International Journal of Sales & Marketing Management Research and Development (IJSMMRD) ISSN (P): 2249–6939; ISSN (E): 2249–8044 Vol. 10, Issue 2, Dec 2020, 17-30 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd. DETERMINANTS OF ENSET PRODUCERS MARKET PARTICIPATION DECISION AND INTENSITY OF PARTICIPATION IN ENSET PRODUCT: THE CASE OF WONCHI DISTRICT, SOUTH WEST SHOA ZONE, OROMIA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA SHELEMEREFERAJEBESA Socio economics Research Team, Bako Agricultural Engineering Research Center, Bako, Ethiopia ABSTRACT In Ethiopia, enset is one of the indigenous root crops widely cultivated in the south and south western parts. Particularly in Wonchi district it is a major crop used as source of food and cash income for majority of smallholder farmers but there has been limited performance of producers in the enset product marketing. To this end, this study was intended to assess determinants of enset product (kocho) market participation decision and intensity of participation. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data were collected from randomly selected 184 sample enset producers through stratified two stage sampling technique. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and econometric methods. A double hurdle model was used to identify determinants of enset producers’ market participation decision and intensity Original Article of participation. The first stage of double hurdle shows that participation decision in kocho market is positively and significantly related with availability of economically active labor in the family, land allocated for enset crop, decision making on kocho income utilization, ownership of transport facility and access to market information. In contrast, ownership of livestock and distance to the nearest market limit sampled respondents participation decision in kocho market. A second hurdle regression model result indicate that educational level of the household head, enset farming experience, land allocated for enset crop and decision making onkocho income utilization determine intensity of participation in kocho market positively and significantly. The study recommends spreading market information in chain actors, encouraging farmers to learn adult and formal education and rising experience producers through experience sharing on the enset production. KEYWORDS: Determinants, Kocho, Market Participation, Participation Intensity & Wonchi Received: Jul 09, 2020; Accepted: Jul 29, 2020; Published: Aug 25, 2020; Paper Id.: IJSMMRDDEC20202 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background of the Study In Ethiopia, root and tuber crops are the second largest crops, after cereal crops in terms of quantity of production (CSA, 2017). Those crops contribute a major share in traditional food system of many people. They play a vital role in food security especially in south and south western part of Ethiopia. Enset, anchote, potato, onion, carrot, yams, taro and cassava are the major root and tube crops grown in the country (Yeshitila and Temesgen, 2016). Enset (Ensetventricosum) is one of the indigenous root crops widely cultivated in the south and south western parts of Ethiopia.Itis a multipurpose crop with all plant parts being used byproducers as human food, animal fed, medical and ornamental uses. It has high significant value in day to day activity of farmers who cultivate this crop and it is a major source of food for them. The enset products;kocho, bulla and amicho are eaten by human. www.tjprc.org [email protected] 18 Shelemereferajebesa During the dry season the domestic livestocks are fedenset parts, which are not normally eaten by human. Moderately dried itsleaf sheaths and midribs are used for local house in enset growing areas. The fiber of enset is used in the weaving of shopping bags, hand bags, suitcases, sieves, pouches and mats. It is the most important raw material and vital fencing, wrapping and packing of every material and, keeping animals in and around the house. According to CSA (2013) the total area under ensetcrop in Ethiopia estimated to 312.17 thousand hectares, whereas the total area under this crop in Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State is 217 thousand, Oromia 94 thousand and Gambella region 0.382 thousand hectares. During Meher season1from Ethiopian private peasant, total of 127.3 million ensetcrops were harvested and produced 34.8million quintals of kocho, 1.1million quintals of bulla and 29.4million quintals of amicho.In the same period, 45.7 million ensetplants were harvested and produced 11.9million quintals of kocho2, 680.6 thousand quintals of bulla and 10.1million quintals of amicho3 in Oromia region (CSA, 2017). From Oromia region Jimma, Borana, Guji, West Arsi, South West Shoa and West Shoa Zones are the enset potential Zones (CSA, 2015). The South West Shoa Zone is one of the outstanding enset crop accommodated area. From 95 thousand hectares of total farming 18.3 thousand hectares were underensetfarming and it cultivated by73153 households in the zone(SWSZ ANRO, 2018). Thecrop is produced in all districts of zone except Sodo Daci and Ilu districts. Wonchi district is one of the potential and well known by enset crop production, about 5428 hectares of the districts’ cultivated land is covered by this crop and all kebeles in the district produce the crop. Mesfinet al. (2018) listedkocho, bulla and amicho as the major food products obtained from the enset. From the three food products of the enset, kochoand bulla were supplied to different markets from production site. Due to its perishable nature, amichois not delivered to markets. According to Abebeet al. (2015) the largest proportion of kocho and bulla were supplied to the market rather than consumption. Despite of enset potential, there has limited performance of producers in the enset product marketing in the district. Determinants of enset producers market participation and intensity of participation in enset product is not documented. In this study enset product is refers to kocho; other enset products suchas bulla, fiber and Amichowere not considered. 1.2. Statements of the Problem Ethiopian agriculture is playing a key role in generating surplus to speed up the country’s overall socio-economic development (Hassen, 2006). Sustainable success in agricultural growth depends not only on achieving agricultural productivity and household food consumption but also critically depends on increasing better market access and expansion of market opportunities. Market access has been identified as one of the critical factors influencing the performance of smallholders’ agriculture in developing countries (Barrett, 2008). Enset crop is crucial in the Ethiopian context and specifically in the study district. It has a significant contribution to the livelihood of producers as income sources as well as ensuring of food security. Currently, about 19860households of Wonchi district are engaged in the production of this crop and leading their life based on enset farming. The activity is mainly meant for additional income generating activity on top of other crop production like maize, 1Meher is a main season between September and February 2Kochois the bulk of the fermented starch obtained from a mixture of the decorticated leaf sheaths and pulverized corm of enset. 3Amichois the fleshy inner portion of the ensetcorm, which is eaten as a root and tuber crop after being boiled. Impact Factor (JCC): 8.6084 NAAS Rating: 3.37 Determinants of enset Producers Market Participation Decision and Intensity 19 of Participation in Ensetproduct: The Case of Wonchi District, South West Shoa Zone, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia teff, wheat and barley and livestock rearing. In fact, enset has been the main food and cash crop in the district (WDANRO, 2018). Despite the valuable contributions of enset to food security, income and alleviating poverty is substantial, limited attentions has been given to enset research particularly in market aspect. There are several problems that hinder the performance of enset production and productivity. Shortage of enset improved variety, its products’ price fluctuation and market seasonality, poor infrastructure, enset diseases, poor information flow, poor transportation system, using perishable packaging, lack of cooperation between actors and poor policies concerning the enset product market are the major constraints of enset production (Ashenafiet al.,2017; WDANRO,2018).Although, production up to selling the enset product is tedious work producers faced market problems as product price is low and inadequate enset product market information in the study area. It was not clear why all enset producers are not enset product market participants and determinants of the participation and intensity of participation was also unknown in the district. 1.3. Objectives of the Study The general objective of the study was to analyze determinants of enset product market participation and intensity of intensity of participation in Wonchi District, South West Shoa Zone, and Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia. The specific objectives of the study were: To identify the determinants ensetproducers participation decision inenset product marketing; and To identify the determinants of intensity participation in enset product marketing in study area RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2.1 Description of the Study Area Wonchi district is located in Oromia regional state of South West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. It is one of the eleven districts in south west shoa zone and about 9kilometer and 123kilometer from Waliso