Adoption of exotic chicken breeds by rural poultry keepers in Ethiopia

This study examines factors that determine the probability and intensity of adoption of exotic chickens among rural poultry producers in Ethiopia. A total of 240 respondents were interviewed from households that were selected by systematic random sampling. The differences between adopters and non-adopters were identified using descriptive statistics. Factors that affect the probability and intensity of adoption were identified using the Heckman selection two-step model. Adopters of exotic chickens had more social contact and less livestock income than non-adopters. Additionally, adopters had access to an off-farm income and credit and considered exotic chickens easier to manage than non-adopters (p <0.001). In the econometric analysis, the probability of adopting exotic chickens was found to be positively affected by access to an an off-farm income (p <0.01) and negatively by livestock income (p <0.05). The intensity of adoption was negatively affected by being male household head (p <0.001), having a larger farm size (p <0.01), and having livestock income (p <0.05).