Situations analysis of the malt barley value chain integration and performance in Ethiopia

Abstract

This study explores the malt barley value chain in Ethiopia with emphasis on value chain structure, integration, and performance and their respective interactions. Data were gathered from individual chain members through qualitative interviews and analyzed according to definitions of concepts in the literature and their arrangements within a conceptual framework. We identified several fragmentations that constrained value chain performance and weakened its integration. The major causes of fragmentation were a lack of value chain thinking, opportunistic traders, weak cooperative organizations, poor information sharing, and less support from the malt factory and breweries to upstream members of the chain. A conceptual framework was designed to guide future analysis, open managerial and policy dialogues, and initiate questions for future research to identify new ways of linking small-scale farmers to the large agro-processors in Sub-Saharan Africa.