Abstract:
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important vegetable categorized under
tuber crops. Potatoes are the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat
and the leading vegetable crop in United States. Ethiopia has an enormous potential for
production of vegetable crops in general and particular and it is also among the most
important export crops. Potato is one the most important vegetable crops grown in the study
area, Haramaya, It contributes to the major share of cash source, and food security.
Currently, production and productivity of potato in Ethiopia are very low. The objectives of
this study were Assess the status of adoption of improved potato production package in the
study area and to examine factors limiting improved potato production package in the study
area. This study interviewed 122 sample household. In this study data were collected and
analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Quantitative data analysis method were employed
mainly with chi-square, F-test and Tobit model using SPSS and Stata computer software .The
result of this study revealed that respondent farmers were found to use mainly improved
potato variety and fertilizer from the recommended package practices are low. Among the
122 sample respondents, 76 (62.3%) were adopter while 46(37.7%) non –adopters.
Moreover, results of the econometric model indicated that sex of the household head,
educational level of the household head, annual farm income, credit use, participation in
extension events and farmers knowledge about improved potato production package were
important variables which had positively and significantly influenced adoption and intensity
of adoption of improved potato production package. On the other hand, market distance
had shown negative and significant relationship with adoption and intensity of adoption of
improved potato production package. The overall finding of the study underlined the high
importance of institutional support in the areas of extension, credit service and market to
enhance adoption of improved potato production package. Therefore, policy and
development interventions should give emphasis to improvement of such institutional
support system so as to achieve wider adoption, increased productivity and income to
small scale farmer
