Browsing by Author "Kassa, Biruhalem"

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    Rice Value Chain in Metema District, North Gondar, Ethiopia: Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation
    (Addis Ababa University, 2010-07) Kassa, Biruhalem; Paul, Issac (PhD); Puskur, Ranjitha (PhD)
    Rice is a new crop for the country in general and the study area, Metema, in particular. There is an immense potenlial rice produclion area and high consumer demand. However, Ihe rice sec/or is not jidly developed as compared /0 the potenlia!. Many institutional, organizational and technologicalfaclors were altributed 10 existing inefficiencies in rice production and uliliza/ion. This study was undertaken in /vietema District of North GondaI' Zone, Amhara National Regional State and has been designed to throw lighl on the challenges, opportunilies and entry points for infUsing jilrther innovation (technological institutional and organizational) for upgrading the rice value chain. 1denlification of aclors, their role, linkage, altitudes, habits and practices in the value chain; analyzing the institutional arrangements and enabling environment that affect Ihe jimclioning of the value chain; and idemifoing recenl innovation activities and their immediate outcomes in the District were Ihe focus of Ihis sludy. Primary data was collected }i'om J 00 randomly selected farm households and other rice value chain actors including inpul suppliers, markeling agents, consumers and support services. Dala was collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods which incOllJOraied semi-slructured interview schedule, focus group discussions, key informant interview and personal observation. The main findings of Ihe research revealed that, there are multiple public and non-public actors involved along the rice value chain, upstream }i'om input supply to downstream consumers, playing different role. However, there is no mechanism to coordinale multiple actors together for effective and efficiel1l jill1ctioning of the value chain. There is public sector actors' domination with limited private sector involvemenl in Ihe value chain. A long tradition of limited responsiveness, top-down, hierarchical, non participatOlY/ exclusiveness and less risk taking type of organizalionai culture and, habits and practices lead DoARD to have weak interaction, knowledge and information sharing with the various actors along Ihe value chain. As to the linkage, weak and informal linkage between chain actors characterizes the rice value chain. Lack of post harvest processing lechnology( rice polishel), limiled access to and supply of inputs, severe termite at/ack, non availability of ,veil developed rice market, high labor demand for crop management, absence of responsible body who works on actors interaction were some of the challenges identified for innovation at various stages of rice value chain. Absence of rice polisher machine was Ihe most critical problem that affects the whole value chain. On the contrmy, increased ftlrmer's awareness about and availability of improved rice varieties, exislence of favorable land and ciimalic condition, presence of high consumer demand, and increased institutional support ji-om difJereni GOs and NGOs were menlioned as opportunities for innovation. In order 10 address Ihe existing problems and to increase competilive advantage of the rice production, plat forms and parlnerships have to be crealed between value chain aclors to create an enabling environmel1l for sharing of information, knowledge and solve existing problems of shortage of rice polisher machine and input supply services. The existing extension service should also be strengthened in a way that enables working in harmony with relevant actors to bring about change for efficient and effective delivelY of agricullural inpuls/services.