The Effect of Integrated and Substitutable Soil Fertility Management Technologies on Maize Yield, Productivity, and Food Security: Evidence from Southwest Region of Ethiopia

Kindineh Sisay

This study assessed the effect of integrated and substitutable soil fertility management technologies on maize yield, productivity and food security of smallholder farmers in Southwest Ethiopia. As the empirical result obtained using MESR model revealed, adoption of at least one soil fertility management technology has a huge potential of improving rural households’ wellbeing through an increased maize yield, productivity and food security. The investigation result further revealed, from the three adoption combinations of integrated and substitutable soil fertility management technologies, lonely adoption of organic fertilizer and joint adoption of the two technology groups was found to have a significant effect on maize yield, productivity and food security. Unlikely, the isolated adoption of inorganic fertilizer may not result in an intended food security outcome. Thus, for the simultaneous improvement in maize yield, productivity and food security, the study recommends to concentrate either on the joint practice of the two technologies or organic fertilizer alone. Therefore, the study underlines the need for policy design and implementation that can improve joint application and/or lonely adoption of organic fertilizer. This can be done by focusing on factors that are allied to the adoption of these technology packages. Furthermore, it is well-known that rural households who adopt at least one soil fertility management technology are more likely easier to convince for making them adopt additional technology or change the technology package they follow than those who do not adopt any one. Hence, policies that aim to improve maize yield, productivity and food security could first target the 28% rural households who adopt inorganic fertilizer only before attempting to convince those who have not yet adopted any technology.

Event: World Bank Land Conference 2024 - Washington

Document type:The Effect of Integrated and Substitutable Soil Fertility Management Technologies on Maize Yield, Productivity, and Food Security: Evidence from Southwest Region of Ethiopia (690 kB - pdf)