article · Cogent Economics & Finance
Modernising agriculture through technology adoption is considered essential for rural development and poverty reduction. An assessment of 796 farming households across four districts in the North Shoa zone of Ethiopia examines the factors shaping the uptake of improved seeds, chemical fertilisers, and irrigation. Uptake is significantly higher among farmers who are older, have more schooling, manage larger farms, own more livestock, and interact frequently with agricultural extension services. Households with access to credit, involvement in non-farm income generation, and membership in local social groups are also more likely to use these inputs. Furthermore, male-headed households show higher adoption rates than female-headed households, whereas greater distances to local markets reduce adoption. The findings highlight that raising awareness through community groups and extension services, alongside expanding credit access, supports the uptake of key agricultural technologies.
Efforts to improve agricultural productivity rely heavily on smallholder farmers adopting modern inputs such as irrigation and certified seeds. Understanding the practical, financial, and demographic barriers that prevent adoption, including gender disparities and market isolation, helps development organisations, policymakers, and financial institutions design targeted support programmes and credit mechanisms that reach underserved farming communities.
Agribusiness input providers, distributor networks, and rural microfinance institutions can use these insights to tailor marketing and distribution models for improved seeds, fertilisers, and irrigation equipment. As an applied socio-economic field assessment, the findings are immediately usable by commercial suppliers and lenders seeking to expand rural customer bases, partner with farmer groups, and address adoption barriers such as access to credit and market distance.
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Laying the ground for the agricultural sector to derive development is critical and urgent in relieving majority of the poor out of poverty trap. This in turn calls the modernization of the agriculture sector through agricultural technology adoption. The major objective of the study is to assess the perception and determinants of agricultural technology adoption in North Shoa zone, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. Data were collected from 796 farming households from four districts namely, Angolela Tera, Menz Gera, Minijar Shenkora and Moretna Jiru. For analysis purpose, t-test and binomial logistic model was employed. The result indicates that the likelihood of adopting improved seed, chemical fertilizer and irrigation is higher among households with higher age, greater years of schooling, large farm size, large livestock ownership and many extension contacts. Additionally, the likelihood of adopting these agricultural technologies is higher for household participating in non-farm income generating activities, having membership status in various social group and having access to credit. The likelihood of adopting the prevailing agricultural technologies also found higher for male- headed households as compared to female-headed ones. Distance to the nearest market also negatively and significantly affects the decision to adopt various agricultural technologies. The study suggested that the awareness of farmers concerning the available agricultural technologies should be raised through membership of different social group and frequent extension contact. On the other, promoting farmers to participate in off-farm income generation activities and creating access to credit service can reduce the financial constraint in purchasing and possessing new agricultural technologies.
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DOI: 10.1080/23322039.2021.1956774
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