Study of socioeconomic characteristics of the sesame value chain actors in Gaderif state-Sudan (2019-2020)‎

Abstract EN

The study aimed to analyze socioeconomic characteristics of Sesame value chain actors in Gaderif State in order to identify the functions and activities to the actors and estimate the factors influencing producer’s profitability.

The important of the present study is that the agriculture sector plays significant role of income and employment for majority of smallholders.

In addition to that the socioeconomic factors are the key factors affecting agricultural production and producer’s profitability.

Primary and secondary data were used in the study a multistage random sampling technique and purposive sample procedure were used to collect primary data from the actors by means of questionnaires.

The total sample size was 230 participants (150 farmers, 30 wholesalers, 15 processors, 15 exporters and 20 retail traders).

The study used Descriptive, functional analyses and linear regression to analyze the data.

The important results of the study are that the key actors of the value chain are; producers (farmers), wholesalers, processors, exporters, retail traders.

About half of the participants fell within the economically active age range (41-60) years and the majorities have secondary and university level of education.

It found that about 65% of Sesame production in the sample was marketed.

The results revealed that socioeconomic factors in the regression model were affected producer’s profitability by 58.4%.

The factors of planted area, Sesame yield, selling price, sale place and main occupation of the farmers were shown positive and statistically significant relationship with the producer’s profitability whereas a stored quantity was shown negative relationship.

The study proposed some recommendations to improve profitability of Sesame as; develop good varieties of Sesame with high productivity and resistance to diseases, improve Sesame quality and improve market information system.