Yesuf, Mahmud(Dr.)Temesgen, Chalachew2021-07-312023-11-042021-07-312023-11-042007-11http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/27522To make operational on-farm crop genetic conservation strategy in Ethiopia, we have to understand the factors that determine farmers' for managing portfolios of crop varieties. Identifying farmers ' derived demand for sorghum varieties and drawing policy implication for on-farm genetic resources conservation in Ethiopia is the main objective of this paper. Farmers' preferences for varieties conditioned on different preference parameters are the theoretical bas is for this study. Count index and Shannon index are used to measure the on-farm sorghum genetic diversity of the studied area. Poisson and Tobit regression models are estimated using a rural household survey data collected from 205 households in Tehuledere Woreda, Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. The findings of empirical estimation shows that family size of the household, land characteristics, concern factors, number of oxen ownership and access to cash crops are promoting factors for variety richness of sorghum genetic diversity in farm household. On the contrary, the most important factors detaching the link between farmers survival strategy and sorghum genetic diversity are access to extension services, experience on using improved varieties, access to road infrastructure and access to market services. The results imply that on-farm crop genetic resource conservation will be negatively correlated to the over-all agricultural development in a specific region. Therefore, there is a need for flexible incentive structures to maintain CGRs diversity at a social optimum and to off-set the negative effect of development interventions.en: Crop genetic resource, derived demand, on-farm conservation, in situ, ex situ, survival strategy, Poisson regress ion, Tobit regression model.Thesis