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1 Biazin, B.; Haileslassie, Amare; Zewdie, T.; Mekasha, Y.; Gebremedhin, B.; Fekadu, A.; Shewage, T. 2018. Smallholders’ avocado production systems and tree productivity in the southern highlands of Ethiopia. Agroforestry Systems, 92(1):127-137. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-016-0020-2]
Agricultural production ; Fruit trees ; Avocados ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Highlands ; Agroforestry ; Harvesting ; Canopy ; Coffee industry ; Land ownership ; Households / Ethiopia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047783)
Ethiopia is one of the top five avocado producers in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite increasing recognition for its nutritional value and economic importance, information on smallholder avocado production systems across agro-climatic zones and determinants for tree productivity are literally lacking. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to examine the determinants for avocado tree holdings by smallholder farmers and investigate the effect of avocado production systems and management conditions on fruit yield by individual avocado trees in Southern Ethiopia. Data required for the study was collected through a combination of focus group discussions, household survey and field tree inventories. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, analyses of variance and linear regression methods using statistical software for social sciences (SPSS version 20). In the study region, avocado is mainly grown as an integral component of the coffee- and enset-based agroforestry systems. The number of avocado trees owned by smallholder producers was related to district, sex of household head, age of household head, educational status, land holding size, pest and disease damage and access to extension services. Productivity of avocado was significantly (p < 0.05) different between production systems. The highest avocado fruit yield was observed from trees grown in the coffee and enset-based agroforestry systems. However, the smallholder producers complain that the yields of coffee and enset grown under avocado trees could be very low. The total height of avocado trees was significantly (p < 0.05) different across the different production systems. The mean heights of matured (21–25 years old) avocado trees were 17.57 ± 0.86 m (±SE; N = 20) under coffee-based agroforestry system and 14.93 ± 1.24 m when grown as individual trees around homes. Proper extension support is needed to disseminate improved production techniques: encompassing proper tree spacing, tree training, pruning, soil amendments, growing optimum number of trees for successful pollination and improved harvesting.
2 Oduol, J. B. A.; Mithofer, D.; Place, F.; Nang'ole, E.; Olwande, J.; Kirimi, L.; Mathenge, M. 2017. Women's participation in high value agricultural commodity chains in Kenya: strategies for closing the gender gap. Journal of Rural Studies, 50:228-239. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.01.005]
Gender ; Women's participation ; Agricultural production ; Avocados ; Commodity markets ; Supply chain ; Domestic markets ; Exports ; Farm income ; Farmers ; Households ; Socioeconomic environment ; Decision making ; Strategies ; Case studies / Kenya / Kandara / Marani
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047996)
(0.48 MB)
In developing economies, well-functioning markets are known to provide the poor with avenues for wealth creation. Using a value chain approach, this paper aims at examining bottlenecks to and opportunities for different categories of women to participate in markets for high value agricultural commodities, with a view to identifying feasible upgrading strategies for the different categories. The findings are based on a case study of Kenya's avocado value chain, which depicts export and domestic market orientation. The data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, in-depth interviews and household surveys. The results suggest that in the more commercialized and well developed chains like that of export, upgrading strategies vary for the different typologies of women. While women in female headed households may require limited efforts such as tailoring financial products to their needs or providing interlinked services coupled with prompt payment for their produce to allow them to produce quality fruits and access lucrative markets, women in male headed households need institutionalization of gender-sensitive policies in the governance of producer groups to enable them to upgrade as chain integrators and chain owners. In the less commercialized domestic chain, limited efforts may be required to upgrade women along the chain, but the need to change from the less marketable local variety to exotic variety is likely to alter women's position, thereby calling for the need to institutionalize gender-sensitive policies in the governance of existing organized groups and use the groups as a platform to introduce the new variety.
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