We examine factors affecting the choice of marketing channels for maize among male, female, and joint decision-making farm households using data from households in Dawuro zone, southern Ethiopia. Econometric results suggest that female and joint decision-makers are more likely to sell maize to consumers or retailers in the main local market where the maize price is higher than to wholesale merchants directly from the farm. Individual decision-makers (male or female) who grow improved maize varieties are more likely to sell to wholesalers directly from the farm. This may be an indication of the effectiveness of joint decisions over individual decisions related to the market price. We also found that improved maize varieties distributed to farmers in the study area are of poor quality and that there is a lack of modern storage facilities so that farmers have to sell immediately after harvest during the lower price season. Thus, there is a need for policies promoting the distribution of high-quality maize seeds and encouraging investments in the establishment of modern maize storage facilities in the study area.

我们使用埃塞俄比亚南部 Dawuro 地区的家庭数据，研究了影响男性、女性和联合决策农户选择玉米营销渠道的因素。计量经济学结果表明，女性和联合决策者更有可能在玉米价格高于直接从农场批发商的当地主要市场向消费者或零售商出售玉米。种植改良玉米品种的个体决策者（男性或女性）更有可能直接从农场出售给批发商。这可能表明联合决策对与市场价格相关的个别决策的有效性。我们还发现，分配给研究区农民的改良玉米品种质量较差，缺乏现代化的储存设施，农民不得不在收获后在价格较低的季节立即出售。因此，需要制定政策促进优质玉米种子的分配，并鼓励投资在研究区建立现代玉米储存设施。