Soybean Value Chain Assessment Study in Northwestern Ethiopia, Metekel Zone

This field assessment research has been carried out to identify the main value chain actors of soybean and their key roles in the product flow. In Metekel zone, the main soybean value chain actors were producers, traders, unions, truck owners, drivers and input suppliers. The supporting services of soybean value chains were Research Centers, BoA, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, NGO’s, unions, rural saving and credit cooperatives and other governmental offices. This field research work has been conducted by arranged one-day focus group discussion (FGD) program venue at Paw town. The FGD program had comprises fifteen members brought from three districts in Metekel zone. Before focus group discussion program, we have interviewed twenty-two respondents from Pawe, Danger, Mandura, and Debate districts by prepared checklists to assess the capacity of a local organization and the casts of value chain actors at producers and traders level. Our assessment study results showed that farmers and other large-scale growers produced soybean for three purposes; one for income, two for household consumptions and three for rotation with cereal crops to improve soil fertility. 90% of soybean was produced for income generating, 3-4% for home consumption and the rest around 5% as a seed source. In 2010/2011 main cropping season in Metekel zone 11, 008.79 ha arable land was covered by soybean. From our result soybean central wholesalers, processors, and exporters determined transaction price. During our assessment study, we have evaluated the contribution of unions and cooperatives; fortunately, they have no significant contributions on value additions, except Qua union in Burie district. The inter-linkage of soybean value chain actors in this area was still yet not well organized. Therefore, from our research result, we deduced and noted that this area needs further value chain research work to create strong linkage between stakeholders and to enhance the benefit of local farmers who being deployed on soybean cultivation, because this area is the potential region of soybean production.