Browsing by Author "Kaleab, Dagnachew"

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    Population Pressure and Agricultural Development in Ethiopia: The Case of Arssi Region
    (Addis Ababa University, 1999-05) Kaleab, Dagnachew; G/Egziabher, Tegne (PhD)
    The main objective of this study is to examme the inter-relationship between population pressure and agricultural development in Arssi region. The basic data for the study were acquired from secondary sources. Various descriptive statistics (percentages, means, standard deviations and coefficient of variation) together with simple correlation and regressIOn methods were used to analyze the data. The fmdings of the descriptive statistics of the study unfolded that farm size wert: small and varied among weredas. In general, land holding per capita of peasant farmers is probably to decrease under the present conditions. Here, it must be emphasized at this point that there is demographic reason for the prevalence of decreasing farm size (even though there are other factors responsible). In addition, there were yearly fluctuations (ups and downs) of yields (out put/ha) overtime. Analysis of the data used in the study unfolded large spatial disparity in the levels of land and labour productivity at wereda and agro-ecological levels.The regressIOn analysis (cross-sectional data) has shown that the use of fertilizer has been the single most important variable explaining land and labour productivity. The remaining var iables were not statistically significant. According to the simple regressIOn analysis (tinle-series data) at the aggregate level it was indicated that size and density of population had positive impact on changes in fertilizer usage, application of improved seeds, crop land and crop production. Here, the regression results lend some support for the Boserup's thesis regarding the relation ship between population density and agricultural intensification. Finally the:: pape::r reconU11ended the following policy measures. Among other things, increasing the cropping intensity (culti vating two or more crops per year on the same farm plot); the intensive cultivation of land per crop season through increased use of labour input; the minimization of dependence on cereals through the production of more labour intensive and high productive crops like enset; and large scale conservation practices could be mentioned.