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Title THE IMPACT OF IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY ON CROP PRODUCTIVITY: A CASE STUDY IN BASONA WORANA WEREDA, NORTH SHEWA, AMHARA REGION
Full text http://etd.aau.edu.et/dspace/handle/123456789/3883
Date 2000
Author(s) DEJENE, MINLIKU
Contributor(s) Dr. Mulat Demeke
Abstract This paper tries to examine the impact of improved technology on farm productivity and income of farm households. Further, yield and income difference between adopters and non-adopters resulting from the level of technology adoption. Theoretical and empirical findings suggested that crop yields particularly that of wheat whose proven technology (improved seed varieties) are available showed marked productivity. Technology adoption by far increased the income offarmers that use commercial fertilizer both with local and improved seed. The reason for technology adoption is that yield could not be increased to satisfy the present food requirements of the population, given the decline in soil fertility and poor agronomic practices. Agricultural productivity in the Ethiopian context suffered from low input application, deterioration in the soil nutrients, inappropriate agricultural policies, recurrent drought, etc. All these factors adversely affect food production and productivity and thus have made the country to heavily depend on food imports and food aid. Although the past package programs prove the possibility of increasing yield, its coverage and the purpose to which it served had never changed the life of the rural poor in particular and the overall the sector's performance, at large. That is to say, those package programs prior to the early 1990 's served only the small portion of the rich farmers. In understanding of the problem, the present government put into effect the new extension program known as the PADETES with the objective of increasing farm productivity of the mass of the small farmers through widespread application of improved technologies and farmers' participation in the process of planning and implementing in the choice and adoption of available technologies. Since its implementation reports showed that it was possible to increase farmers' yield by more than two-fold. Having examining the hitherto theoretical and empirical findings, this paper tried to link its results with these facts. The results of this study from the sample of 175 households in Basona Worana woreda of Amhara North Shewa showed that farmers with better land, farm oxen, educational status, etc are adopters of improved technology. All adopters were found better both in yield and income levels than non adopters. Wheat and barely yields showed significant productivity improvement. Further, it is tried to show farm income differential between adopters and non adopters through employing financial analysis method. It is important to note that problems related to the input and credit market, poor extension and research links, and institutional problems, among others arrested the level of technology adoption and hence the increase in farm productivity. Therefore, it is essential to mitigate albeit solve these problems so as to attain the objective of food self-sufficiency and food security at the national or household levels.
Subject(s) IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY; CROP PRODUCTIVITY
Language en_US
Publisher AAU
Type of publication Thesis
Repository Addis Ababa - University of Addis Ababa
Added to C-A: 2014-01-13;19:28:21