Determinants of Cereal Crops Productivity of Rural Ethiopia: A Case Study of Rural Smallholder Farmers of Kecha Birra Woreda in Kambata Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted in Kecha Birra district, Kambata Zone, Southern Nation, Nationality and People Region (SNNR) toassess the determinants of cereal crop productivity in Kecha Birra Woreda. Agriculture plays prominent role in the process of economic development for a country; without achieving substantial increase in agricultural production, no country has moved to take off stage of economic development. 22 cereal crop producing kebeles among the5 cereal crop producing kebeles were selected and a total of 333 selected households were interviewed to generate primary data. Descriptive statistics and OLS regression model were employed to determine factors that influence the cereal crop productivity of farmers. A sum of eleven independent variables for the OLS regression model was used, out of which seven variables were found to significantly influence the cereal crop productivity of farmers. These are: education level household head, access credit service, access to extension service, family size of household head, use of fertilizer, use recommended agricultural inputs and improved seed. The study recommends that any effort in promoting improved cereal crop productivity should consider the social, economic, institutional and psychological characteristics for better enhancing improved cereal crop productivity.

Keywords: Cereal Crop, Kecha Birra Woreda, OLS regression model, Productivity, Ethiopia

DOI: 10.7176/JPID/52-04

Publication date: January 31^st 2020