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Agricultural growth in Ethiopia (2004-2014): Evidence and drivers:

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  • Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane
  • Berhane, Guush
  • Minten, Bart
  • Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum

Abstract

Ethiopia’s agricultural sector has recorded remarkable rapid growth in the last decade. This paper documents aspects of this growth process. Over the last decade, there have been significant increases - more than a doubling - in the use of modern inputs, such as chemical fertilizers and improved seeds, explaining part of that growth. However, there was also significant land expansion, increased labor use, and Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth, estimated at 2.3 percent per year. The expansion in modern input use appears to have been driven by high government expenditures on the agricultural sector, including agricultural extension, but also by an improved road network, higher rural education levels, and favorable international and local price incentives.

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  • Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane & Berhane, Guush & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum, 2015. "Agricultural growth in Ethiopia (2004-2014): Evidence and drivers:," ESSP working papers 81, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
  • Handle: RePEc:fpr:esspwp:81
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    Cited by:

    1. Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane & Hirvonen, Kalle & Minten, Bart & Yimer, Feiruz, 2017. "The rising costs of nutritious foods in Ethiopia," ESSP research notes 67, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Mgomezulu, Wisdom Richard & Machira, Kennedy & Edriss, Abdi-Khalil & Pangapanga-Phiri, Innocent & Chitete, Moses M.N., 2022. "Responding to inefficiencies on smallholder maize farms: Can sustained adoption of sustainable agricultural practices make a difference?," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 17(4), December.
    3. Berhane, Guush & Dereje, Mekdim & Minten, Bart & Tamru, Seneshaw, 2020. "The rapid-but from a low base-uptake of agricultural mechanization in Ethiopia: Patterns, implications, and challenges," IFPRI book chapters, in: An evolving paradigm of agricultural mechanization development: How much can Africa learn from Asia?, chapter 10, pages 329-375, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Schmidt, Emily & Woldeyes, Firew Bekele, 2019. "Rural youth and employment in Ethiopia," IFPRI book chapters, in: Youth and jobs in rural Africa: Beyond stylized facts, chapter 5, pages yj109-136, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Tamru, Seneshaw & Minten, Bart & Alemu, Dawit & Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane, 2016. "The rapid expansion of herbicide use in smallholder agriculture in Ethiopia: Patterns, drivers, and implications," ESSP working papers 94, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Joachim Vandercasteelen & Seneshaw Tamru & Bart Minten & Johan Swinnen, 2017. "Secondary towns, agricultural prices, and intensification: Evidence from Ethiopia," LICOS Discussion Papers 39317, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
    7. Seneshaw Tamru & Bart Minten & Dawit Alemu & Fantu Bachewe, 2017. "The Rapid Expansion of Herbicide Use in Smallholder Agriculture in Ethiopia: Patterns, Drivers, and Implications," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(3), pages 628-647, July.
    8. Negassa, Asfaw & Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum & Dereje, Mekdim, 2017. "An assessment of the livestock economy in mixed crop-livestock production systems in Ethiopia:," ESSP working papers 101, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Abay, Kibrom A. & Berhane, Guush & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum & Koru, Bethlehem & Abay, Kibrewossen, 2016. "Understanding farmers’ technology adoption decisions: Input complementarity and heterogeneity:," ESSP working papers 82, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane & Berhane, Guush & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum, 2016. "Non-farm income and labor markets in rural Ethiopia," ESSP working papers 90, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. Daniel A. Mekonnen & Elise F. Talsma & Laura Trijsburg & Vincent Linderhof & Thom Achterbosch & Aafke Nijhuis & Ruerd Ruben & Inge D. Brouwer, 2020. "Can household dietary diversity inform about nutrient adequacy? Lessons from a food systems analysis in Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(6), pages 1367-1383, December.
    12. Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum, 2015. "Dynamic supply response of farm households in Ethiopia:," ESSP working papers 78, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    13. Bachewe, Fantu N. & Berhane, Guush & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu S., 2018. "Agricultural Transformation in Africa? Assessing the Evidence in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 286-298.

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    Keywords

    agricultural sector; productivity; agricultural growth; economic growth; farm inputs; poverty; farmland; total factor productivity; poverty alleviation;
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