Impact of adopting Improved Barley Variety (HB1307) on food security among smallholder farmers in Bore District, Ethiopia, utilizing Propensity Score Matching and Endogenous Switching Regression

Agriculture is vital to Ethiopia's economy, being a core component of national growth and rural income. Technological advancements have boosted crop yields, reduced poverty, and improved food security, despite the relatively slow progress in the development of new varieties in Ethiopia. This study focuses on the impact of adopting the Improved Barley Variety (HB1307) on food security among 331 smallholder farming households in the Bore District, Guji Zone, Ethiopia. Data from surveys, discussions, and interviews were analyzed using Descriptive, Binary Logistic Regression, Propensity Scores Matching, and Endogenous Switching Regression. About 52.6% of households adopted the improved variety, with 50.8% being food-secure. Factors like age, education, income, and land influenced adoption positively. The models showed a significant positive effect of adopting the barley variety on food security, increasing calorie intake by 430 and 359.97 kilocalories per day, highlighting its potential for improving food security in smallholder farming communities.