Abstract:
Seed producer cooperatives were initiated by the Integrated Seed Sector Development Program in five
regions of Ethiopia including Oromia region since 2009 as an alternative mechanism to narrow the gap
between seed supply and demand in the country. Seed marketing is one of the key activities of the
program to satisfy the demand of farmers by providing quality seeds in the right place, at the right time
and with the right price for sale. Therefore, this study was designed to analyze market performance of
potato seed through producer cooperatives in Haramay, Kersa and Chiro districts of Oromia Regional
State, Ethiopia by identifying factors affecting potato seed market supply and its intensity. Three stage
sampling procedure was used to select potato seed producer households. In the first stage, kebeles in
the three districts were categorized into two: those with and without Seed Producer Cooperatives. In
the second stage, kebele administrations with Seed Producer Cooperatives were purposively targeted
from each district. In the third stage, households in the sample kebeles were stratified into two: member
and non-member households. Finally, all farm households who are members of Seed Producer
Cooperatives (157) in the sample kebeles were included in the sample. The Tobit model was used to
analyze the data. The result of the analysis indicated that Haramaya district, literacy status, family size,
extension contact, households’ perception to price offered by cooperatives and distance from
cooperative market center are the significant factors affecting members’ potato seed market supply
through cooperatives. Based on the findings, policy interventions like cooperatives capacity building,
providing adult education, awareness creation on family planning, provision of extension service and
accessible cooperative market center are suggested and forwarded.
