Analysis of Eco-efficiency and its determinants among Smallholder Vegetable Producers in Eastern Ethiopia

This study aimed to analyse eco-efficiency and its determinants for small holder vegetable producers in Eastern Ethiopia. Multi-stage sampling was used to select 256 small-scale vegetable producers in the study area.

The study employed Data Envelopment Analysis to estimate eco-efficiency and Tobit model to identify the sources of differences in the eco-efficiency of farmers. The results of the DEA model revealed that the mean of eco-efficiency was 0.75, indicating that there is still a chance of improving the environmental performance of the farms without compromising the economic output of the farms.

The results of Tobit depicted that age, education, training, and adoption of sustainable intensification practices positively affect eco-efficiency, while farm size, farm income, and leadership status of the farmer negatively influence the eco-efficiency of the farm.

Due emphasis should be given to promoting the adoption of SIPs and introducing an inclusive approach to educating farmers in the study area.