Perception of Farmers and Agricultural Professionals on Changes in Productivity and Water Resources in Ethiopia
In this paper, perceptions of actors on changes in
crop productivity, quantity and quality of water, and determinants of
their perception are analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordered
logit model. Data collected from 297 Ethiopian farmers and 103
agricultural professionals from December 2009 to January 2010 are
employed. Results show that the majority of the farmers and
professionals recognized decline in water resources, reasoning
climate changes and soil erosion as some of the causes. However,
there is a variation in views on changes in productivity. The
household asset, education level, age and geographical positions are
found to affect farmers- perception on changes in crop productivity.
But, the study underlines that there is no evidence that farmers-
economic status, age, or education level affects recognition of
degradation of water resources. Thus, more focus shall be given on
providing them different coping mechanisms and alternative
resource conserving technologies than educating about the
problems.
[1] Department of Economic and Social Affair (DESA) of United Nation
Secretariat, "Trends In Sustainable Development: Agriculture, rural
development, land, desertification and drought," United Nations
publication Sales No. E.08.II.A.1, New York, 2008.
[2] J. Niyongabo, "Where Sustainable Agriculture means Agricultural
Productivity? The case study of Gikongoro in Southwestern Rwanda,"
M Sc. Thesis, Lund University, Lund, Sweden LUMES, 2004.
[3] F.N. Muchena, D.D. Ondurua, G.N. Gachinib, and A. de Jager,
"Turning the tides of soil degradation in Africa: capturing the reality
and exploring opportunities," Land Use Policy, vol. 22, pp. 23-31,
2005.
[4] National Statistical Abstract, Section D. Agriculture, Table D.8.,
Central Statistical Agency (CSA) of Ethiopia website (accessed April
2010).
[5] M. Tadesse, and K. Belay, "Factors Influencing Adoption of soil
conservation measures in southern Ethiopia: The Case of Gununo
Area," Journal of Agriculture and rural development in Tropics and
sub Tropics Vol. 105, no. 1, pp 49-62, 2004.
[6] M. Kassie and P. Zikhali, "Brief on Sustainable Agriculture," A paper
prepared for Expert group meeting on Sustainable Land Management
& Agricultural Practices in Africa: Bridging the Gap Between
Research & Farmers, Gothenburg, Sweden, April 16-17, 2009
[7] J. Sinja, J. Karugiab, I. Baltenwecka, M. Waithakac, M.D. Mianoc, R.
Nyikalb and D. Romney, "Farmer Perception of Technology and its
Impact on Technology Uptake: The Case of Fodder Legume in Central
Kenya Highlands," African Association of Agricultural Economists.
Shaping the Future of African Agriculture for Development: The Role
of Social Scientists. Proceedings of the Inaugural Symposium, Grand
Regency Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, December 6 - 8, 2004
[8] W. Negatu, and A. Parikh, "The impact of perception and other factors
on the adoption of agricultural technology in the Moret and Jiru
Woreda (district) of Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, 1999, vol. 21,
no. 2, pp 205-216.
[9] A. A. Adesina, and J. Baidu-Forson, "Farmers' perceptions and
adoption of new agricultural technology: evidence from analysis in
Burkina Faso and Guinea, West Africa," Agricultural Economics,
1995, Vol. 13, pp. 1-9.
[10] F. F. Tatl─▒dil, I. Boz and H Tatlidil, "Farmers- perception of sustainable
agriculture and its determinants: a case study in Kahramanmaras
province of Turkey," Environ Dev Sustain 2009, Vol. 11, pp.
1091-1106
[11] T. Tadesse, 2006, "Measuring the economic impact of climate change
on Ethiopian Agriculture: Ricardian approach", CEEPA Discussion
Paper No. 25, Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy in
Africa, University of Pretoria.
[12] B. Shiferaw and S.T. Holden, "Resource degradation and adoption of
land conservation technologies in the Ethiopian Highlands: A case
study in Andit Tid, North Shewa," Agricultural Economics, 1998,
vol.18: 3, pp. 233-247
[13] Y. P. Wei1, D. Chen, R. E. White, I. R. Willett, R. Edis, and J.
Langford, "Farmers- perception of environmental degradation and their
adoption of improved management Practices in Alxa, China," Land
Degradation & Development 2009, Vol. 20, pp. 336-346.
[14] Central Statistical Agency (CSA) of Ethiopia, Population Size by Sex,
Area and Density by Region, Zone and Wereda : Table B.3., 2007.
[15] G. G. Jimolu, "Studies On Poultry Coccidiosis in Tiyo Wereda, Arsi
Zone, Oromia Regional State," an MSc. Thesis submitted to the Faculty
of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Jun 2004.
[16] J.S Long and J. Freese, Regression Models For Categorical Dependent
Variables Using STATA. 2nd Ed. A Stata press publication Statacorp LP
College Station, Texas, 2001, Ch 5.
[17] A. Feyisa, "Climate Change Impact on Livelihood, Vulnerability and
Coping Mechanisms: A Case Study of West-Arsi Zone, Ethiopia". MSc
Thesis, Lund University, LUMES, May 2009
[18] S. WEIR "The Effects of Education on Farmer Productivity in Rural
Ethiopia", WPS99-7, Centre for the Study of African Economies
Department of Economics, University of Oxford St. Cross Building,
Manor Road, Oxford OX1 3UL, United Kingdom, March 1999.
[19] P. L. Pingali and P. W. Heisey, "Cereal Crop Productivity in
Developing Countries, CIMMYT Economics paper 99-03, Mexico D.
F.: CIMMYT.
[20] Y. Kebede, K. Gunjal, and G. Coffin, "Adoption of new technologies
in Ethiopian agriculture: The case of Tegulet-Bulga District, Shoa
Province", Agric. Econ., 1990, Vol. 4, pp. 27-43.
[1] Department of Economic and Social Affair (DESA) of United Nation
Secretariat, "Trends In Sustainable Development: Agriculture, rural
development, land, desertification and drought," United Nations
publication Sales No. E.08.II.A.1, New York, 2008.
[2] J. Niyongabo, "Where Sustainable Agriculture means Agricultural
Productivity? The case study of Gikongoro in Southwestern Rwanda,"
M Sc. Thesis, Lund University, Lund, Sweden LUMES, 2004.
[3] F.N. Muchena, D.D. Ondurua, G.N. Gachinib, and A. de Jager,
"Turning the tides of soil degradation in Africa: capturing the reality
and exploring opportunities," Land Use Policy, vol. 22, pp. 23-31,
2005.
[4] National Statistical Abstract, Section D. Agriculture, Table D.8.,
Central Statistical Agency (CSA) of Ethiopia website (accessed April
2010).
[5] M. Tadesse, and K. Belay, "Factors Influencing Adoption of soil
conservation measures in southern Ethiopia: The Case of Gununo
Area," Journal of Agriculture and rural development in Tropics and
sub Tropics Vol. 105, no. 1, pp 49-62, 2004.
[6] M. Kassie and P. Zikhali, "Brief on Sustainable Agriculture," A paper
prepared for Expert group meeting on Sustainable Land Management
& Agricultural Practices in Africa: Bridging the Gap Between
Research & Farmers, Gothenburg, Sweden, April 16-17, 2009
[7] J. Sinja, J. Karugiab, I. Baltenwecka, M. Waithakac, M.D. Mianoc, R.
Nyikalb and D. Romney, "Farmer Perception of Technology and its
Impact on Technology Uptake: The Case of Fodder Legume in Central
Kenya Highlands," African Association of Agricultural Economists.
Shaping the Future of African Agriculture for Development: The Role
of Social Scientists. Proceedings of the Inaugural Symposium, Grand
Regency Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, December 6 - 8, 2004
[8] W. Negatu, and A. Parikh, "The impact of perception and other factors
on the adoption of agricultural technology in the Moret and Jiru
Woreda (district) of Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, 1999, vol. 21,
no. 2, pp 205-216.
[9] A. A. Adesina, and J. Baidu-Forson, "Farmers' perceptions and
adoption of new agricultural technology: evidence from analysis in
Burkina Faso and Guinea, West Africa," Agricultural Economics,
1995, Vol. 13, pp. 1-9.
[10] F. F. Tatl─▒dil, I. Boz and H Tatlidil, "Farmers- perception of sustainable
agriculture and its determinants: a case study in Kahramanmaras
province of Turkey," Environ Dev Sustain 2009, Vol. 11, pp.
1091-1106
[11] T. Tadesse, 2006, "Measuring the economic impact of climate change
on Ethiopian Agriculture: Ricardian approach", CEEPA Discussion
Paper No. 25, Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy in
Africa, University of Pretoria.
[12] B. Shiferaw and S.T. Holden, "Resource degradation and adoption of
land conservation technologies in the Ethiopian Highlands: A case
study in Andit Tid, North Shewa," Agricultural Economics, 1998,
vol.18: 3, pp. 233-247
[13] Y. P. Wei1, D. Chen, R. E. White, I. R. Willett, R. Edis, and J.
Langford, "Farmers- perception of environmental degradation and their
adoption of improved management Practices in Alxa, China," Land
Degradation & Development 2009, Vol. 20, pp. 336-346.
[14] Central Statistical Agency (CSA) of Ethiopia, Population Size by Sex,
Area and Density by Region, Zone and Wereda : Table B.3., 2007.
[15] G. G. Jimolu, "Studies On Poultry Coccidiosis in Tiyo Wereda, Arsi
Zone, Oromia Regional State," an MSc. Thesis submitted to the Faculty
of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Jun 2004.
[16] J.S Long and J. Freese, Regression Models For Categorical Dependent
Variables Using STATA. 2nd Ed. A Stata press publication Statacorp LP
College Station, Texas, 2001, Ch 5.
[17] A. Feyisa, "Climate Change Impact on Livelihood, Vulnerability and
Coping Mechanisms: A Case Study of West-Arsi Zone, Ethiopia". MSc
Thesis, Lund University, LUMES, May 2009
[18] S. WEIR "The Effects of Education on Farmer Productivity in Rural
Ethiopia", WPS99-7, Centre for the Study of African Economies
Department of Economics, University of Oxford St. Cross Building,
Manor Road, Oxford OX1 3UL, United Kingdom, March 1999.
[19] P. L. Pingali and P. W. Heisey, "Cereal Crop Productivity in
Developing Countries, CIMMYT Economics paper 99-03, Mexico D.
F.: CIMMYT.
[20] Y. Kebede, K. Gunjal, and G. Coffin, "Adoption of new technologies
in Ethiopian agriculture: The case of Tegulet-Bulga District, Shoa
Province", Agric. Econ., 1990, Vol. 4, pp. 27-43.
@article{"International Journal of Biological, Life and Agricultural Sciences:50209", author = "D. Mojo and Y. Todo and P. Matous", title = "Perception of Farmers and Agricultural Professionals on Changes in Productivity and Water Resources in Ethiopia", abstract = "In this paper, perceptions of actors on changes in
crop productivity, quantity and quality of water, and determinants of
their perception are analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordered
logit model. Data collected from 297 Ethiopian farmers and 103
agricultural professionals from December 2009 to January 2010 are
employed. Results show that the majority of the farmers and
professionals recognized decline in water resources, reasoning
climate changes and soil erosion as some of the causes. However,
there is a variation in views on changes in productivity. The
household asset, education level, age and geographical positions are
found to affect farmers- perception on changes in crop productivity.
But, the study underlines that there is no evidence that farmers-
economic status, age, or education level affects recognition of
degradation of water resources. Thus, more focus shall be given on
providing them different coping mechanisms and alternative
resource conserving technologies than educating about the
problems.", keywords = "Agricultural Sustainability, Ethiopia, Perception,Productivity, Water Resources", volume = "4", number = "6", pages = "396-9", }
