Abstract:
This study analyzes teff (Eragrostis) Row Planting Practice and its Contribution to Household
Income in Ebinat District, Ethiopia. Teff which is one of the staple and very popular food crops
of the most Ethiopians is believed to be originated, domesticated and diversified in the country.
Teff is highly valued crop and is primarily grown for its grain that is used for preparing injera
and other products. Even though it is popularly consumed cereal, it has not received due
attention the same as that of other grains in improving its productivity in Ebinat district.
Therefore, to assessed teff (Eragrostis) row planting practice and its contribution to household
income in Ebinat district, Ethiopia is considered as adopter and non- adopter 108 farmers of
row planting technology in teff production. Mechena kebele was selected with purposive
sampling. From the sample kebele a total of 108household respondents were considered for
stratified and using simple random sampling with 20 adopters and 88 non-adopters. Descriptive
survey data analysis techniques were applied. The analysis was based on primary data were
collected from 108 randomly selected rural households through structured interview. In addition
to the above instrument focused group discussion heldwith six agricultural experts and
secondary data were employed. The main findings of this research are as follows. First, despite
household farmers had a positive attitude towards row planting and a belief in the yield
increasing potential of row planting. However, among the total respondents only 18.5% of the
respondents adopted the practice. The following most predictors variable associated with
probability of participating in row planting technology were types of soil of the household farm
land, livestock ownership of the households, sex of the households and land holding size of
household. The results of cost and benefit analysis of broadcasting and row planting method
show that yield of teff grain produced through row planting technology is much higher than that
is produced through the traditional broadcasting method. In the light of the findings,
recommendations are forwarded to improve uptake of teff row planting practice and benefits
gained from row planting practice in the process of teff grain production.
