Abstract
Cabbage is highly nutritious, and it is an economically important vegetable in Ethiopia and one of the most widely cultivated in West Arsi zone especially at Kofale and Kore districts. The study was aimed to analysis head cabbage value chain in Kofale and Kore districts with the specific objectives of identifying head cabbage value chain actors and examining the performance of actors in the chain in the study area. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data were generated by household survey using a pre-tested structured questionnaire and key informant interview using checklists. The data were collected from 120 farmers, 50 traders and 50 consumers and analyzed using STATA software. Value chain actors of head cabbage identified in the study area includes input suppliers, producers, rural collectors, brokers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. Five market channels were identified. The highest total gross margins were 79.28% in channel II. The highest gross marketing margin of producers markets channels are 85.56% in channel IV. From total quantity of head cabbage produced only 33.48% supplied to the market in the study area. Policy implications drawn from the study findings include the need to improve farmers’ knowledge and experience on head cabbage production and marketing, encouraging adult education through extension service, improving land allocated for head cabbage, improving productivity and volume sales of head cabbage, improving market information access, expanding accessibility of market infrastructure and strengthening supportive institutions like credit access are recommended. In addition to this the study suggests that it shall be better to improve the farmers’ market margins from collectors and wholesalers by strengthening farmers-traders linkage through reducing brokers’ exploitation and solving related production and marketing problems in the study area. Keywords: Value chain analysis, Head cabbage, Marketing margin, Market Performance, Ordinary least square model, and Kofele and Kore districts. DOI : 10.7176/JAAS/52-05
Highlights
Agriculture is central to Africa’s agenda, and efforts have made to link production with agribusiness for better growth in the sector
To understand the characteristics of the chain actors of head cabbage and the relationships exists between www.iiste.org them, including the identification of all actors in the chain; the flow of product through the chain; the work features and the destination; information was obtained by conducting interviews, focus group discussion and by collecting secondary data from various sources
As the study result revealed that from total quantity of the head cabbage produced only 33.48% proportion supplied to the market indicating low level of commercialization in the study area
Summary
Agriculture is central to Africa’s agenda, and efforts have made to link production with agribusiness for better growth in the sector. Days, it earns an average of 24 per cent of its annual growth from its farmers and their crops value chains reveal common and well-known constraints, such as poor infrastructure; fragmented and risky markets; poorly functioning input markets; difficulties accessing land, water, and finance; and inadequate skills and technology. Cabbage is highly nutritious vegetable and has so many health benefits It is rich in phyto-nutrient anti-oxidants that are powerful oxidants and known to help protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood. Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidant, vitamin C that helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals (Umesh Rudrappa, 2014)
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