Value chain analysis of Abergelle goat breed, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Goat marketing in Abergelle district of Amhara region (Ethiopia) has involved different actors. This study assessed Abergelle goat marketing challenges and opportunities along the value chain. The study employed collection of primary and secondary data. Focus group discussion and key informant interview was conducted to enrich the data. The data collected was analyzed by using SPSS software and explained by descriptive statistics. The result showed that goat marketing involved producers, collectors, traders, processors and consumers in different marketing channels. The marketing routes and the share volume of goats through the value chain were different (Mekele route took 90% of goats and the rest 10% went to Beyeda, Axum and Shire). The major constraints of goat marketing in the study area were: lack of proper marketing facilities, lack of market information, and seasonality of supply and demand, high mortality and morbidity during transportation, multiple taxation, lack of vertical linkage and weak horizontal linkage. Whereas availability of Abergellie abattoir, Mekele city and Semien Eze defense force were important processors and consumers to maximize the usage from the goats. The policy makers and development practitioners should therefore try to solve the constraints and use the best opportunities efficiently and effectively to maximize the benefit obtained by each of the actors along the value chain of goat marketing in the study area.