The groundnut plant has the ability to survive in areas of low rainfall because it is a legume and it increases soil fertility by fixing nitrogen in the soil. The study area is known by erratic and uneven rainfall while groundnut is the main cash crop in the area. The study identified the groundnut market outlets, factor affecting groundnut market outlet choice and identifies farm level women role in groundnut production, in Eastern Hararghe, Oromia Region. Both primary and secondary data were collected for the study. Primary data were collected from 120 sample households using questionnaire during the period of January15-February202016. The study implemented multivariate probit regression model to identify factor affecting groundnut market outlet choice. The results show that there is a significant correlation between marker outlets suggesting that practice of market outlets is interrelated. Multivariate probit regression estimation also revealed that sex of household head, education level, market distance, size of groundnut land, groundnut production experience, store time, access to extension and labor force of household member found to affect significantly the groundnut market outlet choice of household in study area. This also shows that higher educational level of household head increases the awareness of farmer about the benefits of choosing profitable market outlet. Therefore, a way of access to adult education for household head should be designed. Manuscript profile

Soil conservation is the only known way to protect the productive land. In country like Ethiopia, where droughts and floods cause food scarcity problem, soil and water conservation not only increases crop yield, but also prevents further deterioration of land. Soil and water conservation preserve soil moisture and drain water sustainably to avoid soil erosion and depletion of soil nutrients. So that, the main objectives of this study is to analysis factors affecting soil and water conservation adoption and to identify gender role in soil and water conservation practice in the study area. Both primary and secondary data were collected for the study. The data were collected by means of a semi-structured questionnaire during the period of January 20-February 20/ 2017. The study implemented binary logit model to identify factor affecting adoption of soil and water conservation. Level of formal education, market distance, labor force, slope of the farm land and size of livestock were significant variables which are found to affect the soil and water conservation of household in study area. Level of education was related with adoption of conservation structures, because literate farmers are in a better position to get information and use it in such a way that it contribute to their soil and water conservation than illiterate ones. Therefore, designating and implementing adult education should be encouraged by the government. In addition, soil bunds, Fanya juu and stone bunds are the major soil and water conservation measures that are widely implemented by farmers in the area. Manuscript profile

At the household level, livestock plays a critical economic and social role in pastoralists and at the household level, livestock plays a critical economic and social role in pastoralists and smallholder farm households. The objectives of this study were to analyze factors affecting participation in cattle fattening and its impacts on household income in Fadis district of Eastern Hararghe. Both primary and secondary data were used. The data were collected by means of a semi-structured questionnaire from 124 samples during the period of April 20-May20/ 2017. Logit estimation revealed that participation in cattle fattening is significantly influenced by five variables. Age of household head, labor force in family member, market information, access to agricultural extension services and number of livestock are significant variables which affect the participation of the household in cattle fattening practices. Propensity score matching method was applied to analyze the impact of the cattle fattening on the household income generation. In matching processes, kernel matching with 0.25 band width was resulted in relatively low pseudo-R2with best balancing test was found to be the best matching algorithm. This method was checked for standardized bias, t-test, and joint significance level. Propensity score matching results revealed that household participated in cattle fattening practice have got 14,071 more farm income and 12,617 total household income in Ethiopian Birr (ETB) than those household that were not participated in fattening practices. This income difference shows how non-farm and off-farm income compensated for income obtained from cattle fattening activities with farm income. Manuscript profile