Summary
This study examined the welfare impact of adopting Korra tef (Eragrostis tef), a high-yielding variety, among 479 smallholder farmers in North-Western Ethiopia during the 2020 season, comparing 221 adopters with non-adopters of alternative tef varieties. Using propensity score matching, the authors found that Korra tef adoption was associated with statistically significant positive impacts on household expenditure and a strong correlation between commercialisation level and household spending. The findings suggest that promoting access to improved tef varieties alongside strengthened value chains and market-focused extension services could enhance smallholder welfare.
Regional applicability
This study is geographically specific to North-Western Ethiopia and its findings relate directly to tef cultivation systems in that region. The methodology and welfare assessment approach could inform similar crop adoption programmes targeting smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, though direct application to United Kingdom conditions is not applicable given differences in agro-ecology, cropping systems, and market structures.
Key measures
Tef production per hectare; Household Commercialization Index (HCI); consumption expenditure per adult equivalent; One-way ANOVA for commercialization levels
Outcomes reported
The study measured household welfare proxied by consumption expenditure per adult equivalent, and tef production productivity per hectare. It examined whether adoption of Korra tef variety compared to alternative tef varieties resulted in differential welfare outcomes for farm households.
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