Determinants of adoption of grafted avocado (Persea americana Miller) varieties from bure and Jabitehnan districts, west Gojjam zone, Ethiopia

Avocado fruits provide a significant nutritional and economic benefit for rural households; however, the factors that influence adoption of grafted avocado varieties and the intensity of adoption require further investigation in the study area. The study employed simple random sampling techniques to select 350 smallholder farmers in randomly selected kebels from Bure and Jabitehnan districts, West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, ensuring proportional representation. Primary data was collected by using both closed-ended and open-ended questionnaires. Personal interview, focus group discussion and key informant interview were used as instruments to collect primary data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the survey using SPSS and Stata software. The study found that (53%) of the respondents had adopted grafted avocado varieties. To identify the determinants of adoption and level of adoption, a double-hurdle econometric model was employed. The probit model results revealed that level of education, land allocated to avocado production, extension frequency, livestock holding, sex, and access to training influenced the likelihood of adopting grafted avocado varieties. Meanwhile, the truncated model identified that farming experience, land allocated to avocado production, family size, total annual income, and limited availability of grafted avocado varieties significantly impacted the intensity of adoption. To enhance the likelihood and intensity of grafted avocado varieties adoption, future development initiatives should prioritize improving access to quality grafted avocado seedlings, expanding training and extension services and supporting smallholder farmers through targeted education and income-generating activities.