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The Determinants Of Cereal Crop Diversity On Farms In The Ethiopian Highlands

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  • Benin, Samuel
  • Smale, Melinda
  • Gebremedhin, Berhanu
  • Pender, John L.
  • Ehui, Simeon K.

Abstract

On farm conservation of crop diversity entails policy challenges, especially when the diversity of crops maintained on farms has both inter-specific (among crops) and infra-specific (within a crop) components. Survey data is used to compare the determinants of inter- and infra-specific diversity on household farms in the highlands of northern Ethiopia. Physical features of the farm, and household characteristics such as livestock assets and the proportion of adults that are men, have large and significant effects on both the diversity among and within cereal crops grown, varying among crops. Demographic aspects such as age of household head and adult education levels affect only infra-specific diversity of cereals. Though there are no apparent trade-offs between policies that would enhance one type of diversity (richness) versus another (evenness), those designed to encourage infra-specific diversity in one cereal crop might have the opposite effect on another crop. Trade-offs between development and diversity in this resource-poor system are not evident. Market-related variables and population density have ambiguous effects. Education positively influences cereal crop diversity. Growing modern varieties of maize or wheat does not detract from the richness or evenness of these cereals on household farms.

Suggested Citation

  • Benin, Samuel & Smale, Melinda & Gebremedhin, Berhanu & Pender, John L. & Ehui, Simeon K., 2003. "The Determinants Of Cereal Crop Diversity On Farms In The Ethiopian Highlands," 2003 Annual Meeting, August 16-22, 2003, Durban, South Africa 25833, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:iaae03:25833
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.25833
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    2. Kiros Hadgu & Walter Rossing & Lammert Kooistra & Ariena Bruggen, 2009. "Spatial variation in biodiversity, soil degradation and productivity in agricultural landscapes in the highlands of Tigray, northern Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 1(1), pages 83-97, February.
    3. Bezabih, Mintewab, 2005. "Biodiversity Conservation under an Imperfect Seed System: the Role of Community Seed Banking Scheme," Working Papers in Economics 185, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    4. Asrat, Sinafikeh & Yesuf, Mahmud & Carlsson, Fredrik & Wale, Edilegnaw, 2009. "Farmers’ Preferences for Crop Variety Traits: Lessons for On-Farm Conservation and Technology Adoption," RFF Working Paper Series dp-09-15-efd, Resources for the Future.
    5. Asrat, Sinafikeh & Yesuf, Mahmud & Carlsson, Fredrik & Wale, Edilegnaw, 2010. "Farmers' preferences for crop variety traits: Lessons for on-farm conservation and technology adoption," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 2394-2401, October.
    6. Hailu, Berihun Kassa & Abrha, Bihon Kassa & Weldegiorgis, Kibrom Aregawi, 2014. "Adoption and Impact of Agricultural Technologies on Farm Income: Evidence from Southern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia," International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics (IJFAEC), Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Department of Economics and Finance, vol. 2(4), pages 1-16, October.

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