Amanuel Afeto,
Ashenafi Abreham,
Abstract
In a developing country like Ethiopia, agriculture plays an active role in determining the economic, social, and political systems of a society by forming the basis for every economic activity. Methods: The objectives of this study were to identify and examine the major crop production systems and agricultural technology adoption in the Afalech Watershed, Shishonde District of Southwest Ethiopia. Results: The results of this study indicate that enset, coffee, maize, barley, sorghum, teff, wheat, common bean, faba bean, and fruit crops, including avocado and banana, were produced in the watershed, while enset, coffee, and maize are the majorly produced crops. The common agronomic management practices applied in the area were plowing, row, and broadcast planting methods, weeding, intercropping, crop rotation, and chemical fertilizer applications. In the 2022–2023 production year, a very small percentage of households used improved varieties and chemical fertilizers for crop production. The main reasons for not using improved varieties and fertilizers were the unaffordable price of seed and fertilizer, supply problems, the lower productivity differences, and the lack of awareness and information. Conclusion: Training, awareness creation, and demonstration of improved agricultural technology and timely inputs delivery by district agricultural offices are needed in the area.
Keywords: Adoption, Afalech Watershed, chemical fertilizer, improved variety, productivity
[This article belongs to Research & Reviews : Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology ]
Amanuel Afeto, Ashenafi Abreham. Assessment of Crop Production System and Agricultural Technology Adoption in Afalech Watershed, Shishonde District. Research & Reviews : Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 2025; 14(03):97-106.
Amanuel Afeto, Ashenafi Abreham. Assessment of Crop Production System and Agricultural Technology Adoption in Afalech Watershed, Shishonde District. Research & Reviews : Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 2025; 14(03):97-106. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjoast/article=2025/view=234798
References
1. Leykun D, Jemma H. Econometric analysis of factors affecting market participation of smallholder farming in Central Ethiopia. Munich Personal RePEc Archive. 2014. Available from: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/77024/
2. Ayele T, Goshme D, Tamiru H. Determinants of cereal crops commercialization among smallholder farmers in Guji Zone, Ethiopia. Cogent Food Agric. 2021;7(1):1–15.
3. Gerba L, Girma K, Veltmeyer K, Spies T, Hildebrand AK. Rhetorics and realities of participation: the Ethiopian agricultural extension system and its participatory turns. Crit Policy Stud. 2019;13(4):1–20.
4. Shita A, Kumar N, Singh S. Agricultural technology adoption and its determinants in Ethiopia: a review. Asia Pac J Res. 2018;1(XX):1–10.
5. Regasa G, Negash R, Eneyew A, Bane D. Smallholder market participation and its associated factors: evidence from Ethiopian vegetable producers. Cogent Food Agric. 2020;6(1):1–14.
6. Yamane T. Statistics: an introductory analysis. 2nd ed. New York: Harper and Row; 1976.
7. Afeto A, Tesfaye Y. Contribution of forest products to rural households’ income and factors determining forest income in Masha District of Sheka Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. Int J Agric Res Innov Technol. 2022;12(2):46–52. doi:10.3329/ijarit.v12i2.64084.
8. Afeto A, Kassa K, Belay T, Gebremchael A. Spice production and marketing in Kaffa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia. Int J Agric Res Innov Technol. 2023;13(2):22–30. doi:10.3329/ijarit.v13i2.70850.
9. Lema M, Mensa A, Hazo H, Markos S. Identification and prioritization of major constraints of crop productivity and production system: the case of Melokoza District, Southern Ethiopia. Int J Res Agric For. 2017;4(12):38–43.
10. Tadesse B, Tilahun Y, Bekele T, Mekonen G. Assessment of challenges of crop production and marketing in Bench-Sheko, Kaffa, Sheka, and West-Omo zones of southwest Ethiopia. Heliyon. 2021;7(XX):eXXXXX.
11. Tarekegn K, Mogiso M. Assessment of improved crop seed utilization status in selected districts of Southwestern Ethiopia. Cogent Food Agric. 2020;6(1):1816252. doi:10.1080/23311932.2020.1816252.
12. Bekele W. Analysis of production, yield, and cultivation area trends in major cereal crops in Ethiopia. Agric For Fish. 2021;10(4):123–126. doi:10.11648/j.aff.20211004.11.
13. Kifle T, Tolossa D, Shibru A, Alemu D. Determinants of adoption of improved varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum), teff (Eragrostis teff), and maize (Zea mays L.) in Central Ethiopia. J Agric Ext. 2023;27(2):1–14. doi:10.4314/jae.v27i2.1.
14. Beshir H, Emana B, Kassa B, Haji J. Determinants of chemical fertilizer technology adoption in north-eastern highlands of Ethiopia: the double hurdle approach. J Res Econ Int Financ. 2012;1(2):39–49.
15. Birhanu A, Kalkidan Y, Alelign A. Determinants of inorganic fertilizer adoption: the case of smallholder farmers in Gimbo District, South West Region, Ethiopia. J Econ Sustain Dev. 2023;13(5):1–10.
16. Diro S, Erko B. Impacts of adoption of improved coffee varieties on farmers’ coffee yield and income in Jimma Zone. Agri Res Tech Open Access J. 2019;21(4):556169. doi:10.19080/ARTOAJ.2019.21.556169.
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 03 |
| Received | 22/09/2025 |
| Accepted | 18/12/2025 |
| Published | 26/12/2025 |
| Publication Time | 95 Days |
Login
PlumX Metrics