ADOPTION OF IMPROVED TURMERIC VARIETY BY SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN YEKI DISTRICT, SHEKA ZONE,SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

The significance of spice technology in enhancing production and productivity can be realized when yield increasing technologies are extensively used and diffused.This research addresses the case of improved turmeric variety that has been intensively promoted in major producing area to enhance the level and degree of technology use among smallholder farmers.Hence,in this study, an attempt was made to examine factors affecting adoption and intensityof use of improved turmeric variety in Yeki District, Sheka Zone of Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. Primary data were collected from a randomly selected 135 sample households in the district, whereas secondary data were collected from different organizations and published sources. Descriptive statistical tools like mean, standard deviation, percentage, and frequency distribution were used to summarize the farmers socio-economic, institutional and other characteristics of the sampled households. Double-hurdle model was used to identify factors influencing households’ adoption decision and intensity of use of improved turmeric variety. Results of the double-hurdle model analysis showed that in the first hurdle,educational level of household head, improved seed utilization, land holding, utilization of creditand frequency of extension contact played positive and significant role in households’ decision to adopt improved turmeric variety, whereas distance to the nearest market negatively affect the probability of adoption.In the second hurdle; livestock herd,frequency of extension contact and land holding have positive and significant role in the intensity of adoption. Land holdingwasfound to be important factors that influence both adoption and intensity of use of improved turmeric variety. Therefore, this result implies that strengthening the existing extension services, providing good transport facilities for farmers through construction of rural roads and improving the existing one,improvingutilization of improved seeds, improving farmers’ level of education,improving crop-livestock production systemand provision of demonstrations of new technologies are areas that need policy xiv attentions to enhance adoption and intensity of use of improved turmeric variety in the study area.