This study analyses factors affecting agricultural productivity in Ethiopia for the period of 1990–2016 by using autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. Both the bounds test and the error correction model confirmed the existence of co-integration (long-run relationship) between the variables included in the model. The results revealed that cereal productivity is positively influenced by use of fertiliser and real gross domestic product (GDP) both in the long run and in the short run. While size of arable land influences productivity positively in the long run, its short-run effect was found to be negative. Hence, the government and other concerned authorities should work to enhance farmers’ use of improved technologies, such as fertiliser, by ensuring its timely availability at an affordable price, encouraging farmers to participate on alternative sources of income such as off-farm activities and bringing additional area under cereal production to improve agricultural productivity.

This study analyses the impact of agricultural technology adoption on income inequality. Primary data has been collected from 400 sample households in Awi zone of Ethiopia through household survey during agricultural season of 2017/18. The collected data were analysed by using propensity score matching method. The estimated results revealed that adoption of agricultural technologies such as chemical fertiliser and improved seeds significantly increase total household income but worsen income distribution. After adoption of agricultural technologies, income inequality measured by Gini coefficient increased ranged from 0.047 to 0.087. Hence, the government and other concerned authorities should exert more efforts in order to enhance technology adoption status of the poor households by increasing their accessibility for extension and credit services.

This article examines the economic benefit of agricultural technologies on maize and teff crops based on primary data collected from 400 farmers in Awi zone, Ethiopia. The results of budgetary analysis technique indicated that adoption of fertilizer increased profit of maize production by 37.7% while it was estimated to be 58% for simultaneous adoption of fertilizer and improved seeds. On the other hand, adoption of fertilizer in teff production increased profit by 90.9%. The Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition found the existence of a significant productivity gap between nonadopters and adopters varying from 50% to 73% where 71.7% to 77.3% of the gaps primarily resulted from adoption of technologies. Hence, the government, financial institutions, and farmers’ cooperatives should be coordinated to enhance farmers’ adoption of agricultural technologies through expanding extension services, expanding credit accessibility, and ensuring timely availability of technologies at an affordable price.

In Ethiopia, the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) has been implemented since 2005 in order to reduce food insecurity, protect depletion of assets, and improve the productivity of beneficiaries’ investment through the transfer of cash for food‐insecure households. This study, therefore, evaluated the food security and asset accumulation impact of the program in rural Ethiopia based on primary data collected from 379 sample households in the Enebsie Sar Midir District of the Amhara region. The study has employed propensity score matching (PSM) model to achieve its objective. The results revealed that participation in PSNP has increased asset accumulation of participants by 8625 Ethiopian Birr. However, its impact on food security was found to be statistically insignificant. The result, therefore, indicates that while the program has been successful in promoting asset growth, it has not yet translated these gains into improved food security outcomes. Hence, program designers and policy makers at higher levels and funding agents and implementers at lower levels should focus on strategies that link asset accumulation with nutritional improvements and sustainable livelihood to achieve its objectives.