Factors Influencing Application of Fertilizer by Smallholder Farmers of Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

It has been said that Ethiopia’s agriculture, a mainstay of the economy of the country, is dominated by smallholder farmers and the productivity of the sector is low.  Low level of productivity due to low level of use of improved technologies is among the most frequently mentioned major causes of the country's food insecurity problem. In order to meet the food requirements of the growing population, food grains and other agricultural products have to be increased through widespread and intensified use of improved technologies enhancing agricultural productivity. Hence; the major focus of this study was to examine socioeconomic factors influencing use of chemical fertilizer by smallholder farmers in the study area. Tobit model was used to analyze factors influencing use of fertilizer econometrically. A total of twelve explanatory variables were included in the model. From the result of the analysis six variables (family size, sex of household head, distance from market, perception of household about cost of fertilizer, access to credit facility and total land size) were found to be the significant factor affecting the use of fertilizer by smallholder farmers. Implication of results of this study is that any development intervention through improved agricultural technologies should consider the aforementioned socioeconomic characteristics and determinants of adoption for success.

Keywords: Fertilizer, Adwa, Smallholder farmers, Topit model