eng
Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics
1336-9261
2016-11-18
19
2
3
9
10.15414/raae.2016.19.02.03-09
679-1
article
ASSESSING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS FROM A SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE: SOME FINDINGS FROM AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF AFRICA
Kalu Ukpai IFEGWU
The paper assessed agricultural production systems from a sustainability perspective defined in terms of relatively homogeneous agro-ecological zones of Africa, using the framework of a production function. Data used were drawn from FAOSTAT, the National Centre for Atmospheric Research and World Bank Indicators respectively for the period 1961-2009. The data were separated into three sub periods, namely: entire period (1961-2009), the pre-Structural Adjustment Period (SAP) reform period (1961-1985) and the post SAP reform period (1986-2009). This was necessitated by the need to examine whether production systems may have been shifted out of the overall trajectory of system evolution by shocks e.g. policy (SAP) among others. To investigate whether there has been a degradation of the quality of the natural resource base across the diverse agro-ecological zones; the estimated TFP trends were related to changes in selected resource quality variables over time. The results showed that the Northern and Southern agro-ecological zones had non-negative trends in TFP, indicating sustainability of production systems. However, the result indicated that the policy instrument (structural adjustment programme) may have shifted farming or production systems out of the overall trajectory of system evolution in three out of the five agro-ecological zones studied which showed negative TFP trends. A degradation of resource quality over time was noted during the pre-SAP reform period, but was maintained during the post-SAP period.
https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RAAE_2_2016_Ifegwu.pdf
Agricultural Production Systems
Sustainability
Agro-Ecological Zones
Africa
eng
Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics
1336-9261
2016-11-18
19
2
10
18
10.15414/raae.2016.19.02.10-18
679-1
article
THE DAIRY VALUE CHAIN AND FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE OF MILK CHANNELS IN HARAR AND DIRE DAWA AREAS, EASTERN ETHIOPIA
Mengistu KETEMA
Mohammed AMAN
Eyassu SEIFU
Tarekegn GETACHEW
Estifanos HAWAZ
Yonas HAILU
The study was aimed at mapping the dairy value chain, assessing constraints and opportunities in the sector, and identifying factors affecting channel choices of producers in Harar and Dire Dawa milkshed areas. Data were collected from 93 producers, six collectors, seven wholesalers, seven retailers, and ten consumers. Both descriptive and econometric analysis were employed. The study revealed that the channel choices available to producers include selling to collectors, wholesalers, retailers, and directly to consumers. The multinomial model output indicated that being in rural areas, breed type, separate milking place, and supply of hay negatively determined the choice to sell to wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. In contrast, education status and milk storage duration positively determined producers’ choice not to sell to collectors. The major recommendations include provision of training, disseminating dairy technologies, encouraging value chain actors to add values; and enhancing collective actions of producers.
https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RAAE_2_2016_Ketema_et_al.pdf
Dairy value chain
Multinomial logit
Channel choice
Ethiopia
eng
Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics
1336-9261
2016-11-18
19
2
19
28
10.15414/raae.2016.19.02.19-28
679-1
article
IMPACT OF ROW-PLANTING ADOPTION ON PRODUCTIVITY OF RICE FARMING IN NORTHERN GHANA
Emmanuel DONKOR
Enoch OWUSU-SEKYERE
Victor OWUSU
Henry JORDAAN
This paper employed the endogenous switching regression and propensity score matching methods to analyse the impact of row-planting technology on rice productivity using 470 rice farms in Northern Ghana. The empirical findings showed that the adoption of row-planting technology exerted greater positive impact on rice yields of smallholder farmers. In addition, rice yields of adopters and non-adopters are driven by farm inputs, socioeconomic, institutional and technological factors. We suggest that achieving self-sufficiency in rice and rural economic transformation in sub-Saharan Africa requires promotion of agricultural technologies including row-planting. Different specific policy interventions are also required to promote rice yields for adopters and non-adopters.
https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RAAE_2_2016_Donkor_et_al.pdf
Rice productivity
row-planting technology
PSM
endogenous switching regression
eng
Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics
1336-9261
2016-11-18
19
2
29
38
10.15414/raae.2016.19.02.29-38
679-1
article
TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF PRODUCTION OF QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE BETWEEN ADOPTERS AND NON-ADOPTERS, AND THE DETERMINANTS IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA
Abiodun Elijah OBAYELU
Cocou Muriel Dorian MONCHO
Chukwunoso Christopher DIAI
This study determined the technical efficiency (TE) of production of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) and the effect on the adoption of QPM in Oyo State, Nigeria. QPM is an improved maize variety developed to reduce protein deficiency problems. A total of 100 maize farmers were sampled through a two-stage sampling procedure. Stochastic frontier approach using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) was used to analyse the TE in the production of QPM, while probit regression was used to determine the effect of TE and other socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents on the adoption of QPM. The results revealed a mean TE of 0.89 and 0.78 for adopters and non-adopters of QPM respectively. This implied that adopters of QPM are more technically efficient than the non-adopters. Quantity of seed planted and fertilizer directly and significantly affected the TE of QPM while gross margin of maize farmers and income from other sources (at P<0.05), the level of education of farmers and QPM farm size (P<0.01) have significant and a negative effects on technical inefficiency from the results of the Tobit regression. The age (P<0.05) of the farmer has direct effect on technical inefficiency. In conclusion, TE, level of output, information availability on QPM and early maturity were significant determinants of QPM rather than the gross margin of production. Farmers decide to adopt QPM technology because of the high level of technical efficiency in the production of this variety. Their output from QPM can be increased by 11 percent, while the non-adopters can increase their maize output by 22 percent using the available technology.
https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RAAE_2_2016_Obayelu_et_al.pdf
Resource-use efficiency
Stochastic Frontier Analysis
adoption
tobit regression
probit regression
eng
Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics
1336-9261
2016-11-18
19
2
39
50
10.15414/raae.2016.19.02.39-50
679-1
article
TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION BY MAIZE FARMERS IN THREE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF GHANA
Victor OWUSU
Using a farm household data from 3 agroecological zones of Ghana, this paper investigates the causal relationship between the adoption of improved maize variety and technical efficiency or productivity. The empirical results show a positive relationship between the adoption of improved maize variety and technical efficiency or productivity of farmers in the Semi-deciduous forest and Guinea Savannah zones. Generally, adopters of improved maize variety are about 6% to 8% more efficient than non-adopters. The estimated percentage increase in productivity due to the adoption of improved maize variety is about 53%. In the Semi-deciduous forest agroecological zone, adopters of improved maize variety are about 25% to 36% more efficient than non-adopters whilst in the Guinea Savannah agroecological zone, adopters of improved maize variety are about 15% to 26% more efficient than non-adopters. The estimated percentage increase in productivity due to adoption of the improved maize variety is about 8% in the Semi-deciduous forest zone and about 11% in the Guinea Savannah zone. The impact of adoption on technical efficiency in the Transitional zone is however negative. Adopters of improved maize variety are 7% to 8% less efficient than non-adopters and the estimated percentage decrease in productivity due to adoption of the improved maize variety is about 15%. Food safety net policies should pay attention to increased development and dissemination of improved crop varieties suitable to different agroecological zones.
https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RAAE_2_2016_Owusu.pdf
Food security
Ghana
Impact assessment
Technology adoption
Technical efficiency
eng
Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics
1336-9261
2016-11-18
19
2
51
60
10.15414/raae/2016.19.02.51-60
679-1
article
DETERMINANTS OF MULTIPLE GROUNDNUT TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN EASTERN ETHIOPIA
Hiwot Mekonnen MESFIN
Musa Hasen AHMED
Seltene ABADY
This research analyses factors that influence the adoption of combination of improved groundnut seed, inorganic fertilizer, and organic fertilizer in eastern Ethiopia using a cross sectional data collected from 300 sample groundnut farming households. Multivariate probit and ordered probit models are used to identify factors affecting adoption of multiple technologies. Tobit model is used to spot the determinants of intensity of adoption of improved seed. The results show a strong correlation between improved seed and inorganic fertilizer adoption, indicating the simultaneous adoption decision of farmers. Age of the household head negatively affects the adoption decision of improved seed while education, groundnut farming experience, extension contact, training and plot size are positive contributors.
https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RAAE_2_2016_Mesfin_et_al.pdf
adoption
technology mix
groundnut
Ethiopia
eng
Faculty of Economics and Management of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia
Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics
1336-9261
2016-11-18
19
2
61
68
10.15414/raae.2016.19.02.61-68
679-1
article
DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF POTATO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE BY SMALLHOLDER FARMERS: EVIDENCES FROM EASTERN ETHIOPIA
Mengistu KETEMA
Degefu KEBEDE
Nigussie DECHASSA
Feyisa HUNDESSA
Potato production plays an important role in improving household income and nutrition and thereby contributes to food security. Despite of this, the current productivity of the crop is below the potential. Low level of use of improved potato technology package is among the causes for low productivity. In this context, this study analysed the factors influencing adoption of potato technology package by smallholder farmers in Gurawa, Haramaya, Kombolcha, Meta, and Habro districts of Eastern Ethiopia. The analysis was based on a household survey conducted on 214 randomly selected potato growing households. A two-limit Tobit model was used to analyse the factors affecting adoption which is measured in an index computed from five components of the technology package. Variation in districts, access to irrigation, farm size, membership to cooperatives, and annual income of the households were found to significantly affect the adoption of potato technology package. Policy makers, planners and development practitioners are required to give due attention to these determinants in order to support smallholder farmers in production and productivity improvements from potato production.
https://roaae.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RAAE_2_2016_Ketema2_et_al.pdf
Potato technology packages
Adoption index
Two-limit Tobit model
Eastern Ethiopia