Bedada Girma, Firdissa Etich1, Solomon Gelalcha, Ayele Badebo, Getaneh Woldeab, Fekadu Fufa, Bekele Abeyo, Ravi Singh,
Sridhar Bhavani, Osman Abdala, and Gordon Cisar
Introduction
Wheat production in Ethiopia Major food-security crop produced on about 1.5 ml ha
Wheat is faced with serious periodical threats from rusts
Yellow & stem rusts are major threats in East Africa
The 2010 yellow rust epidemic in Ethiopia caused considerable yield losses
Introduction
Wheat producers 95% of wheat producers in Ethiopia are small farmers
Small farmers suffer from limited use of improved technologies and low productivity
Small farmers are not fully protected from the rusts
The cheapest means to protect farmers: Rust resistant/ tolerant varieties
Development of rust resistant wheat varieties: Approaches
Crossing, introduct’n,
screening, selection, testing
Two cycles per season
Joint evaluation & advancing
PVS, VVT, release, seed increase
Int’l & Nat'l wheat scientists at Kulumsa station, Oct 2011
Development of rust resistant wheat varieties: Approaches
Regular & seasonal visits from Int’l scientists facilitate sharing of experiences and information
ICARDA and Ethiopian breeders happy with performance of advanced lines at Kulumsa, Ethiopia
Participatory variety selection: Approaches
PVS Groups: Women farmers,
Young farmers,
Elder farmers
PVS at Kulumsa station (L) and on-farmer at Huluko village (R), Munessa district, 2010
Superior lines: Candidates for further testing or release
Participatory variety selection Women PVS group in Burkitu village Selection criteria
Yield potential
Spike length
Number of seeds/spike
Plant height- straw factor
Seed color- market value
Baking quality
Disease resistance- stay green
Frost resistance
Earliness for low moisture stress area
Tech. promotion approaches Demonstration on station Demonstration on-farm
Training and promotion of rust resistant wheat varieties: Approaches
Training : Gimbichu district Training: Digelutijo district
60-130 farmers/district
1-2 DA/village + supervisor
Gender sensitive
Training of farmers, development agents, and supervisors is key to success of new technology promotion
Training areas Variety development and
selection
Agronomic practices
Crop management
Post harvest care
Gender issues
Marketing & saving
Farmer-preferred rust resistant wheat varieties
Highland types Mid to lowland types Digalu
Danda’a
ET-13
Madawalabu
Huluka
Hidasse
Kakaba
Pavon-76
Shorima
Ogolcho
Promotion of rust resistant wheat varieties: Approaches Seed multiplication: Digalu Seed multiplication: Danda’a
Promotion of rust resistant wheat varieties: Approaches
Household head farmer in her field- Gimbichu district
Well managed Digalu variety near Inawari town
Farmers come from far places to attend field days
Technology promotion: Farmers’ field days
Outputs and impacts
Training produced cadre of small farmers ready for change
PVS, based on peer discussion, enhanced integration and community togetherness
Farmer preferred new varieties
Many copy farmers- neighbors and beyond
Improved yield and quality from new varieties; seed access at village level
Well managed fields; high yields & market focused production
Outputs and impacts Yield performance of Danda’a Yield performance of Kakaba
Farmer, Plot, ha
Yield/plot, ton
t/ha
Malasa A. 0.25 2.6 10.4
Getu W. 0.25 2.4 9.6
Dabale S. 0.25 1.8 7.2
Sisay T. 0.25 1.6 6.4
Batrii E. 0.25 1.5 6.0
Farmer Plot, ha
Yield/plot, t
t/ha
Kabada G. 0.25 1.6 6.4
Kabada J. 0.25 1.2 4.8
Gamada D. 0.25 1.15 4.6
Worknesh A. 0.25 1.1 4.4
Amino U. 0.25 1.1 4.4
Seed yield data from farmers’ fields in 2011
District Variety #farmers Total area, ha
Yield range, ton
Mean yield, t/ha
Seed for 2012, ton
Arsirobe Danda’a 10 2.5 1.05-2.6 6.38 16
Digelutijo Danda’a 10 2.5 1.2-1.6 5.96 15
Gimbichu Danda’a 10 2.5 1.32-1.52 5.73 14
Arsirobe Kakaba 5 1.25 1.0-1.6 4.76 6
Total 35 8.75 51
Certificate of appreciation
Conclusions International research collaboration has effectively
slowed down the spread of Ug99 across the globe and avoided catastrophic damage to wheat production.
Free access to int’l wheat germplasm, testing network across regional countries, and enhancing national wheat breeding programs will contribute to generation of wheat technologies for the small farmers.
Small farmers can make a difference in ensuring food security for the households and the community if given the minimum support they need.
Conclusions “Our farmers are easily getting 6-7 t/ha after you
introduced Digalu variety to our district in 2009”. Mr. Getu, Head, Arsirobe District Bureau of Agriculture
“We have more than tripled our yields after we started using the new rust resistant varieties, thank you for the training and support; 2-3 t/ha is now history”. Small farmers of Arsirobe district, 2011 Field Day
“Investing in small farmers is the most powerful way to fight hunger and poverty”. Bill Gates
So for the small farmers, the NEW VARIETES mean:
Rust protection
High yield
High income
Food security
Improved livelihood
Special meal for special guests
acknowledgements EIAR Mgmt / KARC for administrative support
BMGF/ Cornell/ DRRW
CIMMYT/ICARDA/
USAID/FAO/AGRA/EAAPP
Farmers & wheat researchers
Extension staff of 9 districts
Seed producers- private and public
Mr. Asefa W/Michael (pensioner, now deceased):- disseminated resistant wheat varieties into Munessa district & saved thousands of small farmers from the 2010 yellow rust epidemic.
Technical experts & advisors to small farmers
THANK YOU
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