title: Village poultry consumption and marketing in relation to gender, religious festivals and market access.
abstract: This study aimed to examine village poultry consumption and marketing in Ethiopia in relation to gender, socio-cultural events and market access. The main objects of the research were producers, poultry markets, producer-sellers, and intermediary sellers in three locations representing different levels of market access in Tigray. About 3000 farm records were collected over a period of 12 months from 131 producers to obtain quantitative data on sales and consumption. Ninety-three semi-structured interviews with 58 producer-sellers and 35 intermediaries and 12 group discussions with these market actors were conducted to explore organization, price dynamics and socio-cultural aspects of poultry marketing. In total, 928 producer-sellers and 225 intermediaries were monitored monthly to examine participation by gender in poultry marketing. Better market access was associated with a shorter market chain and higher prices for the producers. Female-headed households had smaller poultry sales and consumption per household but sale and consumption per family member were 25% and 66% higher, respectively, than in male-headed households. While women dominated in the producer-sellers group, intermediaries were mainly men. Religious festivals periodically shifted local demand and prices of poultry. To improve the benefit of poultry keeping, poverty-stricken households may profit from better market access through better market information, infrastructure, market group formation and careful planning to match the dynamics in demand.
authors: Department of Animal, Range and Wild Life Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia. akililu64@yahoo.com
authors: H A
authors: HA
authors: Aklilu
authors: C J M
authors: CJ
authors: Almekinders
authors: H M J
authors: HM
authors: Udo
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Van der Zijpp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development; D004531:Eggs; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing / Q000379:methods*; D008460:Meat; D011200:Poultry; D012067:Religion; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D014195:Travel
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