To improve the national average yield of potato in Ethiopia, which is very low as compared to its potential, factors that influence technical efficiency of potato production need to be determined. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the determinants of technical efficiency using a cross-sectional data collected from 368 randomly selected potato producers in Northern Ethiopia using a multi-stage sampling technique. The study employed Cobb–Douglas stochastic frontier model to get farm-level technical efficiency scores. Tobit model and principal component analysis were used to determine the factors that influence technical efficiency of farm households. The results revealed that chemical fertiliser, seed potato, plot size and labour are statistically significant factors that affect potato yield. The average technical efficiency score was estimated to be 75%; and education, experience, off-farm income, household size, membership in a farmers’ association, use of irrigation water, extension contact, use of improved seed, access to product market and weak coordination of stakeholders’ were significant factors influencing technical efficiency. The findings of the study suggest that there is a need for government intervention to create strong market linkage between producers and buyers and to give appropriate training to agricultural extension agents.

中文翻译：

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埃塞俄比亚北部马铃薯种植者技术效率的决定因素和限制对马铃薯生产的影响

为了提高埃塞俄比亚马铃薯的全国平均产量，该产量与其潜力相比非常低，需要确定影响马铃薯生产技术效率的因素。因此，本研究的目的是使用从埃塞俄比亚北部随机选择的 368 名马铃薯生产者使用多阶段抽样技术收集的横截面数据来调查技术效率的决定因素。该研究采用 Cobb-Douglas 随机前沿模型来获得农场级别的技术效率分数。采用Tobit模型和主成分分析法确定了影响农户技术效率的因素。结果表明，化肥、种薯、地块大小和劳动力是影响马铃薯产量的显着因素。平均技术效率得分估计为 75%；教育、经验、非农收入、家庭规模、农民协会成员、灌溉用水的使用、推广联系、改良种子的使用、产品市场准入和利益相关者协调薄弱是影响技术效率的重要因素。研究结果表明，有必要进行政府干预，以在生产者和购买者之间建立牢固的市场联系，并为农业推广人员提供适当的培训。产品市场准入和利益相关者协调薄弱是影响技术效率的重要因素。研究结果表明，有必要进行政府干预，以在生产者和购买者之间建立牢固的市场联系，并为农业推广人员提供适当的培训。产品市场准入和利益相关者协调薄弱是影响技术效率的重要因素。研究结果表明，有必要进行政府干预，以在生产者和购买者之间建立牢固的市场联系，并为农业推广人员提供适当的培训。