Eyassu Seifu

Handling Practices and Safety of Street-Vended Milk in and Around Addis Ababa City

Forty five milk producers (MP) and 45 street-vendors (SV) of milk were selected randomly from three locations (Kotebe, Bishoftu and Chancho), Ethiopia and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire. A total of 30 samples purposively selected from MP (15) and SV (15) were used for milk quality determinations. Milk producers in the study area generally followed unhygienic milking and improper milk handling practices. Average total bacterial (TBC) and coliform counts (CC) of milk from SV were 8.69 ± 0.15 and 6.61 ± 0.16 log 10 cfu/ml and from MP the corresponding values were 6.98 + 0.15 and 4.88 ± 0.16 log 10 cfu/ml, respectively. TBC and CC of milk samples obtained from streetvendors were significantly (P < 0.05) higher (1.71 and 1.73 log units, respectively) than milk samples obtained from dairy farmers. Dominant microflora isolated from raw milk belonged to the genera Bacillus (11.7%), Micrococcus (8.3%), Pseudomonas (7.8%), Staphylococcus (24.4%), Streptococcus (5%) and family Enterobacteriaceae (lactose- (32.8%) and non-lactose fermentative (10%)). The results showed poor hygienic quality of milk that may pose public health hazards. This calls for milk quality and safety improvement in the study area.

THE DAIRY VALUE CHAIN AND FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE OF MILK CHANNELS IN HARAR AND DIRE DAWA AREAS, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

The study was aimed at mapping the dairy value chain, assessing constraints and opportunities in the sector, and identifying factors affecting channel choices of producers in Harar and Dire Dawa milkshed areas. Data were collected from 93 producers, six collectors, seven wholesalers, seven retailers, and ten consumers. Both descriptive and econometric analysis were employed. The study revealed that the channel choices available to producers include selling to collectors, wholesalers, retailers, and directly to consumers. The multinomial model output indicated that being in rural areas, breed type, separate milking place, and supply of hay negatively determined the choice to sell to wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. In contrast, education status and milk storage duration positively determined producers’ choice not to sell to collectors. The major recommendations include provision of training, disseminating dairy technologies, encouraging value chain actors to add values; and enhancing collective actions of producers.