The Analysis of Potato Farming Systems in Chencha, Ethiopia: Input, Output and Constraints

Abstract

A household survey was conducted for mixed farming systems in Chencha, Ethiopia. Goals of the survey were to establish a baseline for the current production system, to quantify the variation in input and output, and to identify constraints hindering expansion of potato production. Descriptive statistics and principal component analysis were computed using SPSS and XLSTAT. Input and product use constraints varied over household characteristics. Using improved varieties, inorganic fertilizers, and selling products strongly and positively correlated with the households’ wealth, adoption, and education levels. Problems of cash and inadequate produce negatively correlated with wealth, adoption factors, and education levels. Access to improved varieties, training, and fertilizer were positively correlated with age, family size and gender. Land and labour shortages and pests were identified as cross-cutting constraints. Results of the analysis identify a need for a pluriform advisory model recognizing and building upon alleviation of the diversity of constraints identified in this analysis.