Due to capital constraints and land scarcity in developing countries, introducing new technology to boost productivity is difficult. As a result, working to improve cassava production efficiency is the best option available. Cassava is increasingly being used as a food source as well as an industrial raw material in the production of economic goods. This study estimates cassava production efficiency and investigates the causes of inefficiency in southern Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data from 158 households were collected using a systematic questionnaire. The Cobb-Douglas (CDs) stochastic frontier production model was used to calculate production efficiency levels. The computed mean result showed technical efficiency (TE), allocative efficiency (AE), and economic efficiency (EE) levels of 74, 90, and 66%, respectively. This demonstrated that existing farm resources could increase average production efficiency by 26, 10, and 34%, respectively. The study found that land size, urea fertilizer application, and cassava planting cut all had a positive and significant effect on cassava production. It was discovered that TE was more important than AE as a source of benefit for EE. Inefficiency effects modeled using the two-limit Tobit model revealed that household head age, level of education, cassava variety, extension contact, rural credit, off-farm activities involvement to generate income, and farm size were the most important factors for improving TE, AE, and EE efficiencies. As a result, policymakers in government should consider these factors when addressing inefficiencies in cassava production. It is especially important to provide appropriate agricultural knowledge through short-term training, to provide farmers with access to formal education, to access improved cassava varieties, and to support agricultural extension services.

The Agricultural policies in Ethiopia to improve the commercial orientation of farmers require identification of challenges at farmer level and in-depth action to shift the sector. It needs more works to be done to transform the country’s current subsistence oriented production system of smallholder farmers. Considering this fact, the current study aimed to identify the factors affecting the degree of agricultural commercialization of smallholder farm outputs in the Offa district of Ethiopia. Primary data was collected from 120 randomly selected households using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to describe the output market participation and difference. Furthermore, the Tobit econometric model was used to find determinants of the degree of agricultural commercialization of smallholder farms. A total of 11 explanatory variables were considered in the regression. Total cultivated land size, education, household head age, and access to transport were found significantly determining the intensity of farm output side commercialization. Concerning development authorities should focus on these variables in design, promotion, and implementation of policies and programs to increase rural household participation in commercialization and to secure its benefits in the area.

Maize is the main cereal crop that supports the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa. However, one of the main bottlenecks for maize production is low market penetration. This study examined the factors influencing the likelihood of smallholder farmers taking part in maize trading in southern Ethiopia using cross-sectional data collected from 360 smallholder maize growers. The data were examined with inferential statistics and the Heckman two-stage sample selection econometric model. Household head age and sex, maize price, household size, farm experience, market distance, access to transportation, frequency of extension contact, land size, amount of credit received, market information, and off-farm income were all found to be significant factors that determine maize farmers’ market participation. Investment in road infrastructure in maize production potential areas and access to market information is mainly needed to increase maize trading.

The contributions of Moringa to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in developing countries were massive. Its production has to be more than increased to maintain its potential role in-curving food and nutrition insecurity sufferings in these areas. However, empirical researches evaluating its impact at smallholder farmer level were missing to confirm. The current research aims to add to fill the missing literature gaps through a survey study on selected 464 producer and non-producer smallholder farmers from Wolaita and Gamo Gofa zones, southern Ethiopia. The Propensity to Score Matching (PSM) model was used to estimate the impact of Moringa production on household food and nutrition security. The validity of the model was checked and found binding to observe the causal effect of dependent and outcome variables in controlling selection bias. The finding indicated positive and significant differences among Moringa producer and non-producer smallholder farmers in selected food and nutrition security proxy variables, weekly calorie intake and food consumption score (FCS). Farmers producing Moringa were found more food and nutritionally secure than non-producers. It requires policies and development actions to perform on ways to advance the production and intensification of Moringa production in dry parts of the country.