Impacts of improved seeds and agrochemicals on food security and environment in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia: implications for the application of an African green revolution

This study seeks to examine the impacts of improved seeds and agrochemicals on environment and food security in two districts in Ethiopia. The study takes into consideration chemical fertiliser, improved seeds, pesticides and irrigation technologies.

The paper finds that the use of improved agricultural technologies resulted in positive and negative impacts. The positive impacts are related to economic and social improvements, while negative impacts are related to the impacts of pesticides on human and livestock health due to misuse and abuse. The impacts in general include:

• increased yield of crops, increased production and income of the beneficiary households, improved health, increased asset building and better living conditions
• enhanced market integration and higher demand for farm activities
• increased participation of women in economic activities and decision making, empowerment of women in terms of income utilisation, information and knowledge exchange
• declined diversity of landraces of crops, declining traditional soil fertility management practices due to reliance on fertilisers and pesticides
• increased inequality in wealth of users and non-users.
  

The document concludes that in view of high soil degradation, the use of improved agricultural technologies should be enhanced. This, however, requires: 

• integration of chemical and biological soil fertility treatment 
• development and dissemination of agro-ecology specific packages of technologies
• capacity building for researchers, development agents and farmers, and market linkage.