Farm Credit Research Articles

Nontraditional lenders and access to local agricultural credit markets by beginning and female farmers

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate if access to local branch infrastructure of the farm credit system institutions (FCS), banks and credit unions (BCU), and alternative financial services (AFS) providers is related to the use of credit from non-traditional lenders (NTLs). The focus is on beginning and women operators who are typically credit constrained and thus more likely to suffer from closures of bank branches and consolidation of traditional agricultural lenders.Design/methodology/approachInformed by Detragiache et al. (2000), the authors specify farmers’ use of loans as a function of their access to credit (measured by the branch density of each lender type) along with operator’s and operation’s controls. The measures of loans by NTLs (number, use, share and lender type) require the use of Poisson, Probit, Tobit and Multinomial Logit techniques. This study utilizes individual producer data from the 2018 Agricultural Resource Management Survey and 2018 county-level branch density data for FCS, BCU and AFS providers.FindingsAccess to credit from FCS is helpful to BFRs only, while access to AFS is associated with the use of loans from NTLs by women but not by BFRs. As expected, access to BCU credit matters for the use of loans from NTLs, with a complementary effect for BFRs but a substitution effect for women’s use of such loans.Originality/valueThere are no studies on local agricultural credit markets in the US that evaluate the implications from changes in access to credit on credit-constrained borrowers and their use of NTLs’ credit.

Analysis of Costs and Returns of Sesame Production in Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria

The study was conducted to analyze cost and return of sesame production in Hong L.G.A of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Multi stage sampling technique was used to select fifty-seven sesame farmers in the study area. Data were collected using structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using gross margin analysis and descriptive statistics. The results revealed labour cost accounted for 68.1% of the total cost of production. Cost of fertilizer accounted for 20.3%, cost of chemical accounted for 7.8% while cost of seed accounted for 3.8%. On the average, it cost N 47,451.35/ha to cultivate sesame in the study area. An average of N 65,053/ha accrues to farmers as gross income and N 17, 601.65 is left as gross margin. The result of constraints faced by sesame farmers were lack of credit facility 94.7% which was ranked 1st, inadequate fertilizer 93.0% which was ranked 2nd, lack of good road 82.5% which was ranked 3rd, poor extension services 77.2% which was ranked 4th, problem of pest 71.9% which was ranked 5th, problem of disease 70.2 which was ranked 6th, and high cost of production inputs 56.1% which was ranked 7th. The study concludes that sesame production in the study area is profitable and the major constraints faced by sesame farmers is lack of credit facility and inadequate fertilizer. Therefore, it was recommended that government should support sesame farmers by providing subsidized production inputs and farm credit and also government should strengthen and increase extension services among farmers.

Influence of phosphorus fertiliser blends on grain yield, nutrient concentration, and profitability of soyabeans in the southern Guinea Savannah of Ghana

We conducted on-farm trials in the southern Guinea savannah of Ghana in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate soyabean response to three fertiliser blends to guide farmers towards profitable adoption of appropriate phosphorus fertiliser blend for improved soyabean production. Old Yara Legume, New Yara Legume and Triple Superphosphate fertiliser blends were evaluated. In both years, the phosphorus fertiliser blends were evaluated in a Randomised Complete Block Design with 20, 30, and 40 kg P ha−1 application rates together with control. Phosphorus fertiliser application increased soyabean yields by 1 070 kg ha−1. In 2016, fertiliser blend use efficiency ranged from 2.9 kg grain per kg fertiliser blend applied with the New Yara Legume applied at 40 kg P ha−1 to 7.4 kg grain per kg fertiliser blend applied with the Triple Superphosphate applied at 40 kg P ha−1 with significant differences between treatments. In 2017, blend use efficiency ranged from 2.5 kg grain per kg fertiliser blend applied with Old Yara Legume applied at 40 kg P ha−1 to 9.2 kg grain per kg fertiliser blend applied with the Triple Superphosphate applied at 40 kg P ha−1 with significant differences between treatments. However, phosphorus use efficiency did not significantly differ between the different treatments both in the 2016 and 2017 trials. In both 2016 and 2017 trials, the highest benefit cost ratio was attained at the lowest application rate for all the three fertiliser blends suggesting the need to review the current application rate of 30 kg P fertiliser ha−1 promoted in northern Ghana. Furthermore, the provision of credit and/or subsidy for farmers by the government is required to enable uptake and utilisation of fertilisers by farmers.

Perceived competition in agricultural lending: stylized facts and an agenda for future research

PurposeThis study examines agricultural lending by commercial banks and the competition they face from the Farm Credit System (FCS) and non-traditional lenders, including merchants, dealers and other input suppliers.Design/methodology/approachWe construct a measure of commercial banks' perceived competition with FCS or non-traditional lenders using the individual responses to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's Land Values and Credit Conditions Survey between 1999 and 2019. Through regression analysis of an unbalanced panel of survey responses, we present a number of stylized facts on the relationship between perceived competition and farm loan rate spreads, collateral requirements, loan delinquencies and expected lending volumes.FindingsOur analysis shows that the two sources of competition have very different effects on commercial bank lending terms, loan portfolio riskiness and expected loan volumes. With these results in mind, we offer a number of suggestions for future research.Originality/valueWe leverage the unique characteristics of the Land Values and Credit Conditions Survey to examine the competition with non-traditional lenders that cannot be observed using administrative data.

Is change worth it? The effects of adopting modern agricultural inputs on household welfare in Rwanda

This study investigates the driving factors that influence farmers’ decisions to adopt modern agricultural inputs (MAI) and how this affects farm household welfare in rural Rwanda. To account for heterogeneity in the MAI adoption decision and unobservable farm and household attributes, we estimate an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model. The findings reveal that size of land endowment, access to farm credit and awareness of farm advisory services are the main driving forces behind MAI adoption. The analysis further shows that MAI adoption increases household farm income, farm yield and equivalised consumption per capita. This implies that adopting MAI is the most consistent and potentially best pathway to reduce poverty among rural farmers. The study hence suggests that policymakers should align the effective dissemination of MAI information and farm advisory services, strengthen farm credit systems and improve market access – most crucially at affordable prices – among small-farmers throughout Rwanda.

Farm Credit East's AgEnhancement Grants

Corporate Philanthropy ReportVolume 36, Issue 9 p. 13-13 Grant Alerts Farm Credit East's AgEnhancement Grants First published: 13 August 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/cprt.31035Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume36, Issue9September 2021Pages 13-13 RelatedInformation

Adoption and compliance with Council for Scientific and Industrial Research recommended maize production practices in Ashanti region, Ghana

PurposeThere is a huge gap between actual and achievable yields of maize which threatens household food security in Ghana. Low adoption of improved maize production technologies coupled with poor compliance with Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recommended maize production practices is identified as the cause of low yields. This study assessed farmers' compliance with CSIR recommended production practices and its effects on yield.Design/methodology/approachUsing a structured questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey of 150 respondents were interviewed for the study. Descriptive statistics, awareness and compliance indices, probit model and Garret ranking technique were the methods of analysis employed in the study.FindingsThe results showed that farmers are highly aware, have adopted and hardly comply with standards of applications of CSIR recommended production practices. Farm size, age, educational level and female gender significantly influenced compliance with recommended production practices. Also, compliance with recommended production practices increase maize yield.Originality/valuePolicies aim at addressing yield gap in maize production should be targeted at improving farmers' level of compliance with production practices by addressing some constraints through farmer credit and subsidy programmes to help farmers increase their level of compliance. The fact that farmers have adopted recommended production practices does not necessarily mean they will have higher yields. The study generates important insights about how well farmers have been adhering to standards of adoption of recommended production practices.

A functional analysis of the role of input suppliers in an agricultural innovation system: The case of small-scale irrigation in Kenya

CONTEXTAs a direct link between farmers and manufacturers of technologies, the characteristics and activities of input suppliers can be expected to play an important role in the generation and diffusion of innovations in agricultural systems. While the agricultural innovation systems (AIS) literature recognises the importance of input suppliers, there are few studies from the Global South assessing the nature and implications of their activities. OBJECTIVEThe aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of how input suppliers can influence the functioning and development of AIS in the Global South. METHODSWe first adapt the ‘functions of innovation systems’ framework to examine the role of these private-sector actors in an AIS, identifying three activity categories, through which input suppliers can influence the AIS: market creation for technological innovations, the creation and dissemination of knowledge, and influence on technology priorities. We then apply the framework to a case study of the small-scale irrigation sector in Kenya. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONThe case study documents the emergence of a new cohort of irrigation-equipment suppliers during the period of strong growth in the market for small-scale irrigation technologies since 2000, and examines how they affect the small-scale irrigation agricultural innovation system (SIAIS). We find that Kenyan irrigation-input suppliers perform important activities and roles in the SIAIS aside input supply, notably provision of advisory services, improvement of the supply chain for irrigation technologies, introduction and adaptations of new types of irrigation equipment, and facilitation of access to farm credit. Irrigation-input suppliers in Kenya thus play an important role in the functionality of the SIAIS, particularly regarding knowledge creation and dissemination. SIGNIFICANCEThe novelty of the paper lies in its empirical assessment of input suppliers in the small-scale irrigation sector and its application of the functions framework. The paper shows that input suppliers can become effective agents of knowledge diffusion once the market has reached a sufficient size and documents how they contributed to knowledge development as they develop, adapt and test specific irrigation equipment. The paper also emphasises that input suppliers can form a key link between national AIS and foreign companies, as they bring in foreign expertise (know-how) to the market along with agricultural technologies. We therefore suggest that policy interventions in support of smallholder irrigation should seek leverage from the growth and capacities of input suppliers as a complement to public research and extension.

Minimizing Unemployment in Nigeria through Mudharaba Finance: a proposed framework


 
 
 Mudharaba is an asset-backed financing tool used in Islamic finance to bridge financial gap in the society such as funding agricultural output and farm credit, infrastructural projects and investments. It is proposed in this study as an effective Islamic means of creating jobs and fixing youth’s unemployment challenges in Nigeria in addition to the impact of covid-19 pandemic which has left more people jobless in the country. The primary aim of mudharaba financing is its equity model in profit and loss sharing whereby the capital provider and the user equally share risks that occur in business without negligence from fund user’s end. Therefore, the scope of this paper examines the concepts of mudharaba financing, enumerates its necessity, merits and applicability for poverty reduction, employment generation, survival and sustainability means for Nigerian populace and particularly youths who occupy more than half of the population with skills on petty trade and agricultural practice. The study employs qualitative analysis from online articles, library materials and reports. Data was collected from an interview conducted on three basic elements of Mudharaba. The findings revealed that financing via mudharaba is based on justice, equity and fairness, benefits and professionalism, and guarantee. It showed that unemployment will be minimized through this technique with the collaboration of the Federal government with its Central Bank (CBN), initiating schemes and policies that would ease access to capital and as a channel of empowerment from Non-Interest Financial Institutions (NIFIs) and conventional windows offering Sharia complaints services in the Nigerian banking sector.
 
 

What Determines the Uptake of Multiple Tools to Mitigate Agricultural Risks among Hybrid Maize Growers in Pakistan? Findings from Field-Level Data

Arable farming is an intrinsically risky enterprise. Therefore, managing risks and uncertainties in agriculture is very important as it affects all sectors of the economy of a developing country like Pakistan. To do so, a whole suite of options is available to the farming community to safeguard against any type of risk. However, farmers’ behavior of the concurrent adoption of multiple risk management tools is largely ignored in previous studies and has formed the rationale for this research. Thus, the current study is intended to investigate farmers’ decisions of adopting risk management strategies (contract farming, off-farm income diversification, and farm credit use) and to examine the impacts of a variety of factors on farmers’ risk management decisions. The present study is carried out in four districts of Punjab province, Pakistan with a focus on hybrid maize growers. A multivariate probit model is used to evaluate the impacts of independent variables on growers’ choices of adopting contract farming, off-farm income diversification, and farm credit use to manage farm risks keeping in view the potential for the concurrent adoption of these risk management strategies. Results show that 78% of farmers are risk-averse and hence ready to manage risks. The top risk faced by farmers is price risk followed by biological, climatic, and financial risks. Contract farming is the most popular strategy (61% farmers) followed by off-farm income diversification (49% farmers), and the use of farm credit (42% farmers). The findings also reveal that the decisions of adopting risk management strategies are interlinked while the adoption of one risk management tool complements farmers’ decision to adopt other risk management strategies. In addition, the risk management strategies’ adoption choices are affected by the number of factors including socioeconomic characteristics, farmers’ risk perceptions about risk sources, and their attitude towards risk. The study recommends the provision of timely information (climatic, extension) along with easy access to farm credit and the streamlining of contractual arrangements.

Spatial nonstationary hierarchical Bayes estimation of small area proportions

The hierarchical Bayes predictor of small area proportions (HBP) under an area level version of generalized linear mixed model with logit link function is widely used in small area estimation for binary variable. However, this predictor does not account for the presence of spatial nonstationarity in the data, i.e., where the parameters associated with the model covariates vary spatially. This paper develops a spatially nonstationary extension to the hierarchical Bayes predictor of small area proportions that accounts for the presence of spatial nonstationarity in the data. The proposed predictor is referred as the spatial nonstationary hierarchical Bayes predictor (HBNSP). The impact of survey design information is also explored in the proposed predictor. The empirical results from simulation studies using spatially nonstationary data indicate that the HBNSP method performs better, in terms of relative bias and relative mean squared error, than the alternative HBP method that ignore this spatial nonstationarity. The results further show that use of survey-weight to incorporate the sampling design appears to be imperative when sample data is informative. The HBNSP approach is illustrated by applying it to estimation of incidence of indebtedness in farm households across the districts in the state of Bihar in India using debt investment survey data. A map depicting the spatial distribution of incidence of indebtedness in Bihar has also been produced which provides a useful information for the government departments and ministries involved in farm credit distribution related policy planning and monitoring.

The susceptibility of farmland loans to default under falling farmland and commodity prices

AbstractPeriods of high commodity prices and rising farmland debt loads are typically accompanied with speculation that there will eventually be declines in commodity and farmland prices that may lead to a farm credit crisis. We evaluate the likelihood of such a crisis using a simulation model of heterogeneous farmers during periods of volatile commodity and farmland prices. This model simulates a period of increasing commodity and farmland prices with a subsequent drop in prices of farmland and commodities. We find default rates are less sensitive to commodity prices than farmland prices, that the length of time prices remain low matters significantly, and that when both farmland and commodity prices fall together defaults rise more than the sum of the responses to separate price shocks.

The Plus in Credit-Plus-Technical Assistance: Evidence from a Rural Microcredit Programme in Bolivia

Microfinance institutions traditionally focus on the provision of credit and other financial services. In light of recent evidence on the scant transformative effects of ‘standard’ microcredit models, however, some lenders are increasing efforts to offer additional non-financial services – such as business trainings and technical assistance. While literature on the effects of business trainings is quite voluminous, far less attention has been paid to microcredit in combination with technical assistance, especially salient in rural contexts. This study investigates a programme launched by Sembrar Sartawi, a Bolivian MFI, which complemented dairy farming credit with the provision of agronomic and veterinarian expertise. We collect data of approximately 600 dairy farmers from the Bolivian plateau over two data-collection waves, and conduct a variety of cross-sectional and panel regression analyses. We find that technical assistance has positive, statistically significant, and economically salient impacts on monthly revenues and milk production. Our study strongly suggests that providing access to technical assistance can be a very effective ‘plus’ instrument for MFIs providing financial services to rural clients. We also point at the importance of conducting further research related to cost-effectiveness, to assess whether MFIs may expand technical assistance and at the same time achieve self-sustainability.

Capacity Building Needs of Small-Holder Cocoyam (Xanthosoma Sagittifoliuu) Farmers in Selected Rural Communities of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The study investigated the capacity building needs of small-holder cocoyam farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria during the 2018 cropping season. Data were randomly collected from 130 respondents selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure using questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, net returns model and budgeting technique. For agronomic management practice, result showed that the major sources of land acquisition and labour were inheritance (63%) and hired labour (52.6%). The majority (71.6%) of sampled farmers cultivated between 20 and 80 stands of cocoyam per farm. Result further showed that the major marketing channels of cocoyam were; farm gate (40.7%) and rural markets (24.7%. The main sources of information for cocoyam farmers were family and friends (40.9%), radio and television (18%) and extension agents (10.5%). The cost-returns analysis showed a gross margin and net return of N1, 164,500.00, and N494, 700.00, respectively, and the return per capital of N1.74. The most capacitybuilding needs of cocoyam farmers were information on processing technology ( x̄=3.31), farm credit information ( x̄= 3.19), information on pest/ disease control ( x̄=3.17), storage information ( x̄=3.15), record keeping/ evaluation need ( x̄ =2.92) and effective cocoyam marketing ( x̄ =2.88). The major constraints militating against cocoyam production in the study area were; absence of marketing information ( x̄ =2.57), poor record keeping ( x̄ =2.57), labour scarcity ( x̄ =2.42), pest and disease ( x̄=2.34), lack of improved variety of planting material ( x̄ =2.30). Provision of marketing channels information to farmers, enhancing access to extension contact and periodic training of farmers` on improved management practices are avenues to boost cocoyam production.
 Keywords: Capacity building needs, small holders cocoyam farmer

KRanTi: Blockchain‐based farmer's credit scheme for agriculture‐food supply chain

AbstractThe advent of agro‐industrialization has helped the agricultural food supply chain (AFSC) in introducing ease and innovation to other facets. In addition, Blockchain (BC) technology is revolutionizing each distributed data‐related application by adding authentication and trust among the system's stakeholders. Inspired by the above‐mentioned argument, this article proposes a system, KRanTi, to promote the supply chain of agricultural food by BC embedding across the 5G network. The 5G network upgrades the data connectivity by enhancing network infrastructure efficiency. In KRanTi, we present an efficient credit system that enables associated farmers to purchase the requisite agricultural raw product of higher quality without the pressure of instant payment. A score‐based farm‐food quality assurance system is then proposed, which guarantees optimal quality grading. Trust, transparency, and traceability are preserved through the implementation of Smart Contracts (SC) distributed across public Ethereum BC. The cost‐effective off‐line data storage service in AFSC is offered through the use of the Inter‐Planetary File System (IPFS), a shared storage system to hold all data from stakeholders. Results show that the efficiency of the proposed scheme KRanTi is improved compared with traditional schemes with metrics such as less than 1 millisecond latency with 99.99% reliability compared with LTE with 5G, scalability, packet failure ratio, BC performance, cost‐quality ratio, and data storage contrast.

The Regional Assessment of Groundnut Farmland Use in Northern Nigeria

In the annals of Nigeria’s economic development, groundnut farming ranks high as a vital component of the nation’s prominence during the early days. Accordingly, groundnut sustained the economy at the federal and regional levels especially in the defunct Northern Nigeria through revenues generated from exports to local and foreign markets. The significance of the crop exemplifies common expressions associated with it like “groundnut pyramids” highlighting productivity and abundance of the produce. Under that scenario, in the economic imagination of the nation, groundnut farming flourished as a symbol of national wealth memorialized as iconic images in official stamps of the era and on warehouses awaiting exports with the crop stacked in bags mimicking the shape of pyramids. Such expressions deeply rooted in the fiscal policy and economic prowess in the Northern part of the country buttresses abundance of the crop in farm operations of the sector. Notwithstanding the overwhelming significance of the industry by the 1950s-1960s, the discovery and glut in oil and gas production resulted in the sudden decline of groundnut farming to the extent that, most peanut pyramids were turned into buildings instead of stacks of the produce. The other limiting factors consists of the volatility of the marketplace, changes in land use and output and other indicators located in the larger agricultural structure. Considering current initiatives to resurrect the production as part of economic diversification plans in Nigeria. Managers will benefit greatly from an in-depth assessment of the potentials and state of peanut farm activities in the North. At the same time, very little has been done in the literature to analyze the issue of groundnut production amidst decades of neglect. This enquiry will fill that void in the literature by assessing the state of groundnut farmland use under a mix scale method with focus on some selected states in Northern Nigeria. Emphasis is on the issues, trends, factors, impacts, resource analysis and efforts of institutions to sustain the sector. With results pointing to changes in land use and output over the years. The GIS mappings of the trends show gradual dispersal and expansion of groundnut producing activities into different portions of the North. Given some of the challenges and the factors that shaped changes under the rubric of socio-economic and physical forces. The paper provided recommendations ranging from education, effective land use regulation, the monitoring of groundnut farmland base, more lines of credit for farmers and the design of a groundnut farmland information system.

Adoption of Improved Soybean Seeds in Ghana: The Key Factors for Policy Consideration

Several studies have documented the factors that influence adoption of improved agricultural technologies across the globe. However, there is less focus on the factors that influence adoption of improved soybean seeds among farmers, especially in the context of Ghana. Thisstudy employs a Heckit regression model that corrects for sample selection bias to examine the factors that influence farmers' adoption of improved soybean seeds and access to farm credit in Ghana using 300 farmers. The results suggest that self-selection bias was identified and appropriately corrected. The significance of the lamda implied that credit had positive effect on adoption of improved soybean seeds. Significant determinants of adoption of improved soybean seeds were sex, education, experience, and distance to input shops. Access to production credit (in the selection model) was significantly determined by access to extension service, sex, and experience level of farmers. The study recommends that soybean...

Examining Profitability, Viability, and Commercialization Level of Beef Cattle Production among Pastoralists in the Simanjiro District of the Manyara Region, Tanzania

Beef cattle production is significant in wealth creation and improving livelihoods of pastoralists, thus reducing poverty. Nevertheless, most pastoralists continue to live in poverty. This study, thus, sought to assess the profitability, viability, and commercialization level of beef cattle production, as well as the socioeconomic characteristics among pastoralists in the Simanjiro District of the Manyara Region, Tanzania. Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 398 pastoralists, using interviews and questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, gross margin (GM), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), and household commercialization index (HCI) methods were used for data analysis. The results revealed that the average age of the pastoralists was 47.7 years with a family size of 10.9. On average, the pastoralists had about 26.4 years of farming experience. Most of the pastoralists (59.3%) had no formal education. Among the pastoralists, only 3% had access to farm credits. Further analysis showed that 98.7% of pastoralists marketed their beef cattle to primary auction markets of which 75.4% of price-setting methods were inappropriate (unprofitable). Among the pastoralists, only 3.8% added value to beef cattle before selling. The average cattle herd size was 119.7 heads, of which 98.4% of cattle herd sizes were local breed cattle. Gross margin and Benefit-Cost Ratio were 136.8 US$ and 2.9, respectively, while household commercialization index was 3.9%. Medication costs constituted 44% of the total variable costs involved in beef cattle production. This study, thus, concluded that beef cattle production is profitable and highly viable to run as a business. However, the commercialization level is low. Furthermore, keeping local breed cattle, inappropriate pricing methods, low-value addition, reliance on primary auction markets, limited access to credits, low level of education, and costs for medications; continue to be critical obstacles to improving profitability, viability, and commercialization level of beef cattle production among pastoralists.

Factors that influence market participation among traditional beef cattle farmers in the Meatu District of Simiyu Region, Tanzania.

Market participation among beef cattle farmers is key to ensuring better income, food security, and sustainable beef supply. Farmers in the traditional beef cattle sector, nevertheless, are well known for their low market participation. This study, thus, sought to examine factors that influenced market participation among beef cattle farmers in the Meatu district of Simiyu region, Tanzania. The study randomly selected a sample size of 393 farmers. The cross-sectional data collected through interviews and questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models. The descriptive analyses showed that the average age of the interviewees was 53.73 years with a family size of 13.11. On average, the respondents had about 24.14 years of farming experience. Most of the respondents (67.9%) had primary education. Among the respondents, about 61.3%, 4.6%, and 32.6% had access to market information, farm credits, and veterinary services, respectively. The average cattle herd size was 53.46 heads. About 90.1% of farmers had participated in the markets by selling an average of 5 heads each, per year. This study has revealed low volume of sales, low education levels, and poor access to credits and veterinary services as the major factors that limit market participation. Furthermore, econometric results show that the key factors that significantly influenced farmers to increase the volume of beef cattle sales in the market at P < 0.05 included price, herd size, off-farm income, distance to market, age of the farmer, and cattle fattening. Moreover, membership in cooperatives, access to market information, and farming experience also had significant influence at P < 0.05. This study recommends establishment of strategic cooperatives to function not only as a communication channel for farm credits, price, market information, and training on commercial farming, but also to assist farmers in selection of profitable markets.

Rice Production, Technologies Adoption and Its Determining Factors in Fogera-Plain of North West Ethiopia

The study was conducted in Fogera plain which is one of rice production hubs in South Gondar Zone in North West part of Ethiopia on rice production, adoption of technologies and its determinant factors for small holder rice producing farmers. A total sample size of respondents (n=74) were selected through random sampling method. Binary logistic regression model was applied to the specification of socio-economic, demographic and institutional factors determining to adoption of improved rice technologies. Both continuous and categorical variables were used based on their logical and statistical hypothesis in relation to adoption of rice technologies. Poor infrastructure, timely un-availability of technology, membership of the household to farm organizations such as cooperatives, access to farm credit and price of technologies were statistically and significantly identified as determinant factors for adoption of improved rice technologies. Age, family size, sex, education level, farming experience, access to extension and advisory services of the household head and size of cultivated land didn’t significantly affect adoption of technologies. Hence it is recommended that availability of improved technologies at appropriate time, infrastructural development to rice producing farmers and strengthening farmers’ organizations especially seed cooperatives as well as efficient access of farmers to credit and saving services in their proximate areas were paramount importance to enhance adoption of improved rice technologies. Keywords: Adoption, Fogera plain, improved variety, Oryza Sativa DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-7-06 Publication date: April 30 th 2021