ADOPTION OF IMPROVED ENSET FARMING AND ITS IMPACT ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN KOFELE WOREDA WEST ARSI ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Adoption of improved enset farming are playing vital role in improving household food security in Ethiopia. This study’s major aim was to analyze the adoption of improved enset farming and its impact on the household food security in Kofele Woreda of West Arsi Zone. The data was collected from Kofele Woreda of West Arsi Zone, in Oromia 2022. The survey consists of 300 sampled enset growers out of whom 140 were improved enset farming adopters and 160 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 enset farming 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 enset farming. However, the age of the household head negatively and significantly influences the adoption of improved enset farming. 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 enset farming, 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 enset farming respectively. Moreover, the results obtained from the endogenous treatment effect model indicated that the adoption of improved enset farming 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 enset farming in the area.