DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF TEFF ROW PLANTING PRACTICE: THE CASE OF BASO LIBEN WOREDA, EAST GOJJAM ZONE, AMHARA REGION, ETHOPIA.

Abstract

Teff is the well-known and widely consumed grain in Ethiopia for thousands of years. Its importance is beyond staple food to the people of the country, it is strongly tied with the socio- cultural settings of the country. However, the national average yield of Teff is very low. In recent years, farmers started row sowing method for wheat, maize, barley and sorghum. Application of teff row planting method in Teff production is a vital means for Teff productivity improvement. However, most farmers in the area still use broadcasting method of sowing in Teff production. The factors that affect adoption of row planting method in teff production in the area is not studies and documented. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to assess the status of adoption of Teff row planting technique and its determinants as well as to assess the yield difference between row planting and broadcasting practice on Teff grain production. Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used and data were collected from 147 households at Basoliben District from January 18 to February 15, 2018. Three kebeles in the district namely Yelemelemem, Yeduge and Yegelawu were selected purposively. Structured interview schedule, key informant interview, and FGD were used to collect the data. The data were checked for completeness, coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Descriptive and inferential statistical technique such as X2 and t-test were also used. Moreover, binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinants of adoption of Teff row planting practice. The result reveals that 53.1 percent of the respondents adopt row planting method in the production of Teff in the study area. Educational status of the household head, land size, number of livestock owned in tropical livestock unit and household labor, participation in training, membership in local leadership and cooperative, were found to have positive and significant effect on the adoption of row planting method in Teff production at 1% and 5% significance level respectively. The study also revealed that there was a significant yield difference between adopters and non-adopters of teff row planting method. Therefore, the Woreda Office of Agriculture in collaboration with other stakeholders must work intensively to improve adoption of Teff Row Planting method by the farmers in the study area.