The economic determinants of cereal crop diversity on farms in the Ethiopian highlands

Abstract

In less favoured areas such as the highlands of Ethiopia, farmers manage risk through land allocation to crops and varieties since they cannot depend on market mechanisms to cope. They also grow traditional varieties that are genetically diverse and have potential social value. Supporting the maintenance of crop and variety diversity in such locations can address both the current needs of farmers and future needs of society, though it entails numerous policy challenges. We estimate a model of crop and variety choice in a theoretical framework of the farm household model to compare the determinants of crop and variety diversity, revealing some of these policy considerations. Farm physical features and household characteristics such as wealth and labour stocks have large and significant effects on both the diversity among and within cereal crops, varying among crops. Policies designed to encourage variety diversity in one cereal crop may have opposing effects in another crop. Trade‐offs between development‐related factors and diversity in this resource‐poor system are not evident, however. Market‐related variables and population density have ambiguous effects. Education positively influences cereal crop diversity. Growing modern varieties of maize or wheat does not detract from the richness or evenness of these cereals on household farms.

Farmers' perception of coconut mite damage and crop diversification alternatives in the coastal belt of Tanzania

“…Similarly, households with larger land size are associated with greater crop diversity (P ≥ 0.001). These findings are also similar to those of Benin et al (2004) who concluded that larger farm sizes are associated with greater diversity within cereal crops. The coefficient for non-farm income is also significant (P ≥ 0.001) but negative, implying that a unit increase in non-farm income decreases the degree of multiple cropping patterns.…”

Spatial variation in biodiversity, soil degradation and productivity in agricultural landscapes in the highlands of Tigray, northern Ethiopia

“…Lack of access to markets forces these farmers to adopt subsistence strategies which rely on sustained maintenance of internal resources by highly diversified systems. Similar results were found in other studies: in Mexico (Van Dusen 2000), in Ethiopia (Benin et al 2003) and at various locations in the Andes (Brush et al 1992).…”

“…(Di Falco et al 2007;Kebebew et al 2001), finger millet (Eleusine coracana) (Tsehaye et al 2006), and tef (Eragrostis tef) (Assefa et al 2001). A notable exception to these descriptive studies in Ethiopia is a study by Benin et al (2003), which revealed determinants of cereal crop diversity. They found higher diversity on farms far from the nearest towns or markets, with higher livestock assets and higher education of family members.…”

Determinants of Food Crop Diversity and Profitability in Southeastern Nigeria: A Multivariate Tobit Approach

“…Literature abounds with examination of factors influencing mainly adoption of modern technology in crop production at the farm level usually focusing on single crop only [24,25], although in reality farmers produce multiple crops [26][27][28]. In this study, we aim at identifying farmers' decision to diversify into multiple food crop production vis-à-vis profits generated therefrom.…”