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In Ethiopia, cereal crops play a significant role in food security and income for most smallholder farmers. In the Gubalafto district, the environment is ideal for growing vital cereal crops such as sorghum, maize, and teff. However, various factors such as weevils, rodents, mold infestation, and lack of suitable storage materials were blamed for a post-harvest loss of cereal at the storage stage in the district. Hence, this research study was intended to identify factors affecting households' willingness to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology and the maximum willingness to pay for the technology. The study used both primary and secondary sources to gather the data. A total of 385 sample households were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. The semi-structural questionnaire was used to collect the primary data during a face-to-face interview, and double-bounded questions were also followed by open-ended questions. Combinations of data analysis methods such as descriptive, inferential statistics, and econometrics models were used. a binary probit regression model was used to identify factors that influenced farmers' willingness to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology. A bivariate probit regression model was also used to estimate the household's willingness to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology. The survey results showed that the majority (71.69%) of the sample households were willing to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology due to the severity of cereal post-harvest loss. Moreover, the binary probit model results revealed that household educational status, total household annual income, market accessibility, and extension service positively and significantly affected the household's willingness to pay decisions. The mean willingness to pay of households in open-ended and double-bounded methods was 4157 Ethiopian birr and 5147 Ethiopian Birr (ETB), respectively. In general, the result of the study revealed that farmers were more willing to adopt metal silo cereal storage technology due to its high-storage quality. Therefore, as a part of the recommendations, there should be great integration among farmers, metal manufacturing factories, local and regional governments to supply and offer metal silos technology for farmers at a reasonable price and time. Moreover, training should be arranged on how to use the metal silo technology to prevent post-harvesting loss during the storage time.

Nowadays, a combination of natural and man-made factors has led to a decline in the physical and chemical quality of the soil. In Ethiopia, declining soil fertility and quality that lead to low agricultural production are made worse by soil erosion and nutrient depletion. Adoption and implementation of integrated soil fertility management strategies have emerged as inevitabilities in terms of development in Ethiopia generally and in the Tana sub-basin of northwest Ethiopia specifically. This study was created to evaluate the Megech watershed's integrated smallholder soil fertility management methods' adoption factors, status, and scope. A total of 380 individual farmers were surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire to gather primary data. Descriptive statistics and econometric estimating methods were combined in the study. The findings supported the use of inorganic fertilizer, tree planting, organic fertilizer, stone bunds, and soil bunds by households as the primary methods for managing soil fertility. The outcomes of the econometric model also show that households' adoption decisions for integrated soil fertility management practices are highly interdependent. Additionally, there were similar underlying factors that affected the status and intensity of implementing integrated soil fertility management practices. The research concluded that effective soil management policies and programs should be designed, and implemented by smallholder farmers, agricultural experts, research centers, and governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve the quality of soil for sustainable food production. Moreover, raising the affordability of financial services and strengthening smallholder farmers' access to education help to increase their income, which in turn encourages the use of integrated soil fertility management practices.

Low maize yield and productivity are major contributors to Ethiopia’s severe food insecurity and poverty. Generous efforts have been made by various stakeholders such as producers, and governmental and non-governmental organizations, to increase the country’s maize yield and productivity. However, the outcome is not as expected to achieve food security and poverty reduction. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing the speed of adoption of the improved maize (BH-540) variety in the Central Gondar zone. A three-stage sampling method was used to select a total of 385 smallholder farmers. Moreover, a negative binomial regression was used to determine factors influencing the speed of adopting the improved maize (BH-540) variety. The negative binomial regression model revealed that the age of the household head, farm size, and membership of the cooperative were statistically significant and positively affected the speed of adopting the improved maize (BH-540) variety, whereas distance to the nearest market and access to credit were statistically significant and inversely affected the speed of adopting the improved maize (BH-540) variety. Therefore, this study suggests that the native administration ought to organize skill division and provide short-range keeping fit packages to input suppliers, producers, traders, and development agents in each district. Moreover, supporting and strengthening the current agricultural cooperatives is advisable to strengthen farmer-to-farmer skill allotment by providing mindfulness conception, benefits, and numerous infrastructures. Furthermore, the trade and market development department should be designed to establish improved seed market institutions in each district.

Abstract Ethiopia is one of the east African countries which produce and exports various spices to other countries. Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is an important stiff annual flowering plant which mainly grows by producers for its seeds. An increasing demand of black cumin seed and oil in local, national and international market for medicinal, consumption and commercial purpose makes the best alternative crop for small holder farmers in Ethiopia. In spite of its importance, not much has been done to improve its production and productivity in Ethiopia. Therefore, this research was designed to examining efficiency variations and factors influencing technical inefficiency levels of producers on black cumin production in northwest Ethiopia. Primary data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered on 188 black cumin producers selected using systematic random sampling technique. Moreover, various data analysis methods such as descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier model were used for analyzing the data. The empirical result obtained by applying maximum likelihood estimate of stochastic frontier model revealed that seed (p

Abstract Background Ethiopia is the homeland of various crops due to its diverse and suitable agro-ecological zones. As a result, smallholder farmers grow multiple crops on a small piece of land both for consumption and commercial purposes in different portions of Ethiopia, including the northwestern part of the country. However, crop diversification status and extent of farmers were not well understood. Therefore, this study examined determinants of crop diversification in a pepper-dominated smallholder farming system in northwest Ethiopia. Methods Primary data was collected through a semi-structured interview schedule administered on 385 crop producers selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Moreover, the survey was supplemented by using secondary data, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Methods such as the descriptive, inferential statistics, and econometrics model were used for analyzing the data. Results The average crop diversification index was 0.77, and most smallholder farmers (92.46%) used crop diversification as a strategy for risk reduction, nutritional improvement, consumption, and commercial needs. Moreover, the Tobit model result revealed that the status and intensity of crop diversification were significantly influenced by farmland, sex, age, land fragmentation, distance to development center, market distance, and non-/off-farm income participation. Conclusion Generally, most farm households used crop diversification as a norm and best strategy for minimizing risk, income source, nutritional and livelihood improvement. Therefore, crop producers, agricultural experts, the Ethiopian government, and partner organizations should give special attention to extension service, market, and infrastructure development to enhance the role of agricultural diversification for households.

Abstract In Ethiopia, teff is an important cereal crop, particularly in Dera district. It is a source of food and provides cash income for majority of smallholder farmers. To commercialize teff producers, selecting an appropriate market channel is mandatory. However, selecting an appropriate market channel is not an easy task because there are different factors that influence market outlet choices. Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors that influence teff market outlet choices. A two-stage random sampling procedure was used and a total of 154 smallholder farmers were randomly and proportionally selected to collect primary data. Multivariate probit model was employed to identify factors affecting teff market outlet choices. The result of the study shows that the probability of teff producers to choose wholesaler, retailer, consumer and cooperative market outlets was 31.82%, 35.71%, 37.01% and 16.88%, respectively. This shows that consumer was the most likely chosen market outlet while cooperative was the less likely chosen market outlet. The joint probability of farmers to choose the four market outlets is (0.1%) lower than the likely of no choosing four market outlets (19.5%). The result of multivariate probit model revealed that age of household head, land size, quantity of teff produced, lagged price of teff, family size (AE), membership of cooperatives and distance to the nearest market were found to be statistically and significantly affecting the market outlet choice behavior of teff producers. This implies that improving the production capacity of farmers and invests on rural cooperatives would help smallholder farmers to choose the rewarding market outlet. Therefore, the study suggested that improving the existing production system, farmers relying on intensive cultivation; giving better price for farmers and being membership of cooperative are important strategies to select the appropriate market channel.

Abstract Indtroduction Currently, Ethiopia is following an agricultural development-led industrialization strategy with a major goal of helping agriculture grow so that it can encourage growth in other sectors of the country’s economy. However, it is characterized by low productivity due to technical and socioeconomic factors. To improve this problem, integration of modern technologies with improved level of efficiency becomes more crucial. Therefore, this study tries to fill the gap by investigating efficiency variations and factors affecting technical efficiency of red pepper production in North Gondar zone Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. Methods By using multistage sampling, cross-sectional data were collected from 385 systematically selected households. Stochastic frontier Cobb–Douglas production was estimated. Result and conclusion The results of the analysis revealed that a mean technical efficiency of red pepper was 78.80% (ranging from 16 to 94.9%). This implies that red pepper producers can reduce current level of input application by 21.2% given the existing technology level. The estimated stochastic production frontier (SPF) model also indicates that land, seed, chemical, oxen and labor are significant determinants of red pepper production level. The estimated SPF model together with the inefficiency parameters shows that age, education status, land size, land fragmentation, extension service, credit access and market information were found to statistically and significantly affect the level of TE of red pepper farmers in the study area. Hence, emphasis should be given to improve the efficiency level of those less efficient farmers by adopting the practices of relatively efficient farmers in the area so that they can be able to operate at the frontier. Specifically the concerned body should provide adult and vocational education for the farmers and create opportunities for farmers with lower technical efficiency to have experience and best practices sharing with those that scored efficiency scores close to one.

Abstract Background Selecting the appropriate channels to deliver farm products is not an easy task because there are various factors that affect producers to select such relevant channels. Hence, the study was aimed to investigate the factors that influence market channel choices among wheat producers in Northwestern Ethiopia. Methods Using multistage sampling technique, 163 smallholder wheat producers were selected to collect primary data through semi-structures questionnaires. Combinations of data analysis methods such as descriptive statistics and econometrics model (multivariate probit model) were used. Result and conclusion The study identified four major wheat market channel choices such as retailers, assemblers, consumers and wholesalers as alternatives to wheat producers to sell majority of their products. Thus, retailers who accounted for 40.49% of total sold, assemblers (39.2%), consumers (37.5%) and wholesalers (23.93%). The results of a multivariate probit model indicated that age of household, education status, credit access; livestock number, off-farm income and total land-holding size of farmers significantly affected the market channel choice decisions in one or another way. Therefore, strengthening institutions to deliver timely and appropriate credit service and training to a farmer is among the major recommendations from this study.