ASSESSING THE DETERMINANTES OF ADOPTING MODERN AGRICULTURAL INPUTS AMONG RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN DABAT WOREDA, AMHARA REGIONAL

Abstract

The need for applying modern agricultural inputs like improved seeds and fertilizer in Ethiopian agriculture is not debatable. These inputs are the major productivity enhancing inputs. Hence, increased and effective use of fertilizer and improved seeds can be considered as a more plausible alternative in Ethiopia to bridge the wide gap of food shortage at least in the immediatly. This study is designed to identify factors influencing the adoption of modern agricultural inputs and intensity uses among small holder were analyzed in dabat woreda. From a total of 4494 households120 sample households were considered for this study. The result of the chi square and T-test showed and regression analysis show that household heads’ education level, farm size, credit accessibility positively and significantly affected the farm households’ adoption decision; while sex, age and marital status were found insignificant regarding with adoption of agricultural input. According to their interview to estimate income that showed that the average income and consumption expenditure of adopters are greater than that of non-adopters. Based on these findings it is recommended that the zonal and the woreda leaders extension agents farm and education experts, policy makers and other development oriented organizations have to plan in such a way that the farm households in the study area will obtain sufficient education, credit accessibilities and also access to modern agricultural inputs sufficiently have to train farmers to make them understand the benefits obtained from adopting the new technologies.