Determinants of Farmers’ Decision on Soil Fertility Management Options for Maize Production in Southern Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, food insecurity has always been a burning problem. The gap between demand for and supply of food can be minimized through protecting and managing soil fertility and thereby increasing productivity of crops. This study was conducted in major maize growing areas of southern Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to assess soil fertility management options available to smallholder farmers and identify the factors that affect their decision making to apply a given alternative in maize crop. The study was based on the cross sectional data obtained from a random sample of 385 smallholder farmers. A multinomial logit model was employed to identify socioeconomic, institutional and environmental factors determining farmers’ decision regarding the choice of a particular soil fertility management option. The result indicated that size of farm, access to credit, availability of extension services and training pertaining to soil fertility management were important factors affecting the decision to use a particular soil fertility management practice