Factors Affecting Productivity of Smallholder Potato Growers in Bore District, Guji Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Agricultural production of the Ethiopia is mostly dominated by smallholders. But due to various chronic constraints the productivity of smallholders are low. Seven kebeles were randomly selected. Based on proportion to the number of potato producers in the selected kebeles, 192 sample size was used. Questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion were employed to collect primary data while secondary data were collected from different sources including reports and internet. The collected data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The mean of productivity of potato was 109.95 qt/ha. The results of Ordinary Least Square showed that sex, improved variety, fertilizer, education level, experience, access to extension, harvesting time, soil conservation, nature of access to land, access to market and access to irrigation schemes affect productivity of smallholder potato growers. To improve the productivity of smallholder potato growers’ provision of improved seed, use of fertilizers and chemicals as recommendation should be used by the smallholders. In addition, the smallholders should conserve their soil and harvest potato as soon as it matured. Furthermore, legal rules that sustain agreement on share and contract land use, developing market access by agricultural cooperatives and mobilizing smallholders to form groups should be encouraged to bring reliable market access for smallholders’ product.

Keywords: Potato, Bore, Smallholder, Productivity, Ordinary Least Square.