Factors Affecting Adoption of Soybean Production Technologies in Ethiopia

Abstract

Adoption of improved technologies is seen as a key driver to increase agricultural production and productivity in Ethiopia. However, farmers are still using lower than the recommended rates and yet there are a lot of farmers who are not using soybean production technologies at all. In this study, we analyze the factors affecting adoption and intensity of soybean production technologies adoption using a survey data collected from 188 randomly selected smallholder farmers in Tiro Afeta District, Ethiopia. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; econometric models and Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance (W) analysis were employed to analyze the data. The result from Heckman two step model indicated that education level of household, total livestock holding, improved seed availability, frequency of extension contact, credit use and farm income were positively and significantly influenced where as market distance negatively and significantly affected adoption of soybean production technologies. Also the, result indicated that age, land holding size, and farm income determine the intensity of soybean technologies adoption positively and significantly whereas distance from market affect negatively and significantly. Based on the findings of this study it can be concluded that policy and development interventions should give emphasis towards improvement of such economical and institutional support system so as to achieve wider adoption of soybean production technologies, to increase production and productivity as well as to ensure food security.

Keywords: Adoption, Intensity, Soybean, Technology

DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/96-02

Publication date: April 30^th 2020