| dc.description.abstract |
Poultry production plays an important role in the human economy, supplying food, creating
wealth through job creation for the booming population. In the study area (South Gonder
zone of Amhara region), livestock, and fishery department disseminated various chicken
breeds solely and in collaboration with different projects. Dera is one amongst the poultry
producing districts in South Gonder Zone. However, the status of exotic poultry breeds
distributed and disseminated towards the rural farmers by the nearby institutions and the
impact of exotic poultry breeds adoption in enhancing livelihood outcomes on farmer
households not adequately studied in Dera district. This study aimed at analyzing the factors
that affect adoption decision and the intensity of adopting exotic poultry breeds at household
level; and to evaluate the impact of exotic poultry breeds adoption on households’ livelihood
in Dera district. Data was collected through interviews from a sample of 189 households’
selected using multi-stage sampling. A double hurdle model was used to analyze the level and
intensity of adoption of exotic poultry breeds. The results showed that family size,
participation in cooperatives, livestock holding, extension services, farm size, off farm activity
and experience of rearing poultry influenced the decision to adopt exotic poultry breeds
positively whereas distance to the nearest market has negative significant influence. The
intensity of adopting exotic poultry technology, on the other hand influenced positively and
significantly by household marital status, annual income gained from exotic poultry
production and experience of poultry keeping whereas annual expenditure for exotic poultry
production and sex of the household head influenced negatively and significantly intensity of
adoption. Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) approach was used to analyze the impact
of adopting exotic poultry on household farmers’ livelihood. Results showed that the
households that adopt exotic poultry breeds annual income would decline by 5465.48 ETB
had they decided not to adopt. In the counterfactual case, the annual income would have
increased by 3008.63 ETB amount had they decided to adopt the improved breed significant
at 1% level of significance. Similarly, the consumption expenditure would have declined by
5985.48 ETB for adopting households had they decided not to adopt exotic poultry breed. In
counterfactual, households that did not adopt the breed would gain 2520.22 ETB to cover
their consumption expenditure had they decided to adopt exotic poultry breeds. From the Full
Information Maximum likelihood ESR –based treatment effect, results revealed that adoption of exotic poultry breeds had positive income and consumption expenditure impact on both
adopters and non-adopters of the technologies. That means as the farmers adopt and practice
the exotic poultry breeds, their lives in case of cash income and consumption expenditure
improved indicating positive impact of exotic poultry breeds adoption on the livelihood of
smallholder farmers. Thus, the impact of exotic poultry breed technology on the welfare of
smallholder farmers was higher compared to those local chicken keepers. More programs
targeting women should be designed and supported by both the higher and district level
decision makers. Poultry production is an enterprise that is more important for and
associated with women as compared to men. Hence, due attention should be given to female
farmers to economically empower them. |
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