Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) of Ethiopian Farmers Project
የኢትዮÉያ Ñu_­‹ U`ƒ“ U`T’ƒ TdÅÑ>Á “ ¾ÑuÁ eኬƒ ýaË¡ƒ
WOREDA KNOWLEDGE CENTERS IN ETHIOPIA
INTRODUCTION: Woreda Knowledge Center is a place to gather document, share, access and classify
knowledge in electronic and non electronic format to address end users (farmers) for increased agricultural
productivity at district (woreda) level. The center was established in an effort to enhance agricultural knowledge
management by IPMS project and its partners in pilot districts in Ethiopia.
PROBLEMS: District offices of ministry of agriculture do not have infrastructure and an open source of knowledge
to classified and organized knowledge (usually kept at archives, with each office unit and individual staff). Existing
library at the districts lack documents on agricultural commodities. Office staff in the office does not have formal
venue and forum to share scientific knowledge. Lack of classified and organized document has reduced staff
access to knowledge and share to respond to emerging need of the farming community.
SOLUTIONS: IPMS project and its partners have focused on collecting, classifying and available documents in
the established centers which increased in size over years. Intervention focused on building capacity of staff to
make use of technology for knowledge management, to encourage staff in knowledge gathering, sharing and
reaching farmers as end users. Each center has a coordinator, internet access with 4 to 11 computers, shelved
documents (books, journals…) and printer, server with rules and regulation on use of center.
TOWARDS CENTER ESTABLISHMENT KNOWLEDGE DOUCMENTATION
Increase in demand to use center and change from 3 to 6 computers Gatehring electronic and other documents
CAPACITY BULDING FOR USERS KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Computer Training for Center Users Seminar by Office Staff
ACCESSING KNOWLEDGE (documents, portals, internet …)
Table -- Indicators used in Knowledge Management Survey across ten district
Average
Metema
District name→
Fogera
Meiso
Atsibi
Goma
Alaba
Alam
Bure
Dale
Ada
ata
% of positive
respondents↓
Relevant knowledge 73.4 95.3 45.3 75.0 66.6 82.2 59.4 69.6 88.3 57.8 71
availability
Usefulness of 68.3 71.9 73.3 70.6 79.1 88.2 100.0 84.6 70.6 91.9 79
information received
Source: Case Study on WKC (2011)
CONCLUSION: The establishment of center laid technology for knowledge management at district level. The
use of the center increased capacity to identify knowledge, access knowledge (classified and organized
knowledge), promote culture of knowledge sharing. In ten districts average percent of positive respondents’
(n=500) to access knowledge is 71 % and 79% for usefulness of information received leading to improved
extension communication and increase organizational efficiency and enhanced knowledge management.