ADOPTION OF IMPROVED WHEAT VARIETIES AND ITS IMPACT ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN LEMO DISTRICT OF HADIYA ZONE, SOUTHERN NATION NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLE REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Adoption of improved wheat varieties are playing vital role in improving household food security in Ethiopia. This study’s major aim was to analyze the adoption of improved wheat varieties and its impact on the household food security in Lemo District of Hadiya Zone. The data was collected from Lemo Woreda of Hadiya Zone, SNNPR in 2022. The survey consists of 256 sampled wheat growers out of whom 119 were improved wheat variety adopters and 137 were non-adopters. In this study, a multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select rural Kebeles and households. The study used cross-sectional data collected from sample households. A probit model and an Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) model were employed to analyze the determinants of the adoption of improved wheat varieties and its impacts on household food security. Probit model results showed that the sex of the household head, education of the household head, land size, frequencies of extension visits, and membership to a cooperative had a significant and positive association with the adoption of improved wheat varieties. However, the age of the household head negatively and significantly influences the adoption of improved wheat varieties. The impact results obtained from ESR models indicated that food consumption score and household consumption expenditure decreased by 7.64 and 4251.32 ETB per year for adopters if they had decided not to adopt improved wheat varieties, respectively. On the other hand, nonadopters food consumption score and household consumption expenditure increased by 3.02 and 3495.39 ETB per year if they decided to adopt improved wheat varieties respectively. Moreover, the results obtained from the endogenous treatment effect model indicated that the adoption of improved wheat varieties generated a significantly positive impact on household food consumption score and food consumption expenditure. Accordingly, promoting farmers to membership of cooperatives, improving frequency of extension visits, creating reliable information and awareness about improved farm technology, and timely agricultural inputs supply will increase farmers’ decision to adopt improved wheat varieties in the area.