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2.2 Introduction
Food insecurity and malnutrition are among the urgent challenges that developing countries face these days. The challenges are especially acute in Ethiopia and relatively more serious in the rural than urban areas (Dionco- Adetayo et al., 2002; Chanyalew, 2005) mainly because of a low level of understanding of a balanced diet and lack of capacity to purchase animal source proteins. The problem is more severe for underage (below the age of 18) children. Ethiopia has the highest child malnutrition rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (Christiaensen and Alderman, 2001), a figure that manifests itself physically, as the country has one of the highest percentages of abnormally short height (stunted) (Benson, 2005) and under-weight children in the world (Christiaensen and Alderman, 2001). One of the immediate causes of malnutrition is insufficient dietary intake (Benson, 2005). The rural development policy of Ethiopia clearly indicates that one of the causes for the high disease rate in the country is poor feeding habit (Ethiopian Ministry of Information, 2002). The same document also emphasizes the importance of preventive measures rather than curative, for the countries fast and sustainable development.
The major staple food crop of most developing Sub-Saharan African Countries, maize, contains low protein (5.2-13.7 %) (Cortez and Wild-Altamirano, 1972).
Furthermore, prevalent continuous mono-cropping of cereals, especially maize and sorghum, reportedly causes depletion of plant nutrients in the soil (Tulu et al., 2008). Hence, integrating leguminous crops, such as soybean, in the maize based cropping system of Western Ethiopia and small-scale farmers of other developing countries is critical to nutrition as well as improved soil fertility, amongst other roles.
According to Thoenes (2004), soybean is a strategic crop in the fight against world hunger and malnutrition, especially in developing countries. Soybean provides a nutritious combination of both calorie and protein intake, and supplies the growing demand for vegetable oil and high protein animal feed in developing
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countries. Soybean, a multipurpose crop, can be prepared as several different kinds of soybean dishes that have been shown to contribute to the prevention of chronic human diseases (Birt et al., 2004). When included in crop rotation cycles, soybeans rejuvenate soils depleted by continuous cereal mono-cropping, improving soil fertility (Asfaw et al., 2006; Tulu et al., 2008), and serve as raw material for oil and concentrate food-producing factories. Most foods aids that are provided to refugees and displaced people in an emergency situation are required to meet the nutritional requirements, either through fortification or supplementation (FAO, 1995). Soybean is one of the most commonly used crops for fortification. The total amount of soybean fortified food shipped for aid in the year 1993 was 395,775 MT (FAO, 1995).
The previous pre-extension approach, which commonly demonstrated improved varieties and their production practices, failed for soybean popularization in Western Ethiopia, because farmers lack knowledge of how to utilize soybean as well as poor local market conditions. Consequently, a new approach was designed which augmented the pre-extension demonstration with training, and popularization of various meals and how to prepare them from soybean for both rural and urban dwellers of Western Ethiopia (Tulu et al., 2008). More than 90 different kinds of meals were demonstrated, and 1168 female farmers were trained in meal preparation (Tulu et al., 2008). Milk, Yoghurt, Cheese, Stews, Bread and Injera (Ethiopian traditional thin bread), were among the major meals demonstrated during the popularization. Consequently, the national soybean production has increased from nil in the year 1999-2001, to 3,811,900 kg, in 2006, and 7,898,892 kg in 2008 on small scale farmers’ fields.
The rural development policy of Ethiopia gives priority to market oriented crops;
especially those preferred by the international market (Ethiopian Ministry of Information, 2002). The country’s policy also states that agricultural development policy that is not market-oriented cannot be fast and sustainable. This implies, therefore, that soybean can comply with this policy, because of its international
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market. The strong soybean international market is due to the crop’s diverse uses for human food and animal feed, crushing of soybean for oil, and other concentrate baby meals. United States (44.8 %), Brazil (21.7 %), and Argentina (13.3 %) contributed to 79.8 % of the world soybean production between the period 1994 to 2003 (USDA, 2003). These three countries also exported 90.5 % of the world soybean export with 56.8, 24.1 and 9.5 % respective volume of export. During the same period, the major importers of soybean were European Union (36.9 %) and China (16.2 %). Soybean is exported not only as a grain, but also as processed products, such as soymeal and oil. Soymeal accounts for 60
% of the world’s output of vegetable and animal feed, while soyoil accounts for 20
% of the world’s vegetable oil production (Thoenes, 2004). The author also reported that small scale processing and local marketing strategies are important to countries that produce soybeans in smaller volumes (insufficient for export) and in a labor intensive farms; while the major exporting countries produce soybean at larger volumes, in mechanized farms.
Even though, soybean was introduced to Ethiopia in the 1950’s for the purpose of import substitution (Asfaw et al., 2006), production is still insufficient to substitute imports. The country still imports soybean and its products (Ethiopian Revenue and Custom Authority, 2010). According to the Authority, imports reduced from 4,458.4 tons in 2006 to 114.5 tons, and 573.9 tons in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Meanwhile, exports grew significantly during this same period. In 2009, the imports increased by 1044.7% over the 2008 imports, while exports dropped to zero in the same year. This implies that exports are not stabilized and import substitution is not yet achieved.
Besides the export market, the local consumption and domestic market for soybeans are important factors that should drive soybean production in the country. Generating relevant information about farmers experience on the importance, local utilization, and market of soybean is important in designing appropriate strategies to enhance the production and productivity of the crop.
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Therefore, the objective of this survey was to examine farmers’ perception and experiences about the importance, utilization and local market of soybean in Western Ethiopia, and draw important implication that will help to scale-up soybean, and reduce nutritional and poverty related problems in other developing countries. Moreover, such information is important to improve the marketability and food and oil processing role of the crop in the country.