 11:56 am on 25 April, and 12 May 2015, nearly 9,000 lives and over half a million homes have been destroyed. In this connection, the paper tries to assess the socio- demographic impact of Nepal earthquake 2015 with reference to Sindhuli district. The Sindhuli district of Nepal was one of the highly affected districts among the fourteen severely destructed districts of the central part of Nepal, was purposively selected among them for the study purpose. The paper utilized the both primary and secondary data. The survey found that the earthquakes had unevenly affected the age, gender, poorer, rural locations relative to the urban and less poor areas. It also found that women and children had comparatively fallen victim to anxiety, trauma, depression, feeling helpless, loss of interest (passive) and irrational fear. During the survey, the study found that the NGOs, INGOs, Private and Personal support agencies/actors had played significant role in distribution of relief package at Sindhuli district of Nepal. The distributions of relief materials were challenging because of lack of road connectivity to reach at many earthquake affected villages in Sindhuli district.

Exploratory Study on Relationship among Body Weight, Body Condition Score and Some Blood Biochemical Parameters of Non-Descriptive Goats in Mzimvubu Local Municipality: A Case of Santombe Village

Body weight is a crucial trait that aids farmers in decision-making regarding vaccinations, feeding, marketing and selection during the breeding programs. The study was conducted to investigate the effect of sex and age on body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS) and some blood biochemical parameters (BBP) and to determine the correlation amongst BW, BCS and BBP of non-descriptive goats at Santombe communal farming system. Blood samples were collected from 33 apparently healthy goats (27 females and 6 males) aged 6 - 8 tooth with a mean BW (32.62 ± 11.39 kg) while BCS (3.17 ± 0.39) was taken by means of palpating the lumbar area, sternum and the ribs. The BCS was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being emaciated and 5 being extremely fat. The blood samples were analyzed using Cobas intergra 400 plus chemistry analyzer, Roche for biochemical parameters such as total protein (TP), urea, cholesterol (Chol), magnesium (Mg), phosphorous (P) and calcium (Ca) with mean values of 72.79 ± 5.84 mg/l, 2.76 ± 1.16 mmol/l, 2.08 ± 0.40 mmol/l, 1.09 ± 0.09 mmol/l, 2.30 ± 0.49 mmol/l and 2.45 ± 0.12 mmol/l respectively. Sex and age had significant effects on BW, BCS and some biochemical parameters. The BW and BCS for males were significantly higher than for females. Correlation results indicated that BW had a positive relationship with BCS (r = 0.677), TP and BW (r = 0.400), Chol and BCS (r = 0.4025) and Mg and TP (r = -0.075). Age and sex had significant influences on BW, BCS and some blood biochemical parameters. Consideration of the factors can aid in determining the accurate diagnosis of the nutritional status of goats.

Short-Term Influence of Burning on Species Abundance, Biomass Production, Wood Plant Density and Browsing Unit in an Albany Thicket of the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Fire is regarded as management practice for maintaining grasslands and savannas. The vegetation occurring in fire prone areas becomes highly adapted to fire occurrences in savannas and grasslands. However, documentation on the influence of burning on vegetation is still limited in an albany thicket biome. The aim of the study was to evaluate the short-term influence of burning on species abundance, biomass production, wood plant density and browsing unit. Six plots (2500 m2) were demarcated;in each plot two parallel transects of 120 m2 with 5 m distance apart were measured. Three plots were burned in spring season, while no burning was done on the other remaining plots. Forty points per plot were obtained using step-point method to determine the relative abundance at burned and unburned plots. Woody plants occurred within a transect were identified, counted and recorded to determine density and browsing unit. Three quadrats (i.e. 0.25 m2) per plot were randomly laid within the transect;aboveground plant material within a quadrat were harvested. A total of 18 samples were harvested and oven dried at 60˚C for 48 hours to determine biomass production. The results showed that Themeda triandra (14%) and Panicum maximum (10%) were most abundant grass species at the burned plots. Burned plots had significantly higher biomass production (4804 kg/ha) compared to unburned plots (3641 kg/ha). Vachellia karoo (burned: 65.85% & unburn: 13.70%) and Searsia pallens (burned: 26.83% & unburned: 6.85%) were most dominant wood plant species at both burned and unburned plots. Burned plots had the highest browsing unit (3221 BU/ha) compared to unburned plots (2058 BU/ha). The decrease of woody plants at the burned plots proved that fire has a tremendous potential for managing woody plants. This study provided information on short-term influence of burning, however further long-term trials are required to determine the effects of burning.

Ethnopharmacological Assessment of Medicinal Plants Used in the Management of Livestock Ailments by Resource-Limited Farmers in the Eastern Cape Province

Medicinal plants play a major role in meeting people’s medical and health needs, especially in developing countries. However, due to a lack of access to modern veterinary facilities, poor visibility of animal health personnel, and high prices of orthodox medicines, most farmers rely on traditional healers and the administration of medicinal plants to treat livestock ailments. The present study was conducted to document Ethnopharmacological knowledge of medicinal plants used to manage livestock ailments in three rural communities of the Eastern Cape. This study was carried out in three rural communities between July 2009 and February 2010. Data were collected by administering pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires and participative field observations. For the interviews, a sample of 48 knowledgeable respondents was purposively selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, determination of information consensus factor, and fidelity level. A total of 12 medicinal plants belonging to 9 families were used by local people to cure different ailments. A high number of medicinal plants were claimed by males compared to females. Roots and barks were the major plant parts used, and the least were leaves (27.3%). Six plants were used to treat diarrhea and fertility, five plants to treat wounds, and two plants to treat scabs. This study has shown that Eastern Cape flora is rich with various plants which could be used to replace orthodox drugs. Further studies are needed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations, biological activities, and toxicities and characterize the plant’s chemical compounds.

Productivity Evaluation of Four Medicago sativa Cultivars under Two Water Regimes (Irrigated and Non-Irrigated) and Two Soil Types at Bathurst Research Station in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Medicago sativa (lucerne) is a perennial and drought tolerant fodder crop which is widely used as feed for livestock in South Africa. This study evaluated four lucerne cultivars under two water regimes and also determined the effect of soil type on lucerne biomass production. To determine dry matter production per cultivar per treatment, a random grid (quadrant) sampling method was used and all biomass within that radius was cut to 5 cm above the ground level in each plot. All biomass sampling was done just before regrowth commences. Biomass data collection on four lucerne cultivars belonging to different dormancy groupings (WL 711, WL 525 HQ, KKS 9911 and SA Standard) were collected seasonally under different soil types on both irrigated and non-irrigated plots and analysed. Soil type (site) had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the overall quantity of dry matter produced as more dry matter was produced in site 2 (S2) in comparison to site 1 (S2). Different levels of water application (moisture supplementation) also affected the quantity of dry matter produced in each soil type. The once-a-month irrigation treatment (Ir1) led to the production of superior dry matter yield on SI even though the effect was not significant. In S2 twice a month irrigation treatment (Ir2) produced the highest dry matter, however, this effect was significant (P < 0.05) only in comparison with zero irrigation (Ir0) treatment. Cultivar 3 (KKS 9911) was the least productive cultivar in S1, while the same cultivar was the least productive cultivar in S2. These findings show that both soil type and irrigation levels had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the total dry matter production of the tested Lucerne cultivars belonging to different dormancy groupings.

Determinants of Smallholder Farmers Adoption of Acacia decurrens in Northwest Ethiopia

Planting a fast-growing multipurpose Acacia decurrens (AD) tree is one of the climate-smart agricultural practices that have been promoted in Ethiopia, which is widely practiced and an important livelihood strategy in Awi zone. However, the extent of its adoption varies considerably among households in the study area. This study investigated the determinants of intensity of adoption of AD among 385 randomly selected rural households in Awi Zone. Data were gathered using a cross-sectional household survey. Descriptive statistics and Two-limit Tobit model were employed for data analysis. The result of the study shows that on average the intensity of adoption of AD was 0.43 (43% of the total cropland area), though majority of the farmers (48.8%) belong to low level of adoption. The result of the analysis shows that being male, educational level, access to seedling, experience in growing the tree, extension contact has positive and significant relationship with the intensity of adoption. Age of head of household, land holding size, livestock holding size, soil fertility status, disease emergence and road distance have negative and significant influence on intensity of adoption. These suggest that expanding road infrastructure, education, access to seedling, secure land property right, disease management, and provision of extension services related to the AD can also improve smallholder farmers’ intensity of AD adoption. The generated information provides a picture of the study area’s situation to the attention of policy makers, development practitioners and institutional service providers to formulate a better policy intervention to sustain smallholder farmers’ AD plantation.