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Factors affecting agricultural productivity in Doba woreda, Oromia national

regional state, Ethiopia

Article in Archives of Business Research · October 2020

DOI: 10.14738/abr.810.9180

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Review Article International Journal of
Volume 9:5, 2020
DOI: 10.37421/ijems.2020.9.577 Economics and Management Science
ISSN: 2162-6359 Open Access

Factors Affecting Agricultural Productivity in Doba

Woreda, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia

Getaye Gizaw*
Principal investigator, Oda Bultum University, Ethiopia

Abstract
This Research was conducted to examine the determinant of agricultural productivity in Doba woreda. The objective of the study was to identify the major determinants
of agricultural productivity in the study area. In order to achieve this objective, the study used both primary and secondary source of data. The primary data was collected
through questionnaires and interviews. The secondary data was collected from agricultural office of the woreda and from other documents. The sampling technique was
random sampling method with sample size of 100 respondents. The collected data was analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistics. The majority farmers of the
woreda live with large family size, small and fragmented land, large number of illiteracies, use traditional method of farming, and low female participation in the agricultural
activities which lead agricultural productivity low. To avoid such problems, the woreda administration should be provide subsidy, credit with low interest rate, give training to
illiterate to the farmers and also appreciate to use irrigation to avoid rainfall uncertainty.
Keywords: Agriculture • Determinant and productivity

Introduction considerable food insecurity. As a result, increasing agricultural productivity is

the key factor to reduce poverty [2]. In Ethiopia improvement in agricultural
sector require a more efficient use of rural resource such as land; labor and
Agriculture is the world most important sector. It provides with all our food, raw
capital since the resources are major input of production.
material for most of agro based industries and create important opportunity
to large population of developing countries. As one of developing countries Statement of the problem
in the world Ethiopian agriculture sector accounts for about 43 percent of
national gross demotic product (GDP), 90 precent of export and 86perent of In sub-Saharan African countries like Ethiopia, where the small-scale farming
employment (ADB, 2016). The role of agriculture in economic development dominates, the overall national economy agricultural production and productivity
has been viewed as a passive and supportive. Based on historical experience is very poor. The agriculture of the economy is characterized by limited use
of western countries, economic development was seen as requiring a rapid of improved input and back ward agricultural activity. The sector has been
structural transformation of the economy from one predominantly focused declining at the rate of 1.2% per annual, [3]. For the last 42 year in Ethiopia
on agricultural activities to a more complex modern industrial and service majority of people live in rural areas, we need no further evidence than the over
society. As a result, agriculture’s primary role was to provide sufficient low- worsening poverty situation of the rural population realizing on poor agricultural
productivity. Even worse as size of countries population increase per capital
price food and man power to the expanding industrial economy which was
income gained from the agricultural sector has been declining consequently the
thought to be the dynamic leader sector in any overall strategy of economic
level of income is low and failed to meet the food demand of the over growing
development [1]. Agriculture has been the dominant sector of the Ethiopian
population [3]. Parminder and Amarjeet (2015) attempted to investigate
since its independence. It is still contributing about 41.4 percent to GDP and
growth rates of TFP and technical efficiency in agriculture sector for the Indian
employing 70 percent of the total employment. It also provides raw material
economy using time series data between 1971 to 2014. The variables used in
to industry and contributes to the country’s exports. Agriculture sector is also the study were value of output, value of machines, value of labor and value of
a large market for the industrial products such as fertilizer, pesticide, tractors fertilizer used in the sector. They used data envelopment analysis to compute
and agricultural equipment. Major crops of the agriculture are wheat, sorghum, the results. They found that growth in productivity is negative for Indian
cotton, sugarcane, and rice. Agriculture sector of Ethiopian may be divided economy and productivity growth of the economy was mere due to growth in
into four subsectors comprising major crops, fisheries, forestry and livestock. inputs in agriculture sector. They also concluded that the change in efficiency
Comprising major crops is the most important subsector of the agriculture. was insignificant. The majority of Doba woreda population resides in the rural
According to the Ethiopian Economic Survey 2014-15, li comprising major crops areas and are engaged in some forms of agricultural production. Particularly,
contributes 41.8 percent in the GDP of Ethiopian. Crops and livestock constitute the development of agricultural productivity in Doba woredas is influenced by;
the large part (Ethiopian Economic Survey 2014-2015). Despite its importance, traditional method of farming with little change in farming practice in this woreda,
the performance of agricultural sector in Ethiopia has been unsatisfactory depletion of soil fertility, lack of modern input, environmental and infrastructural
compared to the rapid population growth, for instance, the average growth rate constrains lack or insufficiency of expertise in promoting agricultural policy
of agriculture during the year 1974-1991 (Dergue) was 2%which is lower than and land use planning, agricultural causes and surveys. this study will identify
of population growth 3%. Similarly the average growth rate of agricultural sector the determinant of agricultural out-put in Doba woreda. Since no study was
was 2.27% between 1982-1996 in agricultural sector leads the country to have undertaken previously regarding the determinant of agricultural productivity in
Doba woreda. Even though there were many studies which are similar to these
*Address for Correspondence: Getaye Gizaw, Principal investigator, Oda Bultum studies which were undertaken as a whole of Oromia region as well as other
University, Ethiopia, Email: [email protected] woredas of the region no study has been conducted in Doba woreda so far. So,
the contribution of this study is identified more about; the determinant of the
Copyright: © 2020 Gizaw G. This is an open-access article distributed under the agricultural productivity of the farmer in the study area Figure 1.
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author
and source are credited. Research Methodology
Received 01 October 2020; Accepted 05 October 2020; Published 12 October
2020 The study was carried out in Doba woreda. Doba is one of the woredas found
Gizaw G. Int J Econ Manag Sci, Volume 9:5, 2020

Productivity
measurements

Cost function base Production function base

Single Factor Productivity or PFP Multifactor Productive or TFP

measurements measurement

Gross productivity value-based

Value added or sale-based capital-labor capital, Labor etc multifactor
multifactor production measurement production measurement

Figure 1: Productivity measurement methods.

in West Hararghe in Oromia region of Ethiopia. It is part of the Lixaa (West)
Hararghe zone. Doba is bordered on the south by Chiro, on the north by the
Goro Gutu the west by Miesso and on the east by Tullo woreda. Based on
the2008 national census conducted by the central statically agency of Ethiopia,
this woreda has a total population of 271,018 of whom 138,282 are men and
132,736 were women;50,032 or 8.46% of its population were urban dwellers.
The major economic activities of this woreda is both crop and livestock
production. The crop produce in the woreda are, sorghum, maize, chat and
other cereals and the major livestock are cattle, Camels, donkeys, goat and
sheep and etc. To achieve the objective of the study, the researcher was used
both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected from randomly
selected respondents through distributing questionnaires and interviewing. The
questionnaire had been including both close ended and open-ended questions
so as to correct suggestions of respondents. The secondary data was collected
from different source such as book, internet and other published documents
related to the topic like agriculture and rural development office of the woreda. Pie chart 1: Sex Distribution of sample respondents.
To acquire the necessary data on the determinant of agricultural productivity
in Doba woreda, simple random sampling method had been used. By using a RESPONDENT
15-30
>65
simple random sampling, the researcher was selected three kebeles out of 44 6 4
5%
kebeles. Due to all kebeles in the woreda have similar agricultural activities 8%

the researcher had been selected only 3 kebeles as sample which namely
walqixumaaIbsa, lencowadesa and Tokkuummaa. The total number of farmers
in the 3 kebeles that was participated in agricultural activity was 5000 form this
total number of farmer 100 respondents was taken as a sample size of each
31-45
kebeles. the 3 kebeles were walqixumaaIbsa=1800; Lencowadesa=1750; 34
Tokkuummaa=1450. The researcher selects 30 from walqixumaaIbsa, 40 46-65 42%
36
from Lencowadesa and 30 from Tokkuummaa. The selection technique was 45%
proportional to their populations. After data was collected the information
and getting back the adequate number of responses, the collected data was
structured and tabulating with relative categories to made it manageable,
reliable and understandable then the data had been analyzed and interpreted
by using both qualitative and quantitative approach. Descriptive analysis Pie chart 2: Age distribution of respondents.
was used for data analysis purpose for this study. The result of the analysis
presented by using tables, pie charts, bar graph and percentages. the researcher is observing is that the majority of the society in the study
area have back ward attitude for women regarding to agriculture. Therefore,
because of these and other problems the agricultural productivity is very low
Data Analysis and Interpretation since, gender discrimination in the study area in terms of agricultural activity by
the societies. The pie chart 2 shows 36 (45%) of the respondent’s age range
General characteristics of the respondents from 46-65 years, 34 (42%) of respondent’s age ranges from 31-45 years
and 4 (5%) and 6 (8%) of the respondents age is between 15-30 and above
From the pie chart 1, 76 (76%) of the sample respondents were males and
65 years old, respectively. This implies that the majority of the respondents’
the remaining 24 (24%) of the sample respondents were females. This implied
age is between 46-65 years old. The age groups are mostly unproductive.
that female participation in agriculture production is very low. In the study men
Because of this, agricultural productivity of the respondents is very low. This
and women have a separate role to play a greater contribution is agriculture
means that between the age of 46-65 and above 65 years old people are
production. There is backward attitude behind the culture of the society in
not more participated day to day in their agricultural activities. Therefore, the
the study area. This make women to work long hours in home and decrease
agricultural out become very low. According to bar graph 1, this survey, most of
the time they spend in agricultural production. From this point of view, what
the respondents are illiterate and this has 54% of the respondents are grouped

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Gizaw G. Int J Econ Manag Sci, Volume 9:5, 2020

under illiterate, 20% of under writing and reading grouped, the remaining 14%, productivity of the study area is low. The Table 2 shows that most of sample
10% and 2% of the respondents are grouped under 1st - 4th, 5th-8th and 9th- respondents have their own land (farm land) which account 96% and the
10th grade respectively. This information implies that most respondents are rest of 4% have not own lands but the land is not sufficient for the farmers to
illiterate. As there are no education facilities in the area most of respondents in produce more output. And the second (tab two) shows the size of land. The
the locality are illiterate who is found in 46-65 years old. Because in the early majority of the (households) 37.5% have land size of 0.25 hectare, 29.2% of
time there was no such expand educational infrastructure in rural area. So this household (sample respondents) have Land size of 0.5 hectare, 16.7% of the
implies that the more illiterate, has an impact on agricultural production (or sample respondents have Land size above 1, 8.3% of the sample respondents
agricultural development) negatively and low agricultural productivity because have Land size of 0.75 and 1 hectare. 1and 0.75-hectare respondents
these farmers have no ability to use modern inputs, such as fertilizer, improve have very small land size. Because of the small and fragmented land, the
seeds, pesticides, improved tools (tractor) and have no to listen current of agriculture product of the society is low. The Table 3 indicates 70% of the
market and taking of other necessary things. The Table 1 shows 54% of the produce produced by using (ploughing) only oxen, 28% of the respondent’s
respondents have family size of 7-8, 18% of the respondents have family size plough by using both oxen and hand dug and 2% of the respondents produced
of 5-6, and 24% of 3-4 and 4% of the respondents have family size of 1-2. This by using hand dug and there are not uses mechanized tools. This implies that
implies that the majority of the sample respondents have family size of 7-8. the majority of the sample household uses traditional producing method. This
This implies the higher family size leads increasing population in the study area in turn leads to low agricultural productivity because the respondents are not
which exerts high pressure in the environment and affect in agricultural output. using mechanized farming tools hence unable to produce higher product with
Because the land size very small and constant but the family size is increasing less effort time and labor. The Table 4 shows 26% of the respondents used
and the agricultural product become low. The bar graph 2 shows the majority crop rotation and 74% of respondent not uses crop rotation. The majority
of respondents earn income between 400-1000 birr per year from agricultural of the sample population not uses crop rotation. Due to lack of awareness,
product which accounts 42%, 16% of the respondents have income earned lack of land that cannot suitable for crop rotation and so on. This leads to low
between 1001-1500, 8% have owned income from 1501-2000 birr, 24% of the agricultural output. The majority of (86%) of the responded have non user of
respondents earned 2001-2500 birr per year and the remaining 10% of the irrigation and very low (14%) of the responded have irrigation user. Irrigation is
respondents have earned above 2500 birr per year from agricultural product. the most important to increase agriculture productivity during shortage of rain
But the majority of the sample respondents have under lower income group. fall. But most responded have not use irrigation because of lack of awareness,
But more factors that affecting the agricultural outputs are shortage of rainfall, lack of land that cannot suitable for irrigation and so on. Therefore, because of
small size of land, improperly used of the land. Due to this the agricultural the absence of irrigation the agriculture productivity is low. table 5. The Table
6 indicated 54% of the respondents used improved seeds and 46% of the
Education distribution of respondents sample respondents none used improved seeds. But the amount of used in
60
quintal has very low ,81.5%of the sample respondents used 0.5-1 quintal of
54
improved seed per year, 18.5% of uses 2-3 quintal of improved seed and. The
50
Table 2: Land holding of respondent.
number of respondents

40
NO Do you have Number of Percentages (%)
30
land? respondents
20
20
14 1 Yes 96 96%
10
10 No 4 4%
2
Total 100 100%
0
illiterate writing and reading 1-4 grade 5-8 grade 9-10 grade 2 Size of land in hectares
level of education
0.25 36 37.5%
0.5 28 29.5%
Bar graph 1: Distribution of the sample respondents with respect to education 0.75 8 8.3%
level.
1 8 8.3%
Table 1: Family size of respondents.
Above 1 16 16.7%
Family Size Respondents Percentages (%) Total 96 100%
1-2 4 4%
3-4 24 24% Table 3: Indicates producing method in agricultural production by the sample
5-6 18 18% respondents.
7-8 54 54% Producing method Number of Percentages
Total 100 100% respondents
Mechanized 0 0%
Oxen 70 70%
Hand dug 2 2%
Both hand dug and oxen 28 28%
Total 100 100%

Table 4: Shows uses of crop rotation by the sample respondents their

agricultural activities.
Do you use crop Number of Percentages
rotation respondents
Yes 26 26%
No 74 74%
Bar graph 2: Annual income level of respondent. Total 100 100%

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Gizaw G. Int J Econ Manag Sci, Volume 9:5, 2020

majority of respondents use very low quintal. due to lack of experience sharing, and farmers systems are traditional and backward, land preparation, planting
lack of farmer training and they used local seeds. In Table 7 the study area, methods, seeding rate, crop production cultivation and harvesting are not
agricultural production is seasonable which mean that they depend on rain performed properly. According to the surveyed sample there are many factors
fall. As indicated in the above table 86% of the sample respondents cultivated that affect low agricultural productivity in the study area and analyzed in the
once a year and 14% of the sample respondents cultivated twice in some table. As we can see in the Table 8 most respondents 40% of the sample
times a year. From the total number of respondents 86% of the respondents respondents respond there is high variation of rainfall, land fragmentation
that as they are Influenced by shortage of water irrigation in order to produce or small land producing by traditional method in the areas. If there is high
agricultural productivity twice year and inadequate them to produce once a variation of rainfall, there will be risk and uncertainty on the rural people when
year. Because of the factors and other the agricultural productivity is very low they start their activities (or to plough) because are depend on rain fall so as
and leading to seeking to government aid like safety net program. to produce their agricultural products. And as the respondents said there is
shortage of land (land fragmentation), And 28% of the sample respondents
The main factors affecting low agricultural output have problem on lack of technologies inputs like, fertilizer, improved seed,
Agricultural is the process of development, increasing food supply and rural pesticides, herbicides, 8% of the sample respondents affected their lands by
income to enlarge market for urban productivity as well as provide resources soil erosion and deforestation are the main problems of agricultural output,
to expand output. However, agricultural productivity is low and there by low this increase from time to time due to higher population. 8% of the sample
productivity because of traditional way of farming. Agricultural productivity respondents have problem on lack of extension service. 16% of the sample
in the developing countries is decrease due to different factors like, climate respondent have problem on lack of oxen, lack of awareness, natural hazards,
change, the degradation of land, low soil fertility, illiteracy, lack of quality seeds, low fertility of land and high price of fertilizer. By this and other factors the
lack of entrepreneurship in agricultural zone, weak at agricultural structure agriculture productivity of the household is low. From the bar graph 3, 78% of
internal and international migration and draught, most farmers in developing the sample respondent experienced a low yield of output, 22% of the sample
countries are characterized by dependency of traditional instrument and respondent is shortage (insufficient) of food. It implies that the adverse effect
farming practice. In addition to this, proper production practice is not utilized determinants of agricultural productivity lead to lack of self – confidence, poor
management system to their survival, Migration and depend on governmental
aid and non government aid like safety net and miss management on their
Table 5: Shows irrigation activities of the sample respondents. survival.

Do you use irrigation Number of Percentages

respondents
Yes 14 14%
No 86 86%
Total 100 100%

Table 6: Shows improved seed used and amount of using by sample

respondents.
NO Do you use Number of Percentages
improved seed? respondents
1 Yes 54 54%
No 46 46%
Total 100 100% Bar graph 3: The adverse effect of determinants of agricultural output.
2 Amount in quintal
0.5-1 44 81.5 Conclusion and Recommendation
2-3 10 18.5
Total 54 The major finding of the study from the questionnaire indicated that the
existence of low agricultural productivity in the study area, which directly
influences growth of its productivity and land productiveness is below what it
Table 7: Shows the cultivation period in year by the sample respondent. should be so as to fulfill the minimum food requirements of the area. Female
Cultivation period Number of Percentages participation in agricultural activities is very low and leads to low agricultural
respondents output. Most of farmers in Doba woreda are illiterate and have no awareness
Once a year 86 86% about modern farming system and their level of income is also low. In Doba
woreda the farmers owned and cultivated a land of very small size. Most
Twice a year 14 14%
households in the woreda have less access to micro finance institutions
Three times a year 0 0 credit system, extension service, farmer training, and sharing experience and
Total 100 100% did not use more modern inputs like fertilizers, improved seeds, herbicides,
Total 100 100% pesticides, tools of agricultural. This leads to low agricultural outputs. Most

Table 8: Shows main factors affecting low agricultural productivity on the sample respondents.
Factors affecting agricultural outputs on aggregate Numbers of respondents Percentages
Rain fall traditional method, land fragmentation 40 40%
Lack of technological inputs like, fertilizer, improved seed pesticides, herbicides 28 28%
Soil erosion, deforestation 8 8%
Lack of extension service like, experience sharing. 8 8%
Lack of oxen’s, awareness, natural hazards, low fertility of land, high price of fertilizer 16 16%
Total 100 100%

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Gizaw G. Int J Econ Manag Sci, Volume 9:5, 2020

households in the woreda have less fertile land. This leads to low agricultural distribute at low price and to increase the demand of these inputs. To increase
outputs. Most farmers have not enough Oxen and most of the societies use agricultural productivity the government should provide the infrastructure, and
traditional production method, and traditional fertilizers, majority of the farmers to make the market nearest to the society. To increase agricultural productivity
practiced ploughing by oxen, both oxen and dug and agricultural productivity the government should provide the extension service to the farmers and
become low. Most farmers in the woreda used very low improved seed, agricultural office managers should give training to small scale farmers, giving
irrigation, crop rotation and modern fertilizer. The distance from home to the advice and awareness for the illiterate farmers about importance of modern
farm & from home to the market is very far for most farmers. This affects the technology, improved seeds and other mechanisms of that improving the
farmer productivity. Cultivation period of production in the Woreda is once a agricultural output. The farmers should use different mechanisms to control
year and because of rainfall variability; soil erosion and desertification are the factors affecting agricultural productivity like using irrigation for uncertainty
expanding agricultural lands and increasing of the number of populations from of rainfall distribution, by reforestation for conservation of forests, using crop
time to time. The farmer should enhance the land quality through improve rotation and other mechanisms should be taken carefully.
soil structure, organic matter and controlling land degrading, cropping and
pasturing practice contribution to production intensification and sustainable
land use. Women’s affairs office, educated people, and other concerned body References
should work in order to change the backward social attitudes that undermine
women and increases the productive capacity of women in agricultural 1. Todaro.Economic development.8th edition(2016).
production and the government should create awareness for female and avoid
bad culture influencing towards agriculture. Government and other concerned 2. Befkadu D.Annual report on Ethiopia economy. A.A Ethiopia(2015).
body should go through the provision of agricultural extension, motivation and 3. CSA. Central Statistical Agency (2015).
promoting the expansion of credit institution in the rural area advisory service
on continuous basis in addition proving advanced technologies. Modern
agricultural inputs are beyond the capacity of farmer to purchase because of
their expensiveness. So, government should distribute these inputs with low
price by subsidizing and providing access to credit with low interest rate to How to cite this article: Getaye Gizaw. Muniu. Factors Affecting Agricultural
bring desired economic development. The demand of modern fertilizers is Productivity in Doba Woreda, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia. Int J
very low in the woreda because of high price. So, the government should Econ Manag Sci, 9 (2020) doi: 10.37421/ijems.2020.9.577

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