The policies in Ethiopia to advance the commercial orientation of farmers need identification of challenges at farmer level and exhaustive actions to shift the farm sector. Further activities have to be done to change the country's present subsistence-oriented farm production system of different crops. The research has aimed at investigating factors determining the Moringa commercialization in southern Ethiopia. The cross-sectional survey method was used to identify 232 Moringa producing smallholder farmers from Wolaita and Gamo zones. Heckman's two-step sample selection model is adopted to find factors determining the probability of Moringa market participation and the intensity of participation. The study result revealed that the likelihood of the Moringa output market participation is influenced by the variables such as location, access to irrigation, and distance to market. On the other hand family size, per capita income, frequency of extension contact, access to irrigation, access to credit, and distance to market are among significantly influencing factors of the extent of Moringa marketing. Therefore, policy agents should mainly consider these variables on any development activities to improve Moringa marketing. Furthermore, it requires improving extension services and offering immediate practical training on techniques of market-oriented and value-added Moringa production and marketing systems.
In the article, results and findings of a survey aimed at identifying language skills needs of Slovak small, medium-sized and large enterprises operating mainly in agriculture and food processing industry are presented. An online questionnaire was constructed to collect data. 14 out of 50 selected companies responded. Our findings revealed the fact that the Slovak enterprises use mainly English and German when communicating with their headquarters, suppliers and customers. The respondents also require their employees to have the following special language skills: communicating on the telephone, conducting business negotiations and writing business letters in a foreign language. As for language management strategies, the enterprises organize language training courses for their employees within their premises or the employees have to attend language courses outside the premises. The results of the survey conducted in Slovakia and the EU surveys were compared. Based on the results, we suggest stronger cooperation between the SMEs and universities in Slovakia in production of graduates better equipped with the language skills required by the business environment.
Moringa has been becoming among vastly growing and trading commodities in different parts of Ethiopia for its multiple benefits. However, empirical researches analyzing its productivity at smallholder farmer level were missing. This study aimed to fill the existing gap with a cross-sectional survey study on sampled 117 Moringa producer farmers from southern Ethiopia. The Stochastic Frontier Model was used to estimate the level and factors determining the technical efficiency of Moringa production. The collected data fitted Cobb-Douglas production function with inputs, labor and the numbers of trees positively and significantly determined the output of Moringa. An estimated level of efficiency shows farmers have the possibility to increase Moringa output by 47.81% with existing inputs and technology. The land, off-farm activities, access to road, credit, and irrigation were significant factors affecting the technical efficiency of Moringa. It requires policies and development actions to perform on mechanisms to advance the production of Moringa. Hence, any development direction to enhance Moringa production should consider households with limited access to land and irrigation. Furthermore, the development of road infrastructure is required to increase agricultural productivity. In sum, modern credit institutions, as well as facilities, found essential to improve the livelihood of Moringa producers in the area.
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