Analysis of poultry market chain: The case of Dale and Alaba ‘Special’ Woredas of SNNPRS, Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to analyze the poultry marketing chain in Dale and Alaba ‘special’ weredas of SNNPRS, Ethiopia. The specific objectives include analysis of the structure, conduct and performance of poultry marketing system, production and marketing support services of extension, input supply, credit and marketing. Cost structure and profitability of village poultry keeping were also analyzed. Furthermore, factors that affect farmers’ decision to participate in the supply of live birds and egg to the market and volume of birds and egg supplied to the market were identified in the study. Constraints and opportunities of production and marketing of poultry in the study area were also assessed. To address the aforementioned objectives descriptive statistics and econometric models were employed. Moreover, various marketing agents and their roles, linkages and functions in the poultry marketing system were also assessed. Alternative marketing channels and their systematic linkages and relative importance in the flow of birds and egg from the point of production to the end users were identified and mapped. Heckmans’ two stage and Tobit econometric models were employed to identify factors that determine the farmers’ participation decision and the amount of birds and egg supplied to the market in the year 2007/8 E.C. Village collectors, urban assemblers and whole sellers played crucial roles in the sample markets in the transaction of birds and egg from producers to consumers. Strong oligopolistic behavior is observed in Yirgalem and Alaba egg markets wit 98 and 93 percent concentration ratio respectively due to the short and inconsistent supply of egg that inhibits new entrants to engage in the business. Live bird trading in Alaba market also shows modest oligopolistic behavior (59.7% concentration ratio) due to the involvement of whole sellers who transport their birds to Addis Ababa market that comparatively demands high capital and information than the Awassa and Yirgalem poultry market places. Business support services such as credit, extension, input provision and information access in the production and marketing of village poultry are poorly developed or almost nonexistent in the study area. xvii According to the study the production and trading of live birds and egg are profitable in smallholders’ production system due to its’ low and abundant input requirements such as capital and labor than alternative business activities. From the probit model factors that determine the farmers’ participation decision are identified. These includes sex of the house holdhead, family size, total number of birds kept and feed supplementation have highly significantly influences farmers’ decision to supply chickens and eggs to the market. According to the result of the linear supply function and Tobit models, the total number of birds that the family kept, feed supplementation, market access, purpose of poultry keeping, producers participation decision in bird and egg supply and Credit use are found to have highly significant impact on the value of volume of birds and egg supplied to the market. The village poultry subsector provides ample opportunities for smallholder farmers since it utilizes resources that are abundant in rural areas and the anticipated rising price and demand in domestic and international markets. The subsector was also constrained by various challenges. According to the market survey, traders face lack of capital, short and inconsistent supply and, poor information and infrastructure development such as storage, packaging and transportation facilities. The production of village poultry was also constrained by diseases (NCD), predation, lack of input and volatile price and demand. Despite the numerous challenges the subsector still remains profitable business for the rural poor

Exploiting indigenous knowledge of subsistence farmers’ for the management and conservation of Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) (musaceae family) diversity on-farm

Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) belongs to the order sctaminae, the family musaceae. The Musaceae family is subdivided into the genera Musa and Ensete. Enset is an important staple crop for about 20 million people in the country. Recent publications on enset ethnobotany are insignificant when compared to the diverse ethnolingustic communities in the country. Hence, this paper try to identify and document wealth of indigenous knowledge associated with the distribution, diversity, and management of enset in the country. Methods: The study was conducted in eight ethnic groups in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State. In order to identify and document wealth of indigenous knowledge, the data was collected mainly through individual interviews and direct on-farm participatory monitoring and observation with 320 farm households, key informant interviews. Relevant secondary data, literature and inter-personal data were collected from unpublished progress report from National Enset Research Project, elderly people and senior experts. Results: Enset-based farming system is one of a major agricultural system in Ethiopia that serves as a backbone for at least ¼ of country’s population. Farmers used three morphological characters, two growth attributes, disease resistance and five use values traits in folk classification and characterization of enset. A total of 312 folk landraces have been identified. The number of landraces cultivated on individual farms ranged from one to twenty eight (mean of 8.08 ± 0.93). All ethnic groups in the study area use five use categories in order of importance: kocho yield and quality, bulla quality, amicho use, fiber quality and medicinal/ritual value. Of the 312 landraces 245 landraces having more than two use types. Management and maintenance of on-farm enset diversity is influenced by systematic propagation of the landraces, exchange of planting material and selective pressure. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the existing farmers’ knowledge on naming, classification and diversity should be complemented with maintenance of the creative dynamics of traditional knowledge and transmission of the knowledge are crucial for constructing sustainable management