Assessment of Dairy Value Chain and Dairy Production Systems in Southern and South Eastern Zone, Tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess dairy value chain and dairy production systems in selected districts from Southern and South Eastern Zone of Tigray. Primary data was collected by interviewing a total of 110 dairy producers in purposively selected in Mehoni and Hintalo districts. The collected data was analyzed using application of appropriate statistical tools and simple descriptive statistics was used to present the results. Majority of the respondents stated that the family size was small sized with 2 to 5 members. About 68 of the respondents head man occupation in the study areas was dairy farming. In the study areas, most owners had 2-5, 5-7, and 7-9 dairy cows respectively. The available land was mainly used for crop and pasture production. Respondents stated that the main purpose of keeping animals was to be used as asset and the reason to start dairy farm was for household food. In the present study, majority of the respondents mentioned that support by government was the main encouragement to start dairy farming. Manual churning using clay pot was the main churning system in the study areas. As mentioned by majority of the respondents raw milk was the main dairy product produced in the area. The main feed resource in the study area was hay followed by crop residue. The main water source for dairy production was water rain catchment. Development agents were the primary source of dairy products marketing in the study areas. About 38 of the respondents stated that raw milk was the primary dairy product consumed in the study areas. Majority of the respondents (56) stated that livestock/dairy potential was the main opportunity for dairy production in the study areas. Lack of credit, poor genetic potential, animal disease and high feed cost as well as availability problem were the main constraints in the study areas. The present study suggested that establishing of dairy producers should get credit support, extension and veterinary services