Determinants of Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptation Methods to Agro-biodiversity Loss: The Case of Assosa Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Agro-biodiversity loss is a serious problem in affecting to agricultural productivity. The dependence of agricultural production on natural environment has adversely affects the availability of agro-biodiversity and household food security. The objective of this study was to determine smallholder farmers’ adaptation methods to the agro-biodiversity loss in the selected sample Woredas of Assosa zone, Benishangul Gumuz regional state, Ethiopia. Two stage sampling procedure was used to collect data from 397 sample households through cross-sectional survey in the production year of 2016 and was analyzed using both descriptive statistics and econometric methods. In the study area dangerous weeds (local language Akenchira), traditional burning of trees and grass, over grazing of land, use of poor and traditional agricultural practices are the major causes for agro-biodiversity loss. The probit estimation analysis revealed that family size, farm income, pilot size, soil quality, agricultural extension service, settler farmers and access to awareness on weather condition are the main significant determinant factors on farmers’ choice to undertake adaptation method to agro-biodiversity loss in the study area. Moreover, Multivariate probit model revealed that age of the household head, education level of the household head, soil qualities, tropical livestock units, off farm income, distance to the farm and distance to the market are statically significant factors on affecting to the choice of the adaptation strategies to agro-biodiversity loss in the study area. Therefore, policies should  designed and aimed at improving farm-level adaptation need to emphasize on the crucial role of providing information on better production agricultural technologies and enhancing farmers’ awareness on loss of agro-biodiversity and enable farmers to respond agro-biodiversity loss.

Keywords: Agro-biodiversity loss, adaptation, probit, multivariate, Assosa Zone