DETERMINANTS OF ROW PLANTING OF TEFF CROP PRODUCTION IN HULET EJU ENESEEAST GOJJAM ZONE, AMHAR REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The factors that affect Teff row planting practice in the area is not studied and documented. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate the determinants of Teff row planting practice, to examine the yield difference between row planting and broadcasting practice on Teffgrain production and to assess challenges and opportunities of Teff row planting practice. Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used and data were collected from 96 households. Three kebeles in the woreda namely: Debera Selam, Fiker Lehager, and Abiyotu Selam were selected purposively. Structured interview schedule, key informant interview, and focus group discussion were used to collect the data. The data were checked for completeness, coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS version 16. Descriptive and inferential statistical technique such as chis-quare test and t-test were also used. Moreover, binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinants of Teff row planting practice. The result reveals that 36.46percent of the respondents implemented the Teff row planting practice in study area, household labor, land size, participation in training, sex of household head and accesses to credit service were found to have positive and significant effect on the Teff row planting practice at 5% significance level in addition to these educational status of the household head have positivesignificant effects on the practice of Teff row planting method at 10% significance level but age of the respondents had negative and significant effect on the Teff row planting practice at 5% significance level. The study also revealed that there was a significant yield difference between row planter and broadcasting planter. Therefore, the Woreda office of agriculture in collaboration with other stakeholders should work intensively to improve Teff row planting practice by the farmers in the study area.