Abstract:
Cluster farming practice is importance to increase wheat productivity, the Ethiopian government has
implemented a cluster farming system for high-potential agricultural commodities to address this issue
and increase crop output while reducing poverty and ensuring food security. The objective of this study
was to analyze the impact of cluster farming on households’ food security and productivity: The case of
wheat production in Dabat district. Data was collected from 382 households using a multi-stage
sampling technique from three sample kebeles in the Dabat district. Primary and secondary data were
used for the study. A binary probit model and an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model were
employed to analyze determinants of wheat cluster farming participation and its’ impact on food
security and productivity respectively. The Probit model result shows that household size, membership
in a cooperative, frequency of extension contact, sex of the household head, total land size holding, and
farm experience significantly and positively affected participation in wheat cluster farming. The age of
the household head and distance from the nearest market affected significantly and negatively
participation in wheat cluster farming. The ESR model result shows households’ dietary diversity
(HDDS), and food consumption score (FCS) of participants increased by 1.205, and 3.25 points, and
the productivity of participants increased by 9.35 qt/ha due to participating in wheat cluster farming
respectively. The result showed that wheat cluster farming is the main farming system to improve
households’ food security and productivity. Policymakers, extension, agents, woreda, and kebel level
agricultural offices should consider, the improvement of cluster farming practices by providing
extension and training to serve the findings of the study and come up with better approaches and
solutions to improve the participation of wheat cluster farming.