Adoption and Ex-post Impact of Agricultural Technologies on Rural Poverty: Evidence from Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examines the impacts of multiple agricultural technology adoption on poverty in rural Amhara region, Ethiopia. The study is based on Ethiopian socio economic survey of 2015/16. A total of 656 farm households were included. The study employed Multinomial Logit model to identify the determinants of adoption and Multinomial Endogenous Switching Models to measure the effect of adoption on poverty. The results revealed that educational level of the household head, family size, off-farm participation, livestock, extension visit, credit access, advisory service, plot distance, distance from market, distance from zonal town, and remittances are the major determinants of agricultural technology adoption decisions. The impact results revealed that adoption of multiple technologies increases consumption expenditure significantly, thereby reduces poverty. Moreover, adoption in package provides higher consumption than in isolation. Therefore, the study suggests that policies that promote wider adoption of alternative agricultural technologies at the regional and country level help to reduce poverty.