Abstract: Irrigation is one means by which agricultural production can be increased to meet the growing food demand in Ethiopia. Small-scale irrigation has been identified as an excellent way to augment rain-fed agriculture while also assuring food security, particularly in places with limited rainfall. Small-scale irrigation is a policy priority in Ethiopia for rural poverty alleviation and growth, as well as climate adaptation. This study was intended to evaluate the impact of small-scale ...
Abstract: Government policy strategies, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), are aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, which could lead to improved household food security and increased farm income. In Ethiopia, the situation is similar. Hence, understanding smallholder farmers' low and variable crop yields has been a central research and policy priority in addressing food security. This study, therefore, aims at assessing adoption and impact of improved maize varieties on maiz...
Abstract: Smallholder rural farm households face an increasing need of looking for alternative income sources to secure their livelihoods and supplement their agricultural activities. But Agriculture in study area is at subsistence stage, complex, diverse and risk prone. In Haramaya district income diversification is influenced by various factors. Thus, the aim of the study was to identify level and status of income diversification and factors responsible for participation of income diversif...
Abstract: Irrigation increases productivity by reducing crop failure associated with erratic rainfed agriculture and ensuring smallholder farmers income through improving their production. This study was conducted to identify factors affecting participation decision on small-scale irrigation practices and to estimate the impact of small-scale irrigation on smallholder farm income. Primary data were obtained directly through interview, Focus Group Discussion and key informant interview. Vario...
Abstract: In Ethiopia, chicken production is an important and integral part of most households in rural, urban and peri-urban areas. Even if Ethiopia owned huge chicken population with diversified chicken ecotypes, their production potential is limited because of poor management practices. The objective of this study was to assess the husbandry practices, productivity and evaluate the egg quality traits of local and Sasso chickens reared in two agro ecologies of Daro Lebu district, west Hara...
Abstract: two pot and one field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 to determine mineral nutrition of parthenium compost and fresh residue by different composting techniques and application methods in combination with NP fertilizers. The experiment on effect of parthenium compost types and NP fertilizer on growth, yield attributes and yield of barley comprised three types of parthenium composts [normal, effective microorganism (EM) enriched and vermicompost] each at 2.5 and 5.0 t ha-...
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted on farmer’s field during 2016 cropping season at Fedis Eastern Ethiopia. The experiment was aimed at assessing the effect of forage legumes population densities intercropped with sorghum on forage yield and to evaluate the effect of forage legumes intercropped with sorghum on yield components and yield of sorghum. Sorghum variety, ‘Teshale’ at its recommended population rate of 66,666.6667 plants/ha and two forage legumes (cowpea and lablab) w...
Abstract: Low soil fertility is one of the production constraints of common bean in the study area. Hence, a field experiment was conducted in Adola sub-site of Bore Agricultural Research Centre during the 2016 main cropping season to assess the effect of blended NPS rates on the yield and yield components of common bean varieties and to identify economically feasible rates of blended NPS that increase the productivity of the common bean varieties. The factors studied were six rates of blend...
Abstract: Small scale irrigation is highly expected to play a major role in the realization of Ethiopian food security and poverty alleviation strategy. This study was intended to estimate the impacts of small-scale irrigation scheme on drought prone smallholder farmers’ household income and to identify the determinants of participation decision in small scale irrigation scheme in Dire Dawa Administration. A cross-sectional data obtained using a sample of 190 respondents selected through m...
Abstract: Optimum rate of phosphorus fertilization and use of adaptable variety are important factors in increasing grain yield. Thus, study on the response of wheat varieties to phosphorus fertilizer rates was conducted in 2015 main cropping season at two locations in Shashemene district of Oromia, Ethiopia. The objective was to determine the economically feasible rate of P fertilizer and to assess the effect of P on yield components and yield of wheat varieties. The treatments were three b...
Abstract: Ethiopia has huge potential and comparative advantage in livestock production, dairy farming is believed to be one of the potential sectors to curb food insecurity and improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers and the society at large. However, this sector is characterized by small scale and traditional production systems, poor marketing linkages, and product handling. This study was instigated to assess the determinants of smallholder farmer’s participation decisions and the...
Abstract: Agricultural cooperatives are one of the most important tools that lead to the enhancement of livelihoods through the provision of credit services, market access, and improve agricultural technologies. Despite the benefit, level of cooperative membership is still very low. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to identify factors influencing the decision to join primary coffee cooperatives and to evaluate the impact of primary coffee cooperatives on smallholder farmers coffee...
Abstract: The production of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) has been increasing in Ethiopia because of its high nutritive value for food and feed. Nevertheless, the yield is extremely low. One of the agronomic practices to increase its productivity is use of optimum plant density. However, there has been no recommended plant spacing regardless of variety and agro-climatic conditions. In view of this, a field experiment was conducted at Sirinka Agricultural research center, northern Ethiopia, d...
Abstract: The study was designed to generate empirical evidences on the value chain of major spices in Sheka and Kafa zones, Southwestern Ethiopia. The core objectives of the study were to map the value chain, quantify the value addition and marketing margins among actors and analyze factors affecting marketed surplus, market outlet choices, farm level value addition and export performances of the two major spices. Both cross-sectional and panel data were used. Cross-sectional data were obta...
Abstract: Despite high livestock population and existing favorable environmental conditions, the current livestock output of Ethiopia is little. The availability of feed resources and the nutritional quality of the available feeds are the most important factors that determine the productivity of livestock.. Adopting improved forages is necessary to alleviate the often said problem nutritionally rich feed shortage. The seed of these improved forages should be available to farmers at reasonabl...