Economics of Enset (Ensete ventricosum) Cultivation and Constraints Faced by Cultivators in Doyogena District, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Abstract

Enset is a traditional staple food crop in many parts of the densely populated south and south-western highlands of Ethiopia. Doyogena district is one of the major producers of enset in southern Ethiopia. Enset (Ensete Ventricosum) cultivation provides supplementary income for growers in the study area. The purpose of this paper was to study cost and return associated with enset cultivation and identify major constraints faced by enset growers. A total of 154 farm households were selected randomly for the survey. Data were obtained through face to face interview and focus group discussion by using pre-tested questionnaire and checklist respectively. The cost of human labor was the most important cost item within the total cost of enset cultivation (33.64%) followed by cost of planting material which accounted 14.41% in the total cost of enset cultivation. The cost and return analysis shows that enset cultivation is profitable. Land shortage, lack of processing technology, absence of cooperatives, disease and limited government attention are the major constraint faced by farmers in enset production and its products marketing in the study area. Therefore, the government should take  initiation for improving the infrastructural facilities, which is a must for improving the production and marketing of  enset products.

Keywords: Constraints, Doyogena, Economics, enset, Southern Ethiopia