DETERMINANTS AND INTENSITY OF ADOPTION OF TEFF ROW PLANTING IN MINJAR SHENKORA WOREDA

Abstract

Teff yield is low in Ethiopia. Adoption of teff row planting is one of the farming practices believed to enhance teff yield in the country. However, there are several household, socio-economic, institutional and socio-pychological factors that limit adoption of teff row planting. This study deals with magnitude and determinants of adoption of teff row planting in Minjar shenkora woreda, Amhara region. A total of 115 farmers were selected with random sampling technique and interviewed in the study area to generate primary data for the study. Focus group discussion was used to generate qualitative data. Logit model for determinants of adoption of teff row planting and Tobit model for intensity of adoption of teff row planting were employed. Out of a total of 15 explanatory variables estimated using the logit model 6 variables were found to be significant to affect the adoption of teff row planting.The tobit model estimated that 7 variables were significant to affect the intesnity/magnitude of adoption of teff row planting. Age of the household, farmers experience, total annual income, access to credit, training and perception are those variables that positively and significantly influenced the likelihood of adoption of teff row planting among farmers. Whereas, education level, farming experience, training, access to technology input supply and perception towards row planting positively and significantly influenced the intensity of adoption of teff row planting. On the other hand, while landholding size negatively affected the intensity of adoption of teff row planting, age of household head and land holding size negatively and significantly influenced adoption of teff row planting. The findings of this study indicated that any effort in improving the adopting of teff row planting technology should recognize the correlates of adoption of teff row planting. Providing education, sufficient training and extension services to farmers, and improving access of farmers to credit and technology input supply, will improve the tendency of farmers to adopt teff row planting technology.