Over View of Thyme Value Chain in Ethiopia: The Case of Dinsho and Tarmaber Areas

Abstract

: This paper aimed to explain the value chain of thyme herb in Ethiopia. Potential thyme collection areas Tarmaber and Dinsho were taken for the study. The study employed qualitative data collection method focus group discussion, personal observation and key informant interview. Thyme herb is collected from wild; particularly from bushy or forest areas. The collection took place by local dwellers. The major production and marketing constraints in thyme herb value chain were over grazing, destructive harvesting, limited knowledge of harvesting and processing; and small and volatile supply of the herb. The supply was small and volatile which hindered the herb not to secure sustainable domestic and foreign consumers thus brought difficulty in product branding. Although thyme herb demanded highly in the market the supply was yet dependent on wild thyme collection. Therefore domestication of the plant to garden crop and conservation of the plant genetic resource should be given an emphasis to get benefited from the plant and to rehabilitate the natural wild thyme diversity.