Risk Management Strategies and Pesticides Use in Vegetable Production: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Kombolcha Woreda, East Hararge Zone, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Vegetables have a special place in farming system because of the intensive nature of the crops. Kombolcha Woreda/district is one of the major vegetable producing areas in East Hararghe. So far, however, vegetable production risk management strategies in the Woreda have not been very well studied and documented. Therefore, in this study, the possible risk management strategies were analyzed based on data collected from 130 sample households. Use of pesticides, enterprise diversification, income diversification, sequential marketing and irrigation were found to be the most common strategies. Factors determining to use pesticides in managing vegetable production risks were analysed using double hurdle model. The first hurdle results (probit model regression) indicate that vegetable production experience, farm income, livestock size, non/off-farm income, and access to information are found to be factors affecting the decision to use pesticides while the second hurdle results (truncated regression) show that variables landholding, livestock size, non/off farm income and access to information are found to be determining the proportion of vegetable farm treated by pesticides. Experience sharing and discussion, creation of non/off farm work, means of enhancing farm income and access to information should be strengthened to facilitate the use pesticides.

Key words: risk management, vegetables, double hurdle model