Abstract:
This study examines the readiness of higher education and research institutions in the Amhara
Region, Ethiopia, in establishing inter-and-trans-disciplinary (ITD) trainings/research. Specifically, the
study looks at the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat variables that could promote or impede
the establishment of responsive trainings and researches which are relevant to smallholder farmers.
The study draws on the data gathered using structured questionnaire conducted in the higher
education’s (Bahir Dar and Gonder Universities) and research institutions (Amhara Region Agriculture
Research Institute [ARARI] and Gonder Agriculture Research Center) in the Amhara Region. Sample
sizes of 90 respondents were selected using purposive and stratified sampling techniques. Data were
analyzed using statistical package for social sciences version 17 (SPSS-17). Results of the SWOT
analysis indicates that concerned institutions should capitalize on their strength to exhaust
opportunities and work on their weaknesses to convert threats to opportunities, so that their system
will be responsive to the needs of smallholder farmers. Therefore, to respond to the complex needs of
the society in the face of the rapidly changing environment the higher education and research
institutions in the Amhara region should work on the development of ITD training/research. The study
came up with many conclusions which includes: higher education institutions should work on creating
environs that promote accountability, strong relationship with stakeholders and good research
culture; better resource utilization or fund rising scheme should be employed to alleviate
infrastructure/facility supply gap; local higher education institution instructors should be capacitated
through the provision of on job training so as to alleviate quality problem; the government should play
a great role in creating awareness on the side of students starting from primary school level by
mainstreaming agricultural related contents in the curriculum so as to increase student’s interest to
join agricultural academic programs at the university level; and the government should work on
promoting agricultural related private investments to absorb unemployed professionals.
