Market Linked Innovation Systems : Opportunities for Strengthening Agricultural Development in Ethiopia

This study on Strengthening Market Linked Innovation Systems was produced at the request of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ethiopia. It offers a perspective on how innovation processes and capacities could be further developed in support of Ethiopia’s Economic Growth and Transformation Plan (EGTP) and the Agricultural Growth Programme (AGP). More specifically it provides recommendations to the Netherlands Embassy on strategic priorities in supporting development of agricultural sector in Ethiopia

A review on the contribution of crop diversification to Sustainable Development Goal 1 “No poverty” in different world regions

I am grateful to Professor Maggie Gill and Dr Leslie Lipper for initial discussions, to Dr Leslie Lipper for arranging the meetings with the experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and to the experts at FAO for the valuable discussions on the topic. I would also like to thank Kirsten MacSween for revising the English. This research has been funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), NE/N005619/1.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The role of new varieties and chemical fertilizer under risk: The case of smallholders in Eastern Oromia, Ethiopia.

During 1996-1997, a survey was conducted among 148 farm households in Babile, eastern Oromia, Ethiopia, to estimate the benefits of adopting new varieties of maize and sorghum and of chemical fertilizers. The adoption behaviour of the farm households was analysed and determinants of innovation adoption were identified. The state of household food security was evaluated in terms of risk and various coping mechanisms were described. The stochastic household income was estimated by defining the distribution of the stochastic elements of household income. It was found that under risk the contribution of the new technologies to household food security was only moderate. It was apparent that the current package of agricultural technologies was not the best option for overcoming the problem of food insecurity in Babile. A number of alternative approaches is suggested, including strengthening of agricultural extension, new credit schemes, and crop insurance. KEYWORDS: TROPAG | Zea mays | Sorghum bicolor | innovation adoption | farm surveys | food crops | varieties | inorganic fertilizers | climate | risk | food security | Ethiopia | Oromiya