DETERMINANTS OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ PARTICIPATION DECISION IN TEFF PRODUCTION: EVIDENCE FROM HORO AND JIMMA GENETI WOREDA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract This study investigates the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ participation decision in teff production in the Horo and Jima Geneti districts of Oromia State, Ethiopia. The major primary sources of data for the study were farm household surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study revealed that the annual average teff production of respondents was found to be below the standard annual requirement recommended by the national agricultural bureau. Although the study areas have potential land and are among the few areas which are agro-ecologically suitable for teff production and productivity in the country, smallholder farmers are not participating actively in its production (constrained by a number of factors). This study assesses factors determining smallholders’ participation in teff production in Horo and Jima Geneti, Horo Guduru Wollega zone, Ethiopia. Using structured questionnaires, the data was collected from a random sample of 320 smallholder farmers and analyzed by using a Probit regression analysis. Of the total sample respondents (320) 237 households are male headed (74.06%) while 83 (25.94%) are female headed. The study found that of the total participants 220 (80%) are males while the rest 20% are females. Similarly 100(68%) of the non participants are females while 53 (32%) are males. The result reveals that more male headed households participate in teff production than female headed ones. This study assesses factors determining smallholders’ participation in teff production in Horo and Jima Geneti districts, Ethiopia. Probit Model econometric estimation procedure was employed to analyze the effects of different explanatory variables on farmers’ participation decision in teff production. With regard to the probit model results, ten variables hypothesized to affect Farmers’ participation were included. The results of the probit model revealed that the coefficients of 5 variables were found to be significantly creating variation on the probability of farmers’ production participation. The variables that turned out to be significant include: age of the household head, fertility of farm land, number of Oxen owned by the household, family labour and the distance of the households’ residence from extension service. The implication is that production potential due to favorable agro-ecological condition is necessary but not sufficient for smallholder farmers to participation in teff production. Indicating household specific and institutional factors also influence their decision. The probit model result showed that age of the household head (p<0.016), possession of oxen (p<0.000), fertility status of land(p=0.004), family labour(p=0.024), distance from extension service (p=0.001), were determinant variables. Smallholder farmers’ decision to participate was affected by these factors. According to this finding both smallholder farmers and the local development agents should give attention to those significant variables with care and design a better production strategy focusing on effective supervision, training and approval of appropriate credit institution site so as to enhance the farmers’ participation in teff production thereby raise productivity of agricultural sector.