Challenges and opportunities of dairy farming in Adigrat town, Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract

A dairy product refers to the food produced from the milk of animals. The production of milk in the study area was about 1.2 million liters per year. The main objective of this study was to examine the challenges and opportunities for milk production in Adigrat town. Data for this study was collected via smallholders' and cooperative dairy farmer’s surveys by applying the stratified random sampling method (n =130). Data was gathered using questionnaires, key informants’ interviews, and field observation which were analyzed by using descriptive statistics tools including a one-sample t-test, chi-square, and regression. The findings of the present study revealed that the average domestic milk consumption per capita per annum (L) at the study area M = 15.16 was significantly less than the world standard of milk product M = 200, t (128) = (-437.620), P= .000. The result of chi-square shows that insignificant association between supply and demand of milk product X2(1, N=129) = 0.425, P< 0.05) Study findings revealed that the Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated a strong and positive association between Milk production per liter and Income and Assets of the farmer's variables (r=+.847, p<0.000). Hence, appropriate and skilful implementation of milk production management will minimize the gap between the supply and demand of milk products. Therefore, it needs further investigation.

Keywords

• Dairy farming
• Milk production
• Adigrat
• Ethiopia