The Potential for Integrating The Potential for Integrating The Potential for Integrating The Potential for Integrating Vegetables into Staple Crop Vegetables into Staple Crop Vegetables into Staple Crop Vegetables into Staple Crop

Production Production Production Production Systems in Systems in Systems in Systems in the Humid the Humid the Humid the Humid Tropics of Tropics of Tropics of Tropics of EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia

Bezabih Emana1, Victor Afari-Sefa2, Amsalu Ayana1, Fekadu F. Dinssa2, Tesfaye Balemi1 and Milkessa Temesgen1

In Ethiopia, vegetables are important for income generation, nutrition, health, sustainability of smallholder

farms, and attract foreign direct investment (Adish, 2012; Ayana et al., 2014). Commercial production of

vegetables has been increasing recently due to the expansion of state farms and private investment in the

sector (EHDA, 2012). Commercial vegetable production for domestic and export markets is concentrated in the

Rift Valley of Ethiopia, where irrigation facilities and agro-processing industries are available. Enabling legal and

policy frameworks have further boosted investment in the sub-sector. Ethiopia, with its diverse agro-ecology,

has untapped potential to grow tropical, subtropical and temperate vegetables for export to the Middle East

and European markets (EHDA, 2011; Aklilu, 2000).

While most vegetables are grown in pure stands on commercial farms, they are cultivated either in pure stands,

as relay crops, or intercropped with field crops under smallholder farming systems (Ayana et al., 2014). Despite

favorable agro-ecological conditions for growing different types of vegetables and policy incentives and support

for vegetables in Ethiopia, the value chain is constrained by limited access to improved seeds, high postharvest

losses, lack of reliable market information and support systems, low producer price bargaining power of farmers

at the farm gate, and overall weak capacity of value chain actors, supporters and enablers to create a well

coordinated and functioning value chain system.

A. INTRODUCTIONA. INTRODUCTIONA. INTRODUCTIONA. INTRODUCTION

Country (Consignment) Quantity (t)CIF value

(‘000 USD)% of quantity % of value

Belgium 0.08 70.75 0.06 2.1

France 3.60 64.68 2.81 1.9

Germany 3.84 74.03 3.00 2.2

India 2.58 24.24 2.02 0.7

Israel 1.16 690.87 0.91 20.5

Italy 11.94 216.31 9.34 6.4

Kenya 0.01 14.44 0.01 0.4

Netherlands 103.6 2,169.94 81.01 64.4

Niger 0.07 13.52 0.05 0.4

Spain 1.02 29.45 0.80 0.9

Thailand 0 0.01 - 0.0

Total 127.89 3,368.24 100.00 100.0

Table 1. Quantity and value of vegetable seed imported from country of consignment in 2012

BBBB. . . . OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVESOBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

• Characterize vegetable production and marketing systems

• Evaluate potential for integrating vegetables into staple-crop

production systems

Secondary data analysis and field observations indicate that, to a large extent,

vegetable seed demand in Ethiopia is met through commercial seed imports mainly

by private seed importers and parastatal enterprises such as ETFruit and AISCO (Table

1). Depending on availability of land and crop suitability for intercropping, some

vegetables are grown either in pure stands or intercropped with other vegetables or

staple crops over two seasons in a year: in the wet season (meher season, June-

August) using rainfall with supplemental irrigation or under full irrigation during the

dry season, usually from September-May. Vegetables such as tomato, beetroot, Swiss

chard, lettuce, carrot, cabbage, onion, garlic, kale, sweet potato and hot pepper are

dominantly grown as sole crops; Ethiopian mustard and pumpkin are mostly

intercropped with maize and other annual or perennial crops during the rainy season,

and with Irish potato, especially in homesteads. Productivity was found to depend on

the season and the vegetable type (Table 2). For example, onion, garlic, hot pepper,

beetroot and carrot registered higher yields under irrigation compared to rain-fed

production, while, under a similar farming system, tomato, Swiss chard and lettuce

registered lower yields under irrigation compared to rain-fed production.

D. RESULTS AND D. RESULTS AND D. RESULTS AND D. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONSDISCUSSIONSDISCUSSIONSDISCUSSIONS

Type of vegetable District averages Average of sample (kebeles*)

Rainfed Irrigated

Tomato 14.3 12.5 19.2

Cabbage 13.5 13.8 21.6

Kale 20.9 19.8 21.8

Onion 10.4 13.3 17.4

Garlic 4.9 7.1 3.9

Hot pepper 1.8 11.3 11.6

Sweet pepper 7.8 -

Beet root 11.0 13.8 15.0

Swiss-chard 19.0 16.5

Lettuce 19.0 15.0

Carrot 9.8 13.2 14.7

Ethiopian mustard 8.3* -

Pumpkin 0.6 -

Sweet potato 7.1 12.2 17.0

Potato 12.3 13.4 -

Leek 6.7 6.3 -* kebele is the smallest government administrative unit in Ethiopia

Table 2: Yield of vegetables under irrigated and rainfed production systems (t/ha)

C. MATERIALS AND METHODSC. MATERIALS AND METHODSC. MATERIALS AND METHODSC. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe study was conducted in four major vegetable producing zones in the humid

tropics of Ethiopia: West Shewa in Oromia National Regional State; and Gurage,

Hadiya and Yem (special district) zones in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and

Peoples Regional State (SNNPRS). Data were collected using participatory primary

survey techniques augmented with secondary data. Study sites were selected

through consultations with zonal and district vegetable experts of the Bureau of

Agriculture. Field surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions

were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from sub-sector value chain

actors and stakeholders.

E. E. E. E. CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS• Despite constraints, there is great potential to integrate vegetables into existing

staple-crop production systems due to their short production cycles, higher yield

and relatively higher per unit farm gate prices.

• Demand is growing: 65% of all major vegetables produced in the study area

during the 2012 production year were sold on the market.

• Preference for specific vegetable types and varieties is location-specific;

smallholders’ decision to produce, consume and market vegetables is often

triggered by income generation, consumption/nutritional, social and medicinal

values.

• Marketing functions undertaken by producers, retailers and wholesalers provide

employment, income, and links to other sectors of the economy.

• Increasing public awareness about the use of different vegetable species,

building capacity within the research for development continuum, and

development of well-coordinated and integrated value chains via functional

public-private partnerships will enhance the development of the sub-sector

while providing intensification and diversification options within Ethiopia’s

staple-based smallholder farming systems.

2AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC)

Eastern and Southern Africa

P. O. Box 10 Duluti, Arusha, TANZANIA

Corresponding author: E-mail: victor.afari-sefa@worldveg.org; Tel: +255-27-255-3093

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Aklilu, S. (2000). Research achievement on variety development and seed production of vegetable crops in Ethiopia, pp. 6-11, In: Chadha, M.L., Altoveros, E.C., Nono-

Womdim, R., and Mndiga, H. (eds), AVRDC Africa Regional Program 2000. Varietal evaluation and seed production of vegetable crops held at AVRDC Africa Regional

Program, Arusha, Tanzania, 29th September to 5th October 1997. Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center – Africa regional Program, Arusha, Tanzania. AVRDC

ARP Publication No. 2000-2.

Ayana, A., Afari-Sefa, V., Emana, B., Dinssa, F.D., Balemi, T., and Temesgen, M. (2014). Analysis of Vegetable Seed Systems and Implications for Vegetable Development in

the Humid Tropics of Ethiopia. International Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 4(4): 325-337

EHDA, Ethiopian Horticulture Development Agency (2012). Ethiopian Horticulture Sector Statistical Bulletin. Issue 01, Addis Ababa Ethiopia.

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P. O. Box 15805

Addis Ababa

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