Value Chain and Cost Benefit Analysis of Honey Production and its Implication on Household Food Security: A Comparative Analysis of Certified and Conventional Honey in Ginbo Wereda, Southern Ethiopia
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This research analyzes value chain, cost benefit and household food security implications of certified organic and conventional honey at Ginbo Wereda, Keffa Zone of southern Ethiopia.
The research also assesses the socioeconomic conditions for both certified and conventional honey producers. There are six Kebeles at Ginbo Wereda where certified organic honey producers operate. Yayebito is one of these Kebeles that was taken as a sample to be contrasted with the conventional honey producers at Diri Kebele. Value chain actors and their roles were identified in both conventional and certified organic honey using profit margin analysis. There are ten and two direct actors in conventional and certified honey value chains, respectively. The cost benefit analysis for certified organic and conventional honey producers reveals that the former group incurs lower unit production cost than the latter one. The net revenue is found to be significantly higher at the certified organic honey producers. The certified organic honey producers that sell raw and semi processed honey, obtain significantly higher margin than the
conventional honey producers. Apart from that, the certified organic honey producers are more reliant on family labor than hired labor unlike the conventional honey producers. This is attributed to various trainings that were received by the former group. Organic certification of honey made a significant difference on the status of food security condition between certified organic and conventional honey producers. The food security condition of the certified organic honey producers has been increasing in the past years of stay under organic certification.
Organic certification was one of the main factors contributing to the household food security. On the other hand, the majority of the conventional honey producers’ food security status remained the same for the same period of time. The frequency of harvest is higher in the certified organic honey producers than the counter group, which in turn puts an impact on the volume of honey harvested and net revenue received. The wealth status and asset accumulation of certified organic honey producers has increased at post certification. This indicates that their purchasing ability is improving, which provides wider access to food. Food consumption is also one component of food security and the average meal frequency per day is higher at the certified organic honey producers than the counter group. Household food insecurity access scale was one of the tools employed to assess the food insecurity condition among both groups. Based on the thirty days recall data the certified organic honey producers have lesser household food insecurity access scale sore than the conventional honey producers. Organic certification was thus among the major factors that contributed to the improved food security status of the certified organic honey producers.
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Food Security