Potato Value Chain Analysis: The Case of Chencha Woreda, Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia

This research was carried out with an aim to conduct and explore the study on analysis of potato value chain at Chencha Woreda of Gamo Gofa Zone SNNPR southern Ethiopia. It entails the specific objectives of Identify the key players for each step of production and marketing using the value chain approach, analyze the roles and relationships of actors in the sector for implementation of the interventions and identify the constraints faced by potato value chain actors. Primary data have been be collected from 124 selected respondent /farmers/ this supplemented by information from two focus group, and 10 key informants and also retrieved from relevant report and documents. The result of the study shows that production and productivity of potato got the highest yield and benefit to producer but potato producer couldn’t achieve these result and benefit so all necessary potato technology should disseminate extensively in the study area. From the individual producers’ perspective, the survey results show that the production characteristic in the study area is characterized by traditional rain-fed agriculture. The average potato productivity (yield) in the study area is 80 quintals per hectare which is below the potential. The data on sub sector selection showed that potato has higher profitability per hectare compared to other crops cultivated in the same season and this is the factor that influenced producers most to prefer potato production to other crops. The result of the study revealed that there are different actors on potato value chain in study area. Potato growers are the major actors who perform most of the value chain functions right from input supply up to post harvest handling and marketing. The major value chain functions that potato grower perform include ploughing, planting, fertilization, weeding, disease and pest control and harvesting. The study result also indicates that input costs like fertilizer cost and seed cost as well as labor cost comprise large share of the total variable costs involved in potato production. Family labor also plays significant role in the production of potato in the study area. Therefore, improving yield should be given more attention in the area. This can be achieved through improving the supply and accessibility of modern agricultural inputs like chemical fertilizer to the producers, improved and certified seed. In addition the current use of high yielding varieties must be duly examined as the use of these varieties seems to affect potato production and yield negatively. Although, the real cause for this negative return from the use of high yielding varieties is not clearly known, possible reasons include lack of proper training given to producers on the use of these varieties or disease vulnerability. Therefore, it might be wise to train the producers on the proper use of these varieties on field. The other reason could be soil mining effect but this cannot be proved from the available data as well. Therefore, the current use of high yielding varieties in the study area needs further research. Further more effective soil and water conservation mechanism will be implemented in the near future to compact the serious soil erosion problems of the Woreda in order to boost quality potato for market. Keywords: Potato value chain, subsector selectio