Land ownership and technology adoption revisited: improved maize varieties in Ethiopia

The lack of land ownership can discourage agricultural technology adoption, yet there is scarce evidence of the impact of land rental contracts on the adoption of improved crop varieties in developing countries. The current study investigates such impact using a nationally representative survey of Ethiopian maize farmers. In contrast to many previous studies, we show in a simple model that cash-renters are as likely to adopt improved maize varieties as owner-operators, while sharecroppers are more likely to adopt given that such varieties are profitable. Empirical analysis reveals a significant impact of sharecropping on improved maize variety adoption, and no significant impact from cash-rental, lending support to the above hypotheses. These results imply that improvements in land rental markets can potentially enhance household welfare through crop variety adoption in agrarian economies where land sales markets are incomplete or missing.Di Zeng, Jeffrey Alwang, George Norton, Moti Jaleta, Bekele Shiferaw, Chilot Yirg

Wheat rust epidemics damage Ethiopian wheat production: A decade of field disease surveillance reveals national-scale trends in past outbreaks.

Wheat rusts are the key biological constraint to wheat production in Ethiopia-one of Africa's largest wheat producing countries. The fungal diseases cause economic losses and threaten livelihoods of smallholder farmers. While it is known that wheat rust epidemics have occurred in Ethiopia, to date no systematic long-term analysis of past outbreaks has been available. We present results from one of the most comprehensive surveillance campaigns of wheat rusts in Africa. More than 13,000 fields have been surveyed during the last 13 years. Using a combination of spatial data-analysis and visualization, statistical tools, and empirical modelling, we identify trends in the distribution of wheat stem rust (Sr), stripe rust (Yr) and leaf rust (Lr). Results show very high infection levels (mean incidence for Yr: 44%; Sr: 34%; Lr: 18%). These recurrent rust outbreaks lead to substantial economic losses, which we estimate to be of the order of 10s of millions of US-D annually. On the widely adopted wheat variety, Digalu, there is a marked increase in disease prevalence following the incursion of new rust races into Ethiopia, which indicates a pronounced boom-and-bust cycle of major gene resistance. Using spatial analyses, we identify hotspots of disease risk for all three rusts, show a linear correlation between altitude and disease prevalence, and find a pronounced north-south trend in stem rust prevalence. Temporal analyses show a sigmoidal increase in disease levels during the wheat season and strong inter-annual variations. While a simple logistic curve performs satisfactorily in predicting stem rust in some years, it cannot account for the complex outbreak patterns in other years and fails to predict the occurrence of stripe and leaf rust. The empirical insights into wheat rust epidemiology in Ethiopia presented here provide a basis for improving future surveillance and to inform the development of mechanistic models to predict disease spread

Varietal Adoption, Outcomes and Impact

Parallel to the preceding chapter, we synthesize the results of Chapters 6–17 here. The focus is on outcomes and impacts. Outcomes centre on varietal adoption and turnover; impacts refer to changes in on-farm productivity, poverty and food security. Hypotheses from Chapter 3 are revisited at the end of each thematic section..

Effect of Eucalyptus expansion on surface runoff in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Ecological Processes,2017.Over the last century, Eucalyptus has rapidly expanded across the globe. It has become the most planted tree species. Environmentalists fear this for the perceived negative eco-hydrological impact. Foresters and wood industries support its expansion looking at its socio-economic benefits. Ethiopia is one of the countries where Eucalyptus dominates forest development gains in the last century. The main purpose of this review is to evaluate the expansion, benefit and challenges of Eucalyptus in Ethiopia. Eucalyptus was introduced to Africa, and Ethiopia, around the end of the 19th century, in 1890s. Since then it has continued to expand to cover wider geographic areas within Ethiopia: highland and lowland. It is providing multiple purposes, economic and social, for millions of households in urban and rural areas. It has substituted effectively some of the natural forest’s functions, principally in wood supply; hence this way it has contributed to reducing pressure and in slowing down deforestation. Yet Eucalyptus sustained blame for ecosystem water and soil nutrient drains, and allelopathic effect to suppress native flora growth. Studies on these aspects of the genus are inconclusive. Some argue the extravagant use of water and nutrient, while others argue otherwise. There are studies that show water and nutrient use of Eucalyptus is based on availability: for instance, dry season and wet season uses are not the same. The most known about Eucalyptus is its high nutrient and water use efficiency. Therefore, when evaluated on per volume of water, nutrient and land allocated for biomass production, Eucalyptus will provide the highest biomass return. This may make it the preferred species. The paper concludes that the development of Eucalyptus forestry is crucial in narrowing the gap between forest product demand and supply in the current context of Ethiopia and most African countries, but such development should be managed with proper silviculture: Planted in the right site and tended properly to optimize its positive values and reduce possible negative effects

Effect of Eucalyptus expansion on surface runoff in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Ecological Processes,2017.Over the last century, Eucalyptus has rapidly expanded across the globe. It has become the most planted tree species. Environmentalists fear this for the perceived negative eco-hydrological impact. Foresters and wood industries support its expansion looking at its socio-economic benefits. Ethiopia is one of the countries where Eucalyptus dominates forest development gains in the last century. The main purpose of this review is to evaluate the expansion, benefit and challenges of Eucalyptus in Ethiopia. Eucalyptus was introduced to Africa, and Ethiopia, around the end of the 19th century, in 1890s. Since then it has continued to expand to cover wider geographic areas within Ethiopia: highland and lowland. It is providing multiple purposes, economic and social, for millions of households in urban and rural areas. It has substituted effectively some of the natural forest’s functions, principally in wood supply; hence this way it has contributed to reducing pressure and in slowing down deforestation. Yet Eucalyptus sustained blame for ecosystem water and soil nutrient drains, and allelopathic effect to suppress native flora growth. Studies on these aspects of the genus are inconclusive. Some argue the extravagant use of water and nutrient, while others argue otherwise. There are studies that show water and nutrient use of Eucalyptus is based on availability: for instance, dry season and wet season uses are not the same. The most known about Eucalyptus is its high nutrient and water use efficiency. Therefore, when evaluated on per volume of water, nutrient and land allocated for biomass production, Eucalyptus will provide the highest biomass return. This may make it the preferred species. The paper concludes that the development of Eucalyptus forestry is crucial in narrowing the gap between forest product demand and supply in the current context of Ethiopia and most African countries, but such development should be managed with proper silviculture: Planted in the right site and tended properly to optimize its positive values and reduce possible negative effects

Comparative assessment of soil and nutrient losses from three land uses in the central highlands of Ethiopia

International Journal of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering,Vol. 9(1), pp. 1-7, 2017Land use/land cover change drive changes in several ecosystem processes over short and long terms. In Ethiopia, the main land use/land cover change involves conversion of natural ecosystem into cultivated land. However, a recent change also involves conversion of cultivated and gra zing land into Eucalyptus woodlots. This study was conducted to analyse the effects of such land use/land cover change on soil and nutrient losses. Three land use/ land cove r types (cultivated land, grassland and Eucalyptus woodlot) were selected for a comparative assessment. A total of twelve runoff plots, each with 43.3 m2 area and with four replications, were installed. Rainfall depth, runoff volume and sediment samples (500 ml) were collected from each plots every morning and evening for 91 days (from 4th July to 2nd October, 2015) in the main rainy season. The sediment samples for ten consecutive days were stored in separate containers and composite sediment concentration samples were weighed after being filtered and oven dried for 24 hours at 105o c. From the samples taken at the end of the rainy season, separate composite a sample before filtration of one litre was analysed in the laboratory for nutrient losses. The effect of land use/land cover on soil and nutrients losses was statistically tested using analysis of variance. The study found that soil loss significantly differed between the land use /land cover types. Soil loss from cultivated land (16.8 ton/ha) was significantly higher than loss from grassland (7 ton/ha) and Eucalyptus stand (8.1 ton/ha). The soil and nutrient losses were positively correlated with runoff volume. There was higher nutrient (N and P) loss from cultivated land than grassland and Eucalyptus. From the results, it can be concluded that soil and nutrients losses are above tolerable limit, and perennial land covers including Eucalyptus stand reduce soil and nutrient losses significantly. This re-affirms the multi-purpose nature of Eucalyptus not only for socioeconomic benefit but also for soil erosion control when planted in appropriate location

Comparative assessment of soil and nutrient losses from three land uses in the central highlands of Ethiopia

International Journal of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering,Vol. 9(1), pp. 1-7, 2017Land use/land cover change drive changes in several ecosystem processes over short and long terms. In Ethiopia, the main land use/land cover change involves conversion of natural ecosystem into cultivated land. However, a recent change also involves conversion of cultivated and gra zing land into Eucalyptus woodlots. This study was conducted to analyse the effects of such land use/land cover change on soil and nutrient losses. Three land use/ land cove r types (cultivated land, grassland and Eucalyptus woodlot) were selected for a comparative assessment. A total of twelve runoff plots, each with 43.3 m2 area and with four replications, were installed. Rainfall depth, runoff volume and sediment samples (500 ml) were collected from each plots every morning and evening for 91 days (from 4th July to 2nd October, 2015) in the main rainy season. The sediment samples for ten consecutive days were stored in separate containers and composite sediment concentration samples were weighed after being filtered and oven dried for 24 hours at 105o c. From the samples taken at the end of the rainy season, separate composite a sample before filtration of one litre was analysed in the laboratory for nutrient losses. The effect of land use/land cover on soil and nutrients losses was statistically tested using analysis of variance. The study found that soil loss significantly differed between the land use /land cover types. Soil loss from cultivated land (16.8 ton/ha) was significantly higher than loss from grassland (7 ton/ha) and Eucalyptus stand (8.1 ton/ha). The soil and nutrient losses were positively correlated with runoff volume. There was higher nutrient (N and P) loss from cultivated land than grassland and Eucalyptus. From the results, it can be concluded that soil and nutrients losses are above tolerable limit, and perennial land covers including Eucalyptus stand reduce soil and nutrient losses significantly. This re-affirms the multi-purpose nature of Eucalyptus not only for socioeconomic benefit but also for soil erosion control when planted in appropriate location

Maize technologies and rural poverty reduction in Ethiopia

AbstractIn the past four decades, more than 40 improved maize varieties, including hybrids and open-pollinated varieties, have been developed and released in Ethiopia by the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre. Most improved varieties were released after the mid-1990s. This chapter aims to investigate the ex-post impact of these improved maize varieties on household well-being and on aggregate rural poverty. First, the literature on impacts of improved crop varieties is reviewed with a focus on maize in Africa. Next, the chapter discusses the conceptual framework and how the analysis addresses challenges associated with measuring heterogeneous and disaggregated impacts when adoption is endogenous using observational data. The model is presented and discussed. This discussion is followed by a description of data collection and summary statistics on maize production in the study areas. Next, results are presented and discussed. A concluding section discusses implications.D. Zeng, J. Alwang, G.W. Norton, B. Shiferaw, M. Jaleta and C. Yirg

Measuring farm and market level economic impacts of improved maize production technologies in Ethiopia: evidence from panel data

While it is often recognised that agricultural technology adoption decisions are intertwined and best characterised by multivariate models, typical approaches to examining adoption and impacts of agricultural technology have focused on single technology adoption choice and ignored interdependence among technologies. We examine farm‐ and market‐level impacts of multiple technology adoption choices using comprehensive household survey data collected in 2010/11 and 2012/13 in Ethiopia. Economic surplus analysis combined with panel data switching endogenous regression models are used to compute the supply shift parameter (K‐shift parameter), while at the same time controlling for the endogeneity inherent in agricultural technology adoption among farmers. We find that our improved technology set choices have significant impacts on farm‐level maize yield and maize production costs, where the greatest effect appears to be generated when various technologies are combined. The change in maize yield and production costs results in an average 26.4% cost reduction per kilogram of maize output (the K‐shift parameter). This increases the producer and consumer surpluses by US $140 and US$ 105 million per annum, respectively. These changes in economic surplus help to reduce the number of poor people by an estimated 788 thousand per year. We conclude that deliberate extension efforts and other policies that encourage integration of technologies are important for maize technologies to yield their full potential at both farm and market levels.Menale Kassie, Paswel Marenya, Yohannis Tessema, Moti Jaleta, Di Zeng, Olaf Erenstein and Dil Rahu

Ex Post Impacts of Improved Maize Varieties on Poverty in Rural Ethiopia

This Agricultural Economics journal article (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/agec.12178/full) is based on the study that documents the impacts of improved maize varities on household well-being and on overall rural poverty using primary data. In Ethiopia, the last four decades have seen more than 40 improved varieties of maize - including hybrids and OPVs – developed and released by the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). An Impact Brief (#45) (http://impact.cgiar.org/sites/default/files//pdf/SPIA_Impact-Brief-45_Dec2014.pdf) based on the report/study submitted to SPIA is also available. The full report will be published shortly on this site along with the SPIA foreword