Determinants of Intensity of Market Participation of Smallholder Mango Producers: The Case of Boloso Bombe Woreda, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying factors affecting intensity of market participation of smallholder mango producers in Boloso Bombe District in Southern Ethiopia. The study was conducted in four randomly selected kebele administrations in Boloso Bombe District. About 138 smallholder mango producers were selected randomly from four kebele administrations proportionally. Both qualitative and quantitative types of data were used. Primary data was collected by using both close ended and open ended (semi- structured) questionnaire and personal interview, focus group discussion and key informant interview was used to collect the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Tobit model was used to identify factors affecting intensity of market participation of smallholder mango producers. The result obtained from Tobit regression indicated that variables such as family size, sex, postharvest loss and access to non-farm income determined intensity of market participation negatively and variables such as education, quantity of mango produced, access to market information and owning transport means determined intensity of market participation positively at different significance level. Therefore, promoting family planning, reducing postharvest loss, enhancing production and productivity, strengthening education and market information accessibility are quite important for promoting intensive involvement of the farmers in the market