Project News

Ethio-SHEP conducted the Market survey and Crop selection after the baseline survey.

Five representative farmers participated from the target woredas to the market survey training. After the training, representative farmers moved to their target market to collect the market information, supported by experts.

This is the third year of the project as well as third times of conducting the market survey. In the market, there are traders who know us well because we know each other through the market linkage forum and the market survey. They gave us frank advices. One trader said "You come again! Not only conducting your survey, you have to bring your product." The other trader said "Knowing each other by the market linkage forum, I bought onion from SHEP farmers but the onion's curing was not enough and it was rotten fast and suffered a loss. I never buy the product which are not cured well."

One farmer who participated the Market survey this time said "I am ashamed of myself as a farmer after talking to traders; traders buy products from very far areas while we are here as farmers and cannot supply to the market. If I can produce good quality products, the traders willing to buy. Both of us will get benefit."

An Expert who participated commented "I was always thinking that the main problem for horticulture is market, but now I realized that the main problem is on our side (both farmers and development agents), lack of quality production, fragmented selling in market, problem of timely supply"

After the Market survey, discussed with the farmers group based on the information collected through market survey and advice by the experts, the farmers decided their target crops which they produce for coming season. Eventually, the new farmer group of this year selected Potato, Onion, Tomato, Carrot, Head cabbage, Green paper and Kale.

Market survey by farmer representatives, W/Gojam zone, Amhara region.

Crop selection by farmers W/Gojam zone, Amhara region.

Market survey by farmer representatives, Jimma Zone Oromia region.

Market survey by farmer representatives, Arsi Zone Oromia region.

Crop selection by farmers Arsi zone, Oromia region.