DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF IMPROVED WHEAT VARIETIES

118 PAGES (21015 WORDS) Agricultural Economics Thesis
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ABSTRACT
The  study  investigates  the  determinants  of  adoption  of  improved  wheat  varieties  in  Robe  and
Digelu Tijo Districts in Oromiya region. The objectives of this study were to assess factors that
affect the adoption and intensity of use of improved wheat varieties production in Arsi zone with
specific reference to Robe and Digelu Tijo districts. Three kebeles were randomly selected from
each district and primary data were collected from 150 selected wheat producing farmers through
a structured questionnaire. SPSS20 was used to analyze mean, St.Dv, chi-square test, t-test and
ANOVA.  STATA12 was used to estimate Tobit and D-H models. To identify the model that best
identifies the determinants of adoption and level of adoption of improved wheat varieties, a model
specification test was carried out using LR test. The LR result preferred the D-H model. The results
of the D-H model provided empirical evidence of a positive impact of sex of household head, field
day participation, access to all weather roads, and district in enhancing the adoption of improved
wheat varieties. With regard to the intensity of use of improved wheat varieties, sex of household
heads and access to all weather roads had a significantly negative impact on intensity of use of
improved wheat varieties while access to credit, active family force, market distance and district
had a positive impact on intensity of use of improved wheat varieties. The overall findings of the
study  emphasized  sex  of  household  head,  field  day  participation,  access  to  all  weather  roads,
access to credit, active family force, district and market distance. Hence, development intervention
should  give  emphasis  to  these  variables  in  order  to  increase  the  probability  of  adoption  and
intensity of use of improved wheat varieties.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR ............................................................................................ iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ vi
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ x
LIST OF FIGURE ....................................................................................................................... xi
LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................................................ xii
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ xiii
 
1  INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1
1.1.  Background and Justification .......................................................................................... 1
1.2.  Statement of the problem ................................................................................................ 2
1.3.  Objectives of the Study ................................................................................................... 3
1.4.  Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 4
1.5.  Significance of the study ................................................................................................. 4
1.6.  Scope and limitations of the study .................................................................................. 5

2  LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................... 5
2.1  Theoretical concepts of Adoption ............................................................................... 5
2.2  Theoretical background .............................................................................................. 7
2.3  Adoption Models ........................................................................................................ 9
2.4  Empirical Studies on Technology Adoption ............................................................. 11
2.5  Adoption Studies in Ethiopia .................................................................................... 15

3  RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................... 18
3.1  Descriptions of the Study Areas ................................................................................ 18
3.1.1.  Location .................................................................................................................... 18
3.1.2.  Climate and Soil condition ....................................................................................... 19
3.1.3.  Population of the study area ...................................................................................... 19
3.1.4.  Farming System ........................................................................................................ 20
3.1.5.  Crop production patterns .......................................................................................... 20
3.2  Sampling procedure ...................................................................................................... 21
3.2.1  Methods of Data Collection .......................................................................................... 22
3.2.2  Methods of Data Analysis ............................................................................................. 23
3.2.2.1 Descriptive statistics ................................................................................................. 23
3.2.2.2 The Tobit model ........................................................................................................ 23
3.2.2.3 The Double-hurdle model ......................................................................................... 25
3.2.3  Definition of variables and working hypotheses .......................................................... 27

4  RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................... 33
4.1  Descriptive Statistics ................................................................................................... 33
4.1.2  Sex of household head .............................................................................................. 35
4.1.3  Educational levels of the household heads ............................................................... 36
4.1.4  Participation in off/ non-farm activities .................................................................... 36
4.1.5  Soil fertility status ..................................................................................................... 38
4.1.6  Extension services ..................................................................................................... 38
4.1.7  Field day participation .............................................................................................. 40
4.1.8  Credit Access ............................................................................................................ 40
4.1.9  Access to Media (Radio, Television and phone) ...................................................... 41
4.1.10  Household size .......................................................................................................... 43
4.1.11  Age of the household head ........................................................................................ 43
4.1.12  Livestock ownership ................................................................................................. 44
4.1.13  Oxen ownership ........................................................................................................ 45
4.1.14  Land holdings ........................................................................................................... 45
4.1.15  Farm income ............................................................................................................. 46
4.1.16  Market distance ......................................................................................................... 47
4.1.17  Major marketing constraints in wheat crop .............................................................. 47
4.1.18  Levels of wheat crop commercialization .................................................................. 48
4.2  Econometric Results ................................................................................................... 50
4.2.1  Model specification ................................................................................................... 51
4.2.2   Results and Discussion .............................................................................................. 52
4.2.3  Determinants of improved wheat varieties adoption ........................................... 54
4.2.3.1 Sex of the household head ........................................................................................ 56
4.2.3.2 Participation in field day ........................................................................................... 56
4.2.3.3 Access to all weather roads ....................................................................................... 56
4.2.3.4 District ...................................................................................................................... 57
4.2.4  Determinants of intensity of use improved wheat varieties ................................ 57
4.2.4.1 Sex of the household head ........................................................................................ 57
4.2.4.2 Credit access ............................................................................................................. 58
4.2.4.3 Access to all weather roads ....................................................................................... 58
4.2.4.4 District ...................................................................................................................... 58
4.2.4.5 Active family force ................................................................................................... 59
4.2.4.6 Market distance ......................................................................................................... 59

5  SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................... 60
5..1  SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. 60
5..2  CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................... 61
5..3  RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................... 63
6  REFERENCES: .................................................................................................................. 65
7  APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... 74 
Questionnaire
8  BIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 104

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