PurposeThere is widespread belief that intermediaries in African agri-food value chains have disproportionate market power. In this paper, the authors examine this belief by uncovering the purchasing and selling prices, costs and profit... more
PurposeThere is widespread belief that intermediaries in African agri-food value chains have disproportionate market power. In this paper, the authors examine this belief by uncovering the purchasing and selling prices, costs and profit margins by farmers, intermediaries and retailers in the matooke (cooking banana) value chain in Uganda, and by analysing the prevailing value chain and market structures, seasonal entry and exit dynamics and the trading relationships in the chain.Design/methodology/approachData for this study were collected along the trading routes from the main matooke producing districts in South-West Uganda (Kabarole, Bunyangabo, Bushenyi, Isingiro and Mbarara) to the main urban markets around the capital Kampala. A structured survey was administered with 383 producers, 172 collectors and wholesalers and 71 retailers. In addition, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were held.FindingsThe authors find that price mark-ups by intermediaries (selling ...
Research Interests:
Cooking banana is widely grown and consumed the world over due to its distinct aroma and taste. It also forms the economic lifeline for many countries. However, the fruit is highly perishable owing to its high-water content, disease... more
Cooking banana is widely grown and consumed the world over due to its distinct aroma and taste. It also forms the economic lifeline for many countries. However, the fruit is highly perishable owing to its high-water content, disease susceptibility and quick ripening after harvest. This results in significant economic losses across its marketing chain. A breakthrough towards reduction of the bulk of the losses incurred, especially at the retail level, has been achieved through a technological innovation that extends the shelf-life of fresh cooking banana in peeled and packaged form. However, consumer preference and demand for this novel product remains widely unknown. Our study therefore investigated consumer demand and preference for peeled banana products with varied attribute levels in two major banana consuming cities of Uganda—Kampala and Jinja. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) was conducted with 360 banana consumers who were randomly picked using a systematic sampling approac...
Research Interests:
The livelihoods of millions of banana-farming households have been affected by Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) in Uganda for nearly two decades. The disease has no known cure, all banana cultivars grown are susceptible to it and it is... more
The livelihoods of millions of banana-farming households have been affected by Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) in Uganda for nearly two decades. The disease has no known cure, all banana cultivars grown are susceptible to it and it is endemic in all banana-producing regions in the country. This study analysed the long-term impact of the disease on the livelihoods of banana-producing households. Using a balanced panel dataset of 1,056 households, which were visited in 2015 and revisited in 2018, provides the opportunity to empirically measure the long-term consequences of the disease on farmers’ economic wellbeing in the four major banana growing regions in Uganda. We find striking results pertinent to disease incidence, success in disease management, household income and poverty when deploying BXW control practices. Although the disease has remained present in farmers’ fields, there is a significant reduction in household poverty levels. Results show that some farmers expanded the pro...