Abstract:
Vegetable production practice is the mainstay of the country's economy and the major
source of foreign exchange earnings and the stimulant for the living standard of farmers
it stimulates the income of small holder farming house hold and domestic consumption.
Different types of vegetables are grown in the study area with different intensities in
terms of land and other input allocation, Vegetable via improving the income of
producing household and improving the productivity of food crop production. In this
study, an attempt was made to Assess practices of vegetable production and management,
challenges of vegetable production and management and opportunity of vegetable
production by small holder farming household. The study is based on primary data
collected from respondent rural kebeles surrounding Ambo district sample selected at
random using questionnaire. Additional information was also obtained from focus group
discussion, key informant interview and personal observation. The data has been
analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS software. Qualitative data were used to
substantiate the responses of questionnaire. The study found that, majority of vegetable
producers’ households have been found to be better living than their nonproducing
counterparts. Similarly, it was observed that income from vegetable was used to cover
other expenditures such as education, health, and wage for laborers. Moreover the study
found out that, weak extension support service, limited land holding, lack of access to
credit, limited supply of improved seed, marketing and market information, outbreak of
disease and pest are some of the most important challenges. The drawbacks in the
absence and quality of extension service were among the strong problems mentioned
apart from the other challenges. Finally, the researcher recommends that in promoting
vegetable producer households, continues assessment of practices of vegetable
production to household income generation, intensified agricultural farming, problems
related to extension service, credit service, market and marketing information, and
provision of modern agricultural inputs should be addressed.
