DETERMINANTS OF BAMBOO PRODUCTION, THE CASE OF GUAGUSA SHIKUDAD WEREDA, AMHARA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

One of Ethiopia’s fast growing and most valuable forest, bamboo’s role in livelihoods and rural development is poorly understood. Hence, the general objective was to examine economic contributions of bamboo production and marketing for livelihoods of rural households. To attain this objective, both quantitative and qualitative data from 201 households were collected through structured questionnaires, focus group discussion and key informant interviews using multi-stage sampling technique in 2 Kebeles in ShikudadWoreda, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. Both descriptive statistical tools and Tobit regression model were used to analyze relationship between variables. Tobit regression model was employed to find out the relationship between dependency level of households on bamboo for their livelihood and some selected socio-economic factors. According to the results, the area of land covered by bamboo has been decreasing from time to time and about 80 percent of respondents said that the area of land covered by bamboo has been decreasing. Bamboo culms and products marketing systems were informal. Bamboo producers simply display their products, mostly on road-sides, and interested buyers buy them. Information helps farmers to get better price to their product, to increase quality and quantity of the bamboo product. And only 18 percent farmers have full access for information on how to supply, where to sell and the level of demand for their bamboo products. This shows there was lack of adequate market information on the marketing of bamboo products they produce in this area. Therefore, the focus on the development of conservation and processing methods and appropriate production system and marketing can enhance the utilization of bamboo resources.This study is intended to investigate the economic implications of bamboo production /benefits/ through income improvement and determinants of household income obtained from producing bamboo. The major driving forces for the disappearances of the bamboo forests are conversion to agricultural land and bamboo forest being common pool for all individuals for last times, increase of population growth, environmental change and unsustainable cutting for sale, house construction, fencing and low replanting habit local bamboo in the study area.