Background: Potato is one of the major staple crops in the Eastern and Central Africa sub-region. Its importance continues to rise due to increased urbanization and demand for potato is projected. This increase will definitely come with its share of challenges that need to be addressed. This study was aimed to measure the level of technical efficiency, yield loss due to inefficiency and identify the factors that influence the efficiency levels of potato producers' in Chilga District. Primary data were collected from 150 farmers selected using multistage sampling procedure and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a parametric stochastic frontier production function models. Results:The results of the study indicated that the minimum, maximum and average yields of potato production in the sample households were 1000, 36,000 and 13,108 kg/ha, respectively. The stochastic frontier and Cobb-Douglas functional form with a one-step approach was employed to analyze efficiency and factors affecting efficiency in potato production. The mean technical efficiency (TE) was found to be 46%, and about 17,782.43 kg of potato output per hectare was lost due to inefficiency factors implying there is a room for improvement in technical efficiency by 54% with the present technology. The Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) result revealed that DAP at 5% and Oxen, MDE and seed at 1% probability level significantly influencing potato production. The socio-economic variables that exercised important role for variations in technical efficiency positively were age and improved seed and nevertheless distance to market was found to increase inefficiency significantly among farm household.Conclusions: There is considerable difference in the efficiency level among plots. Hence if inputs are used to their maximum potential, there will be considerable gain from improvement in technical efficiency. The estimated SPF model together with the inefficiency parameters shows that age and improved seed variety were influenced by inefficiency negatively whereas distance to market increased the level of technical inefficiency.

Red pepper is the world's second important vegetable ranking after tomatoes. It is the most common spice type which is produced for both commercial and consumption purposes due to its great role in flavoring, food coloring and source of vitamins and minerals. It is also an important cash crop for households and 68% production is for commercial purpose in Amhara region of Ethiopia. However, empirical evidence is lacking on market chain of red pepper in northwest Ethiopia. Therefore, this research was attempted to analyze the market chain of red pepper and the factors that determine the supply of red pepper to the market. Primary data were collected through a semi-structured interview's schedule administered on 385 red pepper producers and 47 traders selected using simple random sampling technique. Moreover, the survey was supplemented by using secondary data, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Furthermore, combinations of data analysis methods such as the descriptive and econometrics model were used for data analysis. The producers' survey result revealed that 92.47% of red pepper output was supplied to the market. Moreover, the main receivers of red pepper output were district wholesalers, district retailers and district assemblers (collectors) who possess 60.2%, 13.25% and 10.25%, respectively. This implies that district wholesalers took the lion share across the red pepper market channels. The remaining amount were traded by rural retailer and district urban wholesalers (about 12.12%). Furthermore, the multiple linear regression model result revealed that various policy-relevant variables such as access to extension (p < 0.1), yield (p < 0.01), experience (p < 0.1), off-farm income (p < 0.05) and market price (p < 0.01) influenced the marketable supply of red pepper significantly. Generally, red pepper is one of the most important spice which is mainly produced for commercial purpose yet various production and marketing constraints negatively influenced. Therefore, spice producers, development agents, agricultural experts, research institutions, the Ethiopian government and partner organizations should give special attention for extension service, introducing productive and disease-resistant pepper varieties and infrastructure development to enhance the production and commercial value of red pepper at national and international levels.

Onions are a significant source of revenue and food security for households. Despite their importance in human nutrition, economic benefit, and area coverage, in Ethiopia, onion productivity is significantly lower than it should be. The purpose of this study is to address this gap by examining efficiency variations and determining the variables that affect onion farmers’ levels of efficiency in the North Gondar Zone of Ethiopia. The sources of data were both primary and secondary. 205 onion farmers from the Gondar Zuria, Takusa, and Dembia districts were chosen using simple random sampling proportional to sample size. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather primary data from these participants. A Cobb-Douglass production function, a single-stage stochastic frontier model, and descriptive statistics were used to investigate the technical efficiency of onion production at the farm level. The mean technical efficiency of an irrigated onion was 53%, according to the maximum likelihood estimates of the stochastic frontier analysis. By enhancing agricultural methods using current technology, it is possible to raise the average production efficiency of irrigated onions. The stochastic frontier model’s maximum likelihood estimates revealed that plot size, Di Ammonium Phosphate, and oxen have a significant effect on onion output; education, livestock holding, experience, and frequency of watering have a positive and significant effect on technical efficiency, whereas family size and marketing training have a negative and significant effect on technical efficiency. Therefore, the government or any relevant bodies should deliver continual scheduled training and an integrated adult education at the existing farmers’ training center; modern livestock production techniques; further groundwater resources and proper watering technologies should be used since currently farmers use an inefficient irrigation system, specifically furrow irrigation.

Ethiopia is a country with a total population of more than 110 million, of which about 80% of the total population is engaged in subsistence farming in rural areas. Although agricultural sector plays a great role in Ethiopian economy, it is characterized by low productivity due to technological and socioeconomic factors. Improving smallholder irrigated tomato production, and productivity, would contribute to enhancing food security and alleviating poverty. Therefore, this study was investigated to fill this gap with the aim of analyzing technical efficiency of irrigated tomato production and its determinant factors in North Gondar Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Primary data were collected from 160 farmers’ selected using multistage sampling procedure and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a parametric stochastic frontier production function models. The stochastic frontier and Cobb-Douglas functional form with a one-step approach was employed to analyze efficiency and factors affecting efficiency in irrigated tomato production. The estimated gamma parameters indicated that 80% of the total variation in tomato output was due to technical inefficiency. The means technical efficiency was found 55%, and about 6,907.32 kg of tomato output per hectare was lost due to inefficiency factors implying there is a room for improvement in technical efficiency by 43% with the present technology. The Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) result revealed that ODE, DAP and plot size at 1% and labor at 10% probability level significantly influencing tomato production. The socio-economic variables that exercised important role for variations in technical efficiency positively were the level of education, TLU and watering in morning, and in contrast age, off farm, watering frequency and training for marketing were found to increase inefficiency significantly among farm households. To get better farmers' efficiency in the production of irrigated tomato a continuous marketing training should be established and strengthening the available farmers training center (FTC) to improve farm productivity. The government and any concerned bodies should be build irrigation canals and other alternatives so as to reduce watering frequency. There should be timely and sufficient supply of DAP to improve farmers’ efficiency in production of tomato.

Ethiopia is a country with a total population of more than 110 million, of which about 80% of the total population is engaged in subsistence farming in rural areas. Although agricultural sector plays a great role in Ethiopian economy, it is characterized by low productivity due to technological and socioeconomic factors. Improving smallholder irrigated tomato production, and productivity, would contribute to enhancing food security and alleviating poverty. Therefore, this study was investigated to fill this gap with the aim of analyzing technical efficiency of irrigated tomato production and its determinant factors in North Gondar Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Primary data were collected from 160 farmers' selected using multistage sampling procedure and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a parametric stochastic frontier production function models. The stochastic frontier and Cobb-Douglas functional form with a one-step approach was employed to analyze efficiency and factors affecting efficiency in irrigated tomato production. The estimated gamma parameters indicated that 80% of the total variation in tomato output was due to technical inefficiency. The means technical efficiency was found 55%, and about 6,907.32 kg of tomato output per hectare was lost due to inefficiency factors implying there is a room for improvement in technical efficiency by 43% with the present technology. The Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) result revealed that ODE, DAP and plot size at 1% and labor at 10% probability level significantly influencing tomato production. The socio-economic variables that exercised important role for variations in technical efficiency positively were the level of education, TLU and watering in morning, and in contrast age, off farm, watering frequency and training for marketing were found to increase inefficiency significantly among farm households. To get better farmers' efficiency in the production of irrigated tomato a continuous marketing training should be established and strengthening the available farmers training center (FTC) to improve farm productivity. The government and any concerned bodies should be build irrigation canals and other alternatives so as to reduce watering frequency. There should be timely and sufficient supply of DAP to improve farmers' efficiency in production of tomato.