FACTORS AFFECTING SMALL HOLDER FARMER’S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY THE CASE OF MANCHO WOREDA JIMMA ZONE OROMIA REGION ETHIOPIA

Abstract

As a crucial and as a base of Ethiopian economy, from the beginning, agriculture is for feeding themselves and faced different extreme challenges. Depending on this conception, this study considered factors affecting small holders’ farmer’s agricultural production and productivity. Mixed approach, supplemented by interview and FGD was collected through semi-structured questionnaire administered on 284 randomly selected smallholder farmers. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data. Results of the study showed that, majority of the respondents were male-headed and who can tell enough information about the issue like using of chemical fertilizer, HYV, row spacing practice, whether they visited by EWs non-visited. Results through those all shows , agricultural production and productivity was found which was determined significantly by age, family size, land size, plot distance, plot characteristics, unwisely using of fertilizer, lack of row spacing, crop rotation and intercropping, lack of enough extension support, transportation problem and other activities affected small holder farmers agricultural production and productivity. Their probability of participation was significantly determined by gender, age, education, family size, and other activities which affect participation small holder farmers on farming activities. TransportationAs general, agricultural production and productivity of respondent’s affected by socio economic factors, natural factors and by others. It is therefore, recommended that, well arranged agreement to show productivity of HYV need to be facilitated, fertilizer should be employed depending on the HHs plot characteristics and which consider type of soil informed, awareness to farmers from EWs from time to time as needed must be employedTransportation facilities should be employed