ADOPTION, ECO-EFFICIENCY AND IMPACT OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION PRACTICES ON FARM PRODUCTIVITY AND COMMERCIALIZATION AMONG SMALLHOLDER VEGETABLE PRODUCERS IN EAST HARARGHE,

Agriculture remains the leading sector for economic development in Ethiopia. Recently, there has been a shift toward sustainable agricultural intensification practices and investigating eco-efficiency at the farm level, which promotes economic development, environmental improvements, and sustainable developments simultaneously. Within this framework, this study was meant to investigate the adoption, eco-efficiency and impacts of sustainable agricultural intensification practices (SAIPs) on farm productivity and commercialization of smallholder vegetable producers in East Hararghe, Oromia region, Ethiopia. A multistage sampling method was used to randomly select 383 sample households from three districts and nine kebeles from East Hararghe zone. The study employed descriptive statistics and econometric models viz. Multivariate probit, DEA, Tobit and Multinomial endogenous switching regression. The result of multivariate probit model demonstrated that the adoption of SAIPs is positively and significantly influenced by household size, social participation, education, extension services and access to training; and negatively and significantly by age and access to media. On the other hand, the result of the multivariate probit model regarding the significance and sign of correlation coefficient of the selected SAIPs discovered that all of the three pair cases were statistically significant. Of the three pair cases, only one case was negative and the remaining two were positive indicating the existence of both complimentary and substitutability relationships between SAIPs. The results of DEA model revealed that the mean eco-efficiency score of the sample households was 0.75 with maximum and minimum scores of 1 and 0.43 respectively. The result of the Tobit model pointed out that age, education, training and adoption of SAIPs positively and significantly influence eco efficiency scores of the farm while farm size, farm income and leadership status negatively and significantly influence eco-efficiency scores of the farm. The result of the multinomial endogenous switching regression model revealed that adoption of SAIPs enhance farm productivity and level of commercialization both solely and jointly except joint adoption of conservation tillage and organic fertilizer. Hence, due emphasis should be given to promote adoption of SAIPs, ensure access to extension service and introduce inclusive approach of educating and training farmers so as to contribute for the improvement of both economic and environmental performance simultaneously