Economics of Smallholder Dairy Production and Gender Roles in Dale District of Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia
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Abstract
This research was aimed at analyzing production efficiency and profitability of localdairy farm, assessing gender roles in dairy production, , and identifying challenges todairy farm. The study used gross margin and breakeven point analysis and multipleregression methods to analyze profitability of smallholder dairy farm and the Cobb-Douglas production function to analyze farm level production efficiency. The surveyresult revealed that 90% of husband and 46% of wives received formal education. Themajor cost in dairy production was feed cost, accounted for 76% of the dairyproduction. For the same level of education, household headed by female couldproduce more (58%) milk than household headed by male (46%). About 68% of thetotal work load in dairying was carried out by female. Total revenue and grossmargin per annum per dairy cow was Birr 9080 and Birr 6415, respectively. Multipleregression analysis revealed that gender, number of milking cow and lactation periodvariables were statistically significant, whereas number of livestock possessed,distance from extension service, experience and access to credit were statisticallyinsignificant. The production function analysis also revealed that green and dryfodder and number of milking cow variables were statistically significant. However,labor and concentrate were statistically insignificant. As result, the study suggeststhat the smallholder dairy enterprise is a viable venture and could play an importantrole in enhancing household income. Thus, it is recommended that the government,donors and other service providers need to allocate more resources towardssmallholder dairy development on general and in the areas of knowledge transfer inparticular with special focus of women.