Fertilizer Adoption Impact on Maize Yield Growth: Disparity among Major Maize Growing Administrative Regions of Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examines the regional disparity in the impact of adoption of fertilizer (organic, inorganic or both) on yield growth using 953 sample farm households in five major maize growing administrative regions of Ethiopia. Propensity score matching (PSM) technique was employed since it is an increasingly utilized standard approach for evaluating impacts using observational data. It is found that adoption of fertilizer doesn't have homogenous positive and significant impact on yield growth in all of the administrative regions considered. Thus, the study recommends that the agricultural research and extension system of the country should further consider the various differences that exist among different regions and areas of the country so as to generate and disseminate suitable improved agricultural technologies and information. Keywords: Impact, Maize, Fertilizer, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-19-05 Publication date: June 30th 2020