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Abstract
While an increasing trend is emerging in recent years, Ethiopia’s agriculture is still characterized by low productivity. Nevertheless, reports indicate that several yield increasing technologies are available which are not adequately utilized yet. This paper would assess the potential impact of improved varieties of selected cereal crops on productivity and poverty based on the data collected from two districts of Ethiopia. We used the partial budget approach to analyze potential impacts of the varities. Results show that the mean per capita net benefit per day ranges from ETB5 (~US$0.25) to ETB10 under a typical pattern of adoption while it ranges from ETB7 to ETB13 under an accelerated pattern of adoption. These amounts would be enough to lift up the "better-off-poor" households out of poverty; but they wouldn't be enough to lift up the ultra-poor out of poverty implying that other livelihood strategies are desirable to improve the wellbeing of the latter.