Due to capital constraints and land scarcity in developing countries, introducing new technology to boost productivity is difficult. As a result, working to improve cassava production efficiency is the best option available. Cassava is increasingly being used as a food source as well as an industrial raw material in the production of economic goods. This study estimates cassava production efficiency and investigates the causes of inefficiency in southern Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data from 158 households were collected using a systematic questionnaire. The Cobb-Douglas (CDs) stochastic frontier production model was used to calculate production efficiency levels. The computed mean result showed technical efficiency (TE), allocative efficiency (AE), and economic efficiency (EE) levels of 74, 90, and 66%, respectively. This demonstrated that existing farm resources could increase average production efficiency by 26, 10, and 34%, respectively. The study found that land size, urea fertilizer application, and cassava planting cut all had a positive and significant effect on cassava production. It was discovered that TE was more important than AE as a source of benefit for EE. Inefficiency effects modeled using the two-limit Tobit model revealed that household head age, level of education, cassava variety, extension contact, rural credit, off-farm activities involvement to generate income, and farm size were the most important factors for improving TE, AE, and EE efficiencies. As a result, policymakers in government should consider these factors when addressing inefficiencies in cassava production. It is especially important to provide appropriate agricultural knowledge through short-term training, to provide farmers with access to formal education, to access improved cassava varieties, and to support agricultural extension services.

The policies in Ethiopia to advance the commercial orientation of farmers need identification of challenges at farmer level and exhaustive actions to shift the farm sector. Further activities have to be done to change the country's present subsistence-oriented farm production system of different crops. The research has aimed at investigating factors determining the Moringa commercialization in southern Ethiopia. The cross-sectional survey method was used to identify 232 Moringa producing smallholder farmers from Wolaita and Gamo zones. Heckman's two-step sample selection model is adopted to find factors determining the probability of Moringa market participation and the intensity of participation. The study result revealed that the likelihood of the Moringa output market participation is influenced by the variables such as location, access to irrigation, and distance to market. On the other hand family size, per capita income, frequency of extension contact, access to irrigation, access to credit, and distance to market are among significantly influencing factors of the extent of Moringa marketing. Therefore, policy agents should mainly consider these variables on any development activities to improve Moringa marketing. Furthermore, it requires improving extension services and offering immediate practical training on techniques of market-oriented and value-added Moringa production and marketing systems.

The Agricultural policies in Ethiopia to improve the commercial orientation of farmers require identification of challenges at farmer level and in-depth action to shift the sector. It needs more works to be done to transform the country's current subsistence oriented production system of smallholder farmers. Considering this fact, the current study aimed to identify the factors affecting the degree of agricultural commercialization of smallholder farm outputs in the Offa district of Ethiopia. Primary data was collected from 120 randomly selected households using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to describe the output market participation and difference. Furthermore, the Tobit econometric model was used to find determinants of the degree of agricultural commercialization of smallholder farms. A total of 11 explanatory variables were considered in the regression. Total cultivated land size, education, household head age, and access to transport were found significantly determining the intensity of farm output side commercialization. Concerning development authorities should focus on these variables in design, promotion, and implementation of policies and programs to increase rural household participation in commercialization and to secure its benefits in the area.

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Moringa has been becoming among vastly growing and trading commodities in different parts of Ethiopia for its multiple benefits. However, empirical researches analyzing its productivity at smallholder farmer level were missing. This study aimed to fill the existing gap with a cross-sectional survey study on sampled 117 Moringa producer farmers from southern Ethiopia. The Stochastic Frontier Model was used to estimate the level and factors determining the technical efficiency of Moringa production. The collected data fitted Cobb-Douglas production function with inputs, labor and the numbers of trees positively and significantly determined the output of Moringa. An estimated level of efficiency shows farmers have the possibility to increase Moringa output by 47.81% with existing inputs and technology. The land, off-farm activities, access to road, credit, and irrigation were significant factors affecting the technical efficiency of Moringa. It requires policies and development actions to perform on mechanisms to advance the production of Moringa. Hence, any development direction to enhance Moringa production should consider households with limited access to land and irrigation. Furthermore, the development of road infrastructure is required to increase agricultural productivity. In sum, modern credit institutions, as well as facilities, found essential to improve the livelihood of Moringa producers in the area.