Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia

The adoption of modern agricultural technologies in Ethiopia’s dairy production system remains underutilized and under-researched yet it is a promising sector to aid in reducing poverty, improving the food security situation and the welfare of rural households, and in ensuring environmental sustaina...

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Main Authors: Lilian Korir, Louise Manning, Henrietta L. Moore, Johanna F. Lindahl, Gizachew Gemechu, Adane Mihret, Stefan Berg, James L. N. Wood, Ndungu S. Nyokabi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1070349/full
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author Lilian Korir
Louise Manning
Henrietta L. Moore
Johanna F. Lindahl
Gizachew Gemechu
Adane Mihret
Stefan Berg
James L. N. Wood
Ndungu S. Nyokabi
author_facet Lilian Korir
Louise Manning
Henrietta L. Moore
Johanna F. Lindahl
Gizachew Gemechu
Adane Mihret
Stefan Berg
James L. N. Wood
Ndungu S. Nyokabi
author_sort Lilian Korir
collection DOAJ
description The adoption of modern agricultural technologies in Ethiopia’s dairy production system remains underutilized and under-researched yet it is a promising sector to aid in reducing poverty, improving the food security situation and the welfare of rural households, and in ensuring environmental sustainability. This paper uses the Negative Binomial regression model to examine determinants of multiple agricultural technology adoption in the Addis Ababa and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. Data was collected from 159 smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa and Oromia regions exploring 19 technologies used by the farmers during the study period. The findings show that farm location and herd size impact adoption decisions. Increasing herd size is associated with increased uptake of multiple technologies. Further, as farmer education level increases the more likely farmers are to adopt multiple technologies. The increase in the number of female workers is positively associated with the adoption of multiple dairy technologies. In terms of farmers’/workers’ years of experience, those with no years of work experience are less likely to have adopted multiple technologies than those with more than 5 years of experience. However, this could be due to a number of factors where experience stands as a proxy value. Trust in information from government agencies was associated with a higher propensity to adopt multiple dairy technology as was farmer perception of fellow farmers as peers compared to those who perceive them as competitors. This is an important finding as it may help policymakers or institutions explore knowledge exchange and diffusion of innovation strategies tailored to specific farming and community situations. Studies have shown that farmers within a social group learn from each other more fully about the benefits and usage of new technology. These findings are of value in future technology adoption studies, particularly which factors influence the intensity of adoption of multiple technologies by smallscale producers.
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spelling doaj.art-070b4bcf438b4c2590825a2f792ec9a52023-05-12T06:22:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2023-05-01710.3389/fsufs.2023.10703491070349Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in EthiopiaLilian Korir0Louise Manning1Henrietta L. Moore2Johanna F. Lindahl3Gizachew Gemechu4Adane Mihret5Stefan Berg6James L. N. Wood7Ndungu S. Nyokabi8Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United KingdomLincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United KingdomInstitute for Global Prosperity, University College London, London, United KingdomInternational Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, KenyaArmauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa, EthiopiaArmauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa, EthiopiaBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, GermanyDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomInstitute for Global Prosperity, University College London, London, United KingdomThe adoption of modern agricultural technologies in Ethiopia’s dairy production system remains underutilized and under-researched yet it is a promising sector to aid in reducing poverty, improving the food security situation and the welfare of rural households, and in ensuring environmental sustainability. This paper uses the Negative Binomial regression model to examine determinants of multiple agricultural technology adoption in the Addis Ababa and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. Data was collected from 159 smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa and Oromia regions exploring 19 technologies used by the farmers during the study period. The findings show that farm location and herd size impact adoption decisions. Increasing herd size is associated with increased uptake of multiple technologies. Further, as farmer education level increases the more likely farmers are to adopt multiple technologies. The increase in the number of female workers is positively associated with the adoption of multiple dairy technologies. In terms of farmers’/workers’ years of experience, those with no years of work experience are less likely to have adopted multiple technologies than those with more than 5 years of experience. However, this could be due to a number of factors where experience stands as a proxy value. Trust in information from government agencies was associated with a higher propensity to adopt multiple dairy technology as was farmer perception of fellow farmers as peers compared to those who perceive them as competitors. This is an important finding as it may help policymakers or institutions explore knowledge exchange and diffusion of innovation strategies tailored to specific farming and community situations. Studies have shown that farmers within a social group learn from each other more fully about the benefits and usage of new technology. These findings are of value in future technology adoption studies, particularly which factors influence the intensity of adoption of multiple technologies by smallscale producers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1070349/fullmilk hygieneanimal healthfood safetybiosecurity measures/adoptionconstraintsdairy technologies
spellingShingle Lilian Korir
Louise Manning
Henrietta L. Moore
Johanna F. Lindahl
Gizachew Gemechu
Adane Mihret
Stefan Berg
James L. N. Wood
Ndungu S. Nyokabi
Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
milk hygiene
animal health
food safety
biosecurity measures/adoption
constraints
dairy technologies
title Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia
title_full Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia
title_fullStr Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia
title_short Adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia
title_sort adoption of dairy technologies in smallholder dairy farms in ethiopia
topic milk hygiene
animal health
food safety
biosecurity measures/adoption
constraints
dairy technologies
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1070349/full
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