Jimma Agricultural Engineering Research Center

Establishment

Jimma Agricultural Engineering Research Center is one of the 17 Research Centers operating under the Oromia Agricultural Research institute (IQQO).  The center is located at 350km South West of the capital, Finfinne in Jima town and about 500m from the asphalt road going from Awetu Bridge to Jimma University main campus. Lies between 7^o4’N latitude and 36^o6’E longitude at altitude of 1450 masl. Its annual rainfall is 1450-1806 mm per year and mean temperature of 25^oc. The mandate areas of the Research Center were Jimma, Buno Bedelle and Iluababor zones.

Jimma Agricultural Engineering Research Center was established in 1978 E.C as Jimma Rural Technology promotion center (JRTPC). From 1978-1985 E.C the center was organized under Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in department level. After Decentralization of MOA in 1985, the center (JRTPC) was organized under Oromia Agricultural Development Bureau. In 1993 E.C the center with name “Jimma Rural Technology Research Center” joined Oromia Agricultural Research Institute (IQQO). During BPR 2000 E.C the name changed to “Jimma Agricultural Mechanization research center” under IQQO then in 2007 E.C with BPR Recalibration the name changed to” Jimma Agricultural Engineering Research Center” under IQQO. 

Research structure

Currently the center consists two Research Process i.e. (Agricultural Engineering Research and Agricultural Extension and Socio-Economics Research Process) and seven research case teams in the core process namely Agricultural Machinery and Farm Power Engineering, Irrigation, Drainage and Water Harvesting Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Post-Harvest and Agricultural Product Processing Engineering, Agricultural Engineering Technology Multiplication, Agricultural Extension and Socio-Economics Research Teams. Moreover, under the agricultural engineering research process, the center has one technical workshop (wood and metal) for prototype production and technology multiplication.

The agricultural economics, extension and gender research directorate is one of the eight research directorates of the institute and is responsible for ensuring the integration of the social and economic dimensions into agricultural technology generation and transfer process. The directorate generates agricultural information that can be used for research planning, policy decision, and for research and extension system improvement. In addition to this, it conducts on-farm technology evaluation, demonstration and popularization activities that enhance agricultural technology dissemination and adoption. The directorate also plays an important role in creating an effective linkage among research, extension and utilizer sub-systems.

Research focus areas

Agricultural production can be increased by using direct inputs of improved seeds and fertilizers, and/or by bringing more land under production. Nonetheless, these alone cannot affect sustained increase in production and productivity. One of the other important technological interventions is Agricultural Engineering Science and Technology.

The broad contributions of the sector constitute generating/adapting and utilizations of different improved and appropriate Agricultural Machinery and Farm Power, Irrigation, Drainage and Water Harvesting technologies, Renewable Energy technologies, Post-Harvest and Agricultural Product Processing Technologies. These technologies comprise tillage implements and machineries, animal and mechanical power utilization for farm purposes, integrated physical and biological soil and water conservation and efficient utilization technologies, post-harvest product handling, value addition processing for food and feed as well as the agricultural based renewable energy source utilization technologies.

Thus, the Agricultural Engineering Research (AER) Directorate is  working on generating/adapting and applying of these important AER Science and Technologies in parallel with the other factors of science and technology intervention would greatly changes the tradition of farming system, alleviates drudgery, helps wise use of natural resources, and reduces environmental degradation while increasing productivity and production of the agriculture.

The Agricultural Economics Research Team conducts research in the areas of agricultural production systems characterization, value chain analysis of high value agricultural commodities, agricultural production economics, technology verification, adoption and impact study, agricultural marketing, agricultural policy analysis, agricultural institutions analysis and others.

The Agricultural Extension Research Team focuses on agricultural technology transfer (pre-extension demonstration and popularization) and agricultural extension research related to agricultural knowledge and information system, agricultural information communication, extension methods and approach, and other systems focused research. Gender research program on its part focuses on analysis of gender roles, access to and control over resources and decision making in agriculture and their impact on food security, livelihood and other social and economic spheres. It also works on gender capacity building and facilitation of gender mainstreaming process.

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