In the context of Ethiopia, agriculture and specifically crop production
take lion’s contribution, supporting the sector through introducing new
agricultural technologies, like row planting in the recent times, boosts production.
However, despite of such services, utilization of improved technologies
remained low in Ethiopia. This study looks into the determinants of adoption
and intensity of adoption of row planting using a survey data of 300 farming
households in Wolaita zone. The survey indicates that about 87 percent of
farmers adopt row planting in 2014/15 production year with mean intensity of
use 2.33 Timad (about 56% of their total farm land). A dependent double hurdle
analysis reveals that household being headed by Illiterate head, family size,
Farm size, Annual off-farm income, Distance to nearest market and Training on
row planting significantly influenced adoption
and level of adoption of row planting. Moreover, adoption of row planting
is significantly affected by Farming experience, No of information sources and
Distance to Development Agent whereas level of adoption of row planting by
livestock and Number of oxen. The study then concludes that the farmers’
adoption and level of adoption of row planting could be improved by raising
farm household’s education, their off farm income, their endowment and by
making them optimally mobilize their labor for agricultural activities and
receive extension service. As a result, the study recommends local governments
to work towards intensifying informal education to farming households in the
study area, raising effort of investment to improve market access and enhancing
agricultural extension services to farmers.