Determinants of Farm-household Fertilizer Application on Teff. The case of Ankesha Woreda of Awi Zone of Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia.
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Low agricultural productivity and Land degradation have been important concerns in Ethiopia.
Declining soils quality is the major component for declining level of agricultural productivity.
Improvement of soil quality has become major policy agenda. Low fertilizer application rate
coupled with in(Jbility of traditional fertility management practices have failed to maintain the
soil quality at the required level. Farmers operate in different environmental context which
present certain capacities, opportunities and limitations. Since fertilizer is the long researched
and major productivity improving input, identification of determinants of fertilizer application
contributes to improve low rate of application. Therefore, the general objective of this study is
concerned with identifYing demographic, socioeconomic and institutional factors that determine
farmers' fertilizer application practices on Tef!. Both primary and secondary data sources were
used for this purpose. The data was analyzed using the probit model. It was found than farmer
experience with/ertilizer; Total livestock in TLU, Access to individual method of extension and
number of manure application are the most important factors that positively influenced
application of fertilizer on Tef!. Where as Age of the households head, family size, number of
compost application were found to influence the application of fertilizer on Tef! negatively. Thus
the implications of this study are strengthening Research and extension service, and improving
farmers' access to finanCial capital are important areas of priority for the success of jillure
intervention strategies aimed at improving the level of production through integrated soil
fe rtility management practices where use of fertilizer is a major component.
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Keywords
Farmhousehold Fertilizer Application