Background: Potato is one of the major staple crops in the Eastern and Central Africa sub-region. Its importance continues to rise due to increased urbanization and demand for potato is projected. This increase will definitely come with its share of challenges that need to be addressed. This study was aimed to measure the level of technical efficiency, yield loss due to inefficiency and identify the factors that influence the efficiency levels of potato producers' in Chilga District. Primary data were collected from 150 farmers selected using multistage sampling procedure and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a parametric stochastic frontier production function models. Results:The results of the study indicated that the minimum, maximum and average yields of potato production in the sample households were 1000, 36,000 and 13,108 kg/ha, respectively. The stochastic frontier and Cobb-Douglas functional form with a one-step approach was employed to analyze efficiency and factors affecting efficiency in potato production. The mean technical efficiency (TE) was found to be 46%, and about 17,782.43 kg of potato output per hectare was lost due to inefficiency factors implying there is a room for improvement in technical efficiency by 54% with the present technology. The Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) result revealed that DAP at 5% and Oxen, MDE and seed at 1% probability level significantly influencing potato production. The socio-economic variables that exercised important role for variations in technical efficiency positively were age and improved seed and nevertheless distance to market was found to increase inefficiency significantly among farm household.Conclusions: There is considerable difference in the efficiency level among plots. Hence if inputs are used to their maximum potential, there will be considerable gain from improvement in technical efficiency. The estimated SPF model together with the inefficiency parameters shows that age and improved seed variety were influenced by inefficiency negatively whereas distance to market increased the level of technical inefficiency.

Background: Growing and planting of Eucalypts tree at a farm level in the form of woodlot has become a common practice among Ethiopian rural households. Currently, Ethiopian smallholder farmers mainly establish Eucalypts woodlot as a part of livelihood portfolio for meeting both household wood consumption and generating cash income. However, empirical evidence is lacking on the extent of households motivation in Eucalyptus woodlot production and factors influencing commercial values of its products. Consequently, this study investigated the factors influencing commercial value of Eucalyptus woodlot products in Wogera district.Methods: Primary data were collected from 120 randomly selected Eucalyptus producer households through pretested questionnaires. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to determine the significant variables affecting commercial values of Eucalyptus products in the study area. Results:The result of the study revealed that different types of local Eucalyptus woodlot products such as pole, worage, mager, split wood and bundle of firewood were produced and used both for households' consumption and commercial purpose. Moreover, the OLS model result indicated that age (p < 0.1), wealth status (p < 0.1) and woodlot size of households (p < 0.01) positively and significantly determine the commercial value of Eucalyptus woodlot products. While, access to credit service and experience are significant but with negative influence on the commercial values of woodlot products at 5% levels of significance. Conclusion:Generally, production and marketing of Eucalyptus wood products play a significant poverty alleviation role as a source of regular income, local medicine, firewood, fence and construction materials in turn improving the livelihoods of the rural community in Ethiopia. Based on the findings, providing capacity-building training to strength producer's credit usage on Eucalyptus Woodlot production system should be advisable. Moreover, the stakeholder should establish wood industry to enhance the income generation capacity of Eucalyptus for producers and traders. Finally, to reduce the conflict between crop producers and Eucalyptus producers, cluster planting are advisable. which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Onions are a significant source of revenue and food security for households. Despite their importance in human nutrition, economic benefit, and area coverage, in Ethiopia, onion productivity is significantly lower than it should be. The purpose of this study is to address this gap by examining efficiency variations and determining the variables that affect onion farmers’ levels of efficiency in the North Gondar Zone of Ethiopia. The sources of data were both primary and secondary. 205 onion farmers from the Gondar Zuria, Takusa, and Dembia districts were chosen using simple random sampling proportional to sample size. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather primary data from these participants. A Cobb-Douglass production function, a single-stage stochastic frontier model, and descriptive statistics were used to investigate the technical efficiency of onion production at the farm level. The mean technical efficiency of an irrigated onion was 53%, according to the maximum likelihood estimates of the stochastic frontier analysis. By enhancing agricultural methods using current technology, it is possible to raise the average production efficiency of irrigated onions. The stochastic frontier model’s maximum likelihood estimates revealed that plot size, Di Ammonium Phosphate, and oxen have a significant effect on onion output; education, livestock holding, experience, and frequency of watering have a positive and significant effect on technical efficiency, whereas family size and marketing training have a negative and significant effect on technical efficiency. Therefore, the government or any relevant bodies should deliver continual scheduled training and an integrated adult education at the existing farmers’ training center; modern livestock production techniques; further groundwater resources and proper watering technologies should be used since currently farmers use an inefficient irrigation system, specifically furrow irrigation.

Red pepper is the world's second important vegetable ranking after tomatoes. It is the most common spice type which is produced for both commercial and consumption purposes due to its great role in flavoring, food coloring and source of vitamins and minerals. It is also an important cash crop for households and 68% production is for commercial purpose in Amhara region of Ethiopia. However, empirical evidence is lacking on market chain of red pepper in northwest Ethiopia. Therefore, this research was attempted to analyze the market chain of red pepper and the factors that determine the supply of red pepper to the market. Primary data were collected through a semi-structured interview's schedule administered on 385 red pepper producers and 47 traders selected using simple random sampling technique. Moreover, the survey was supplemented by using secondary data, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Furthermore, combinations of data analysis methods such as the descriptive and econometrics model were used for data analysis. The producers' survey result revealed that 92.47% of red pepper output was supplied to the market. Moreover, the main receivers of red pepper output were district wholesalers, district retailers and district assemblers (collectors) who possess 60.2%, 13.25% and 10.25%, respectively. This implies that district wholesalers took the lion share across the red pepper market channels. The remaining amount were traded by rural retailer and district urban wholesalers (about 12.12%). Furthermore, the multiple linear regression model result revealed that various policy-relevant variables such as access to extension (p < 0.1), yield (p < 0.01), experience (p < 0.1), off-farm income (p < 0.05) and market price (p < 0.01) influenced the marketable supply of red pepper significantly. Generally, red pepper is one of the most important spice which is mainly produced for commercial purpose yet various production and marketing constraints negatively influenced. Therefore, spice producers, development agents, agricultural experts, research institutions, the Ethiopian government and partner organizations should give special attention for extension service, introducing productive and disease-resistant pepper varieties and infrastructure development to enhance the production and commercial value of red pepper at national and international levels.

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