Can improved food legume varieties increase technical efficiency in crop production?

Abstract

Faba bean (broad bean), field pea, and lentil are very important legumes in the highlands of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is the largest producer of faba bean in SSA. In 2012/13, about 4.4 million small holder farmers planted 574,000 ha of Faba bean `producing 0.9 million tons at an average productivity of 1.6 tons per ha. Field pea is also an important source of protein in Ethiopia. In 2012, the crop ranked fourth in area coverage with an acreage of 212,890 ha and annual production of 2.6 million tons (FAO, 2012). We all agree that legumes are essential for the regeneration of nutrient-deficient soils. Bale highlands in south Eastern Ethiopia is known for mono-cropping production system: wheat and barley dominated. The objective of this study is to empirically show whether the adoption of improved food legume varieties increases the technical efficiency of crop production.