Abstract: Increasing technical efficiency in production of major cereal crops could play an important role towards food security while escaping poverty requires rural households have to graduate from purely subsistence farming to a semi-commercial status and increase their farm income. This study was undertaken to compare profitability of teff, wheat, and maize and assess technical efficiency involved in their production by smallholder farmers and identify determinant factors. Cross-sectiona...
Abstract: Chronic food insecurity is one of the main problems which affected millions of Ethiopians for centuries. In 2005, to solve the problem of food insecurity and move away from the previous system of annual emergency appeals, the Ethiopian government in collaboration with development partners launched social protection program called productive safety net program. This study was conducted to identify factors affecting participation in productive safety net program and to evaluate its i...
Abstract: Despite, increasing the agricultural sector's productivity is seen as the main path out of poverty in the country; Ethiopia has not yet realized its full agricultural potential as farming practices are still subsistence-oriented. In this regard, Cluster Farming (CF) is practiced more recently as an effort to transform subsistence farming. However, little is known about CF in the study areas. To this end, this study aimed at identifying the determinants of cluster farming participat...
Abstract: Despite the designed policy strategies for boosting agricultural productivity, the production and productivity was remained very low in Ethiopia. A key theme and policy priority for increasing farm productivity is addressing smallholder farmers' limited and variable crop yields in line with their productive capacity. Therefore, this study was developed to identify the technical efficiency level, assessing factors affecting the adoption of improved wheat varieties and its impact on ...
Abstract: Trypanosomiasis is a significant productivity-limiting livestock disease in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to poverty and food insecurity. In this paper, we estimate the potential economic gains from adopting Waterbuck Repellent Blend (WRB). The WRB is a new technology that pushes trypanosomiasis-transmitting tsetse fly away from animals, improving animals’ health and increasing meat and milk productivity. We estimate the benefits of WRB on the production of meat and milk using...
Abstract: The existing literature acknowledges the benefits of beekeeping as a livelihood diversification strategy and income source for farmers across the world. However, the impact of beekeeping on income at household level has rarely been quantified. Furthermore, the few existing studies provide conflicting evidence and the methods quantifying the impact of participating in beekeeping are not rigorous. In this study, we identify key determinants of such participation and quantify the impa...
Abstract: In Kenya, thrips inflict nearly 60-80% and 80% yield loss in French bean and tomato, respectively. Management of thrips in horticulture is currently based on application of pesticides. In addition to increased environmental risks associated with pesticides, frequent use of these chemicals substantially increase production costs and pesticide resistance. Further, exports are limited due to non-compliance to Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in important consumer export countries especia...
Abstract: Beekeeping is an important activity that helps rural communities to raise additional income to improve their livelihoods. Often, among rural beekeeping households, it has been widely adopted as an income diversification strategy. In addition, it is a sustainable form of agriculture beneficial to the environment. An intervention conducted by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), introduced modern hives such as the Langstroth and the stingless beehive thr...
Abstract: Poultry production in Kenya is faced by a major hindrance of feed deficiency, especially protein source. This has resulted in less supply of poultry products which does not match the current growing consumer demand for poultry meat. The growing demand owes to consumer preferences switch from red meat to white meat, population growth and urbanization among other factors. Different protein sources used in poultry production in Kenya include fish fillets and soya which compete with hu...
Abstract: Mango (Mangifera indica) has been recognized as a fruit of economic and nutritional importance to Kenyan large and small scalefarmers. Production and marketing of this fruit is however, severely hampered by fruit fly infestation which causes enormous fruit losses and reduces access to export market due to quarantine restrictions imposed by importing countries.Control of this pest has been primarily dependent on chemical pesticide application, a strategy that has been shown to be in...
Abstract: The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) has recently developed and disseminated an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy for suppression of mango fruit flies among mango growing communities in Africa. Although the economic benefits of the fruit fly IPM strategy on the primary target crop (mango) are clearly demonstrated, the potential gains of the strategy on non- mango fruits hosts of the invasive fruit fly species in the same farm within which the IP...
Abstract: Mango (Mangifera indica) is one of the leading tropical fruits grown in Kenya and is ranked third after banana and pineapples in terms of acreage and total production volume. However, production has fallen below consumption due in part to fruit fly (Bactrocera invadens) infestation. About 40 percent of annual mango production in Kenya estimated at US$ 32 million, is lost due to direct damage of fruit flies. In an effort to improve production, the International center for Insect Phy...
Abstract: Mango production is a major form of income generation for Kenyan large and small-scale farmers. However, it is confronted with the major threat of fruit fly infestation which causes reduction of quality and quantity of marketable fruit resulting to considerable produce losses. New and cheaper methods to reduce fruit fly infestation levels in mango production have been developed, but farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for them is not known. First, this study was conducted in Embu d...
Abstract: Improved technology increases agricultural productivity which translates to increased income from the farm. This escalates women loss of control to agricultural production and marketing due to persistent gender disparities in access to productive resources. The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) developed an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy for suppression of mango fruit flies among smallholder mango farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite t...