Rice Value Chain in Metema District, North Gondar, Ethiopia: Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation
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Date
2010-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
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.
Description
Keywords
Rice Value Chain