Assessment of the Constraints and Challenges in Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) Production and Marketing in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT The avocado fruit is very popular and highly cultivated in many countries, including Ethiopia, for its multiple benefits. The purpose of this study was to examine the major constraints and challenges faced by smallholder farmers in avocado production and marketing in southern Ethiopia. The data were collected from 295 avocado farmers and 30 local traders using various data collection tools. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. The findings from the present study revealed that the proportion of men farmers who produce local avocados was significantly higher than that of women farmers (χ2 = 153.79, df = 1, p < 0.001). On the other hand, women dominated the local markets, accounting for 73.3% of the local avocado traders who were interviewed. In addition, our research has demonstrated that smallholder farmers encounter major difficulties and challenges when growing avocados, including poor fruit retention, inadequate knowledge on agronomic practices, issues with diseases, and pests. Approximately 20.4% of farmers were able to solve at least one of the documented challenges in this study. As a result, it is critical that these concerns be addressed at the national, regional, district, and neighborhood levels to increase the standard of living for Ethiopian farmers who grow this essential crop.