Determinants of cereal diversity in villages of northern Ethiopia.

Abstract

This chapter compares factors explaining the inter- (interspecific) and intracrop (infraspecific diversity) of cereals grown by villages in Peasant Associations (PAs) of the northern Ethiopian highlands of Amhara and Tigray, building on the household-level analysis presented for the same sites in Chapter 6 [Explaining the diversity of cereal crops and varieties grown on household farms in the highlands of northern Ethiopia by S. Benin, M. Smale and J. Pender, pp. 78-96]. The village is the smallest social unit for policy interventions targeted at sustainable management of crop biodiversity on farms. Villages have the capacity to govern the utilization and conservation of genetic resources, reconciling private and social objectives. Econometric analysis indicates that a combination of factors related to the agroecology of a village, proximity to markets and the characteristics of households and farms within the village influence the level of inter- and intracrop diversity of cereals. Determinants differ between Amhara and Tigray regions. There are no apparent trade-offs between policies seeking to enhance the richness or the equitability among cereal crops or within any single crop grown in villages. Trade-offs may occur among crops, however. Growing modern varieties of maize has a positive effect on the evenness of maize types grown within communities, although modern varieties of wheat have no observable effect. At the village level, markets appear to introduce cereal crop diversity in some cases, while in others, they reduce it. Ambiguity of market effects could reflect local demand relative to local seed supply, or different phases of seed and product market development.

On the Productive Value of Crop Biodiversity: Evidence from the Highlands of Ethiopia

“…This is consistent with evidence that the eastern part of the region has the worst conditions for agricultural production (Gebremedhin, Smale, and Pender 2006). The use of improved seeds does not have a statistically significant effect.…”

The Transaction Cost Theory :A Field Research on Small-Scale Animal Producer S

“…Makhura (2001), Dossa et al (2008), Millar and Photakoun (2008), Mertz et al (2009), Ampaire and Rothschild (2010) and Namonje-Kapembwa et al (2016), in their studies, have mentioned sales channels where animal producers feel it is relatively easier to access, participate, negotiate and sell. Gebremedhin et al (2004) suggest that TCs limit accessing a sales channel. Several authors have commonly found that ICs related to difficulty in finding information and time spent researching price information, and NCs expressed in time spent in negotiation process, low bargaining power, and transport cost, depending on the distance from markets negatively influence the producer's choice to sell at formal market (Hobbs, 1996b;Hobbs, 1997;Key et al., 2000;Hudson and Lusk, 2004;Ruijs et al, 2004;Gong et al, 2007;Kyeyamwa et al, 2008;Broderick et al, 2011;Woldie and Nuppenau, 2011;Lijia and Xuexi, 2012;Jordaan and Grove, 2013).…”

The impact of seed market access and transaction costs on potato biodiversity and yields in Bolivia

“…For example, in the case of cereal production in Ethiopia, Gebremedhin et al . (2004) conclude that the effect of transaction costs on diversity is rather specific to the type of location and crop that is being considered. In Bolivia, Vadez et al .…”

“…The significance of transaction costs in agriculture depends on their influence on agricultural decision making at different stages of the agricultural cycle, including whether the costs are associated with input-market-to-farm, on-farm or farm-to-final-market transaction costs. A number of studies have sought to test the hypothesis that transactions costs, which limit market access, influence specialization and, therefore, the level of genetic material used on farms (Aguirre et al ., 1998; Gebremedhin et al ., 2004; Vadez et al ., 2004; Wale and Mburu, 2004). However, there are a number of limitations to these studies.…”