Determinants of Red Pepper Productivity in Wera Woreda, Halaba Zone, Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Ethiopia.

Abstract

Abstract
Ethiopia has favorable climate and soil conditions for cultivating red peppers. This allows the nation to be the leading pepper producer in Africa, holding significant value for both local and export markets. The objective of this study is to examine determinants of Red Pepper Productivity in WeraWoreda, Halaba Zone in Ethiopia. it used a mixed research approach to collect and analyze from 338 farm household. Questionnaire was used as tools of data collection. The Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and OLS (Ordinary Least square) Regression model. The study used the total red pepper output per hectare and estimated amount used as total productivity measures. The result showed that about 6.57quintals of red pepper per hectare produced in the study area. The finding indicated that sex, age, education level of farmers, land size, oxen in hour, off farm income, seed variety, seed amount, credit access and extension contact are found to be a positive determining factors of red pepper productivity. On the other hands, Red pepper disease, Family size, marketing information and Slope of farm land are negative and statistically significant variables which affect red pepper productivities. Thus, the policy makers should work on accessing smallholders’ farmers to agricultural input such as seed Varity, pesticides and crop medicine, accessing for different off farm activities, access more marketing information and create strong institutional support for credit access to increase red pepper productivity in Wera woreda.