Factors affecting use of organic fertilizer among smallholder farmers in Sekela district of Amhara region, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

The imbalance between the population growth rate and the agricultural production growth rate was one of the prominent national problems in Ethiopia. In order to meet the food requirements of the growing population, agricultural production and productivity have to be increased. This could be realized among others through utilizing both organic and inorganic fertilizer. This study aims to identify factors affecting the use of organic fertilizer use among smallholder farmers. Primary data were collected from 155 sample respondents that are selected using a combination of both simple random and stratified sampling techniques. To analyze the data, both descriptive statistics and econometrics model were applied. The result of Logit model indicates that status of education, steep slope land, access of extension service, availability of composting material, fertility of farmland, sex and health status of household head influenced use of organic fertilizers. Based on the result, this study recommended future intervention strategies should be put in place to promote the use of organic fertilizer use and hence enhancing production and productivity of crops in the study area.