Role of fruit in livelihood of smallholders in Arba Minch area, Ethiopia

Luisa Buss

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Smallholders in Ethiopia continue to struggle to improve their livelihoods. The actions made toward agriculture development are still insufficient to cover food, nutrition, and cash security. Most rural households rely on homegardens for subsistence and sell surpluses at the market. Grain and tuber crops are cultivated in significantly larger quantities than higher perishable crops, such as fruits. Fruits are highly nutritious and have a greater market value. However, when compared with neighbouring countries, fruit consumption and production remain alarmingly low. Little is known about what holds Ethiopian farmers back in engaging in the fruit sector, particularly integrating fruit trees in their homegardens. The study intended to bring more evidence on variables that influence fruit crop cultivation in homegardens, mainly by documenting the production and utilisation of fruits among smallholders in Arba Minch. Data were collected through interviews with key informants and semi-structured questionnaires among 50 farmers in Arba Minch, Ethiopia. Data were statistically analysed using excel and SPSS software. The results confirmed that most fruits are produced for the market and that farmers are significantly aware of nutrition benefits and ecosystem services, but the labour intensity and market barriers translate into a perceived challenging sector. Farmers, households, homegarden characteristics and farm calendars were described to capture the typical features of the sample, which fell into the national norm. Lastly, we proposed a farmer profile that perceives fruit selling as more effortless. Conclusions were based on farmers' estimations and not measured empirically, which could be a limiting factor. This work suggests further research in market chain development, gender roles influencing engagement and local fruit species.

Keywords

homegardens, perceptions, selected fruit species, market chain

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 15. 4. 2022

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Vladimír Verner, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme:
International Cooperation in Agricultural and Rural Development