One of the main research Directorates of the Oromia Agricultural Research Institute is the Socioeconomics and Agricultural Extension Research Directorate. Its main responsibilities include a wide range of topics, including the analysis of agricultural production systems, market systems, knowledge and information systems related to agriculture, and agricultural production systems. The directorate additionally analyzes the impact of agricultural technologies, evaluates the production and productivity aspects of these technologies, develops linkages among stakeholders in agricultural development, and conducts gender analysis. It also carries out pre-extension and pre-scaling of up proven agricultural technologies.

Vision

• The directorate aspires to see a prosperous and food-secure pastoral/farming community in Oromia.

Mission

• By promoting the adoption and dissemination of more effective agricultural technologies, the directorate generates knowledge that boosts the efficiency of the research system both within and externally.

Goal

• The directorate's goal is to improve agricultural productivity and production through the generation of socioeconomic information that improves the internal and external efficacy of the research system and by encouraging the adoption and dissemination of improved agricultural technologies.

Specific objectives

• Provide information related to socioeconomics and agricultural extension that is used for research planning, policy decisions, and enhancing the effectiveness of the research and extension system; 

• Ensure that the social dimension is integrated into the generation and transfer of agricultural technology; 

• Promote improved agricultural technologies to increase the adoption and dissemination of agricultural technology and

• Encourage communication and information exchange amongst all the stakeholders involved in the development of the region's agricultural sector.

Research Focus

The primary aims of agricultural economics research are to generate knowledge and information for the purpose of planning future studies, policy decision-making, and improving the efficiency of the agricultural research system.

Pre-extension and pre-scaling up of agricultural technologies is the main focus of the directorate. This is achieved through a participatory approach that involves stakeholders' and direct beneficiaries' building capacity through extension materials and training.

The analysis and evaluation of regional agricultural extension systems, community-based organizations, rural institutions, agricultural knowledge and information systems, partnerships and linkages, extension methods and approaches, agricultural training, communication and innovations, and indigenous knowledge are just a few of the many topics covered by agricultural extension research.

The directorate's gender research focuses on gender engagement in agriculture, examining access to and control over resources, assessing its impact on livelihoods, food security, economic empowerment, and other social and economic domains.

Research teams

The directorate is structured into two research teams: the agricultural extension research team and the socioeconomics research team.

Scope of the directorate

With the exception of the Batu Soil Research Center, the directorate is active in all IQQO research centers.

Research staff

There are 79 researchers in total in the directorate at the moment. In terms of qualifications, 24% of these have bachelor's degrees and 76% of them have master's degrees. Six researchers are on PhD study leave in 2024.