Impact of improved legume varieties on technical efficiency of crop production in Ethiopia: Application of doubly-robust treatment effects model

Abstract

This paper presents the impact of improved food legume varieties on technical efficiency and productivity of crop production in a farming system where mono-cropping of cereals is the norm. Data on 600 randomly selected farm households were collected and plot level input and output data were generated on food crop production. We estimated technical efficiency of food crop production using stochastic frontier models. Then, a set of doubly-robust treatment effects models was employed to see whether there is any difference in technical efficiency level and productivity between adopters and non- adopters of improved faba bean and field pea varieties. The results show that the efficiency of crop production does not vary between adopters and non-adopters of improved faba bean and field pea varieties. However, the adopters were found to be more productive when productivity is defined in terms of cereal or energy equivalent per adult equivalent. Although, we are reporting results based on cross- sectional data, it is clear that pulses increase productivity both in terms of quantity of crop produce or nutrition without any apparent contribution towards technical efficiency. Although the immediate need might be increasing productivity per unit of limiting factor, it is important to pay attention to reducing inefficiency in crop production to ensure that pulse crops break into the unsustainable on-cropping production system in the study area.