Assessment of the Current Status, Utilization, Income Contribution and Marketing Constraints of Cactus Pear (Opuntia Spp.) in Bale Zone, South-Eastern, Ethiopia

The cactus plant (Beles) grows profusely in Ethiopia and has adapted perfectly to the arid zones of the country characterized by droughty conditions, erratic rainfall, and poor soils subject to erosion. Cactus can be used for several purposes like sources of food, feed, as wind break, fence for crop and soil conservation for the people of the area. Although it is an important fruit and forage plant, there is no clear cut information about its current status, utilization, income contribution and marketing constraints in Bale Zone, South Eastern Ethiopia. To this end, the objective of this research was to assess the Current status, utilization, income contribution and marketing constraints of Cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) in selected districts of Bale Zone. In this study, three districts, namely, Sinana, Agarfa and Gasera were purposively selected based on their potential in cactus production and utilization. In addition, two kebeles from each district were selected purposefully based on their potential in cactus production. A total of 400 Cactus Grower and Non grower Households were selected to achieve the objectives of the study. Both qualitative and quantitative types of data were collected from sampled households. The quantitative type of data gathered from the respondents was analyzed using SPSS 20 versions whereas the data generated from group discussion and key informant interview were narrated and interpreted in the form of word. The descriptive result of the study indicated that Cactus feeding management includes the practices of cutting, scrubbing and chopping of young cladodes from branches of the stand for their animals and grazing. Regarding Cactus utilization in the study districts, farmers uses cactus pear for consumption (18.4%), live fence for crop field (13.7%), soil conservation (13.2%), and backyard live fence, (10.8%), for food security motive (9.9%), for forage (9.4%) and for wind break (8.5%) in the entire cactus growing areas of the study districts. Despite the fact that the vast majority of the respondents which accounts 61.3. % of the cactus growers reports they get unreasonable price from the sale of cactus due to lack access to potential market and low quality Cactus production, they obtained an average of 1007.9 Ethiopian Birr per annum. The study revealed that the income obtained from Cactus production was benefited 30.7% of farmers to cover their domestic consumables and purchase closes for their children. Also about 15.6% and 11.3% of the respondents were used the income obtained from the sale of cactus to cover costs of sending children to school and purchase improved crop varieties respectively. Regarding marketing constraints, the farmers indicated that Absence of Transportation facilities (20.3%), absence of market place (12.3%), low bargaining power (15.1%), perishability problem (17%), fluctuation of market price (9.4%) and availability of illegal brokers (14.2%) are the major problems they faces while selling their produce to the market. Regarding the income share of cactus grower and non grower Households it was found that the annual average income earned by cactus owner households were 13,910.6 birr whereas 12,371.3 birr for non cactus grower households with maximum earnings of up to Birr 30, 900 for non cactus grower and 35,960 for cactus grower households. Econometric result also reveals that the “average treatment effect on the treated” (ATT) for household income suggested, due to pure effect of cactus, the cactus owners obtain 1433.2049 birr of total income higher than non-owners; among which the mean difference of income between these two group is statistically significant at 5% probability level after matching. Considering the above mentioned fact, local government and other development partners should improve Access to market for cactus fruit so that farmers can get the best benefits from the cultivation of the crop. © 2018 Elixir All rights reserved. Elixir Agriculture 128 (2019) 52815-52824 Agriculture Available online at www.elixirpublishers. com (Elixir International Journal) Hakim Hashim Sadik et al./ Elixir Agriculture 128 (2019) 52815-52824 52816