Scaling out malt barley and grain legume technologies in Ethiopia

Farmers in Ethiopia were pleasantly surprised to find that the early July planting of chickpea was much more productive compared to the conventional practice of late August planting, when there was total crop failure under the prevailing drought condition in 2015. Various integrated crop management technologies for malt barley, faba bean and chickpea, being scaled out by ICARDA under two USAID funded projects in Ethiopia, are generating significant achievements in adaptation to climate change and improving food and nutritional security of the farming communities.

At an annual review and planning workshop of the two projects, on 4-6 March 2016, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 45 participants came together to review the first year’s achievements and develop a work plan and budget for the second year activities.

Faba bean production, which was abandoned in the northwestern and central highlands of Ethiopia, was reintroduced by the scaling out of integrated faba bean gall disease management technologies (tolerant variety Walki and fungicide spray). In the northeastern highlands of Ethiopia scaling-out of integrated Orobanche control (tolerant variety Hashengie, nitrogen fertilizer and minimum dose of glyphosate) technologies has aided the reintroduction of faba bean. Along with improving nutritional security of smallholder farmers it has also enhanced malt barley productivity and fertilizer use efficiency by improving soil fertility and health.

Improved varieties and quality seed production cover about 1252 ha. Federal and regional NARS (National Agricultural Research System) were engaged in the early generation seed production to make the source seed available for both formal and informal sector seed production with farmer groups. NARS and 31 seed producer cooperatives in 27 districts were engaged in malt barley, faba bean and chickpea seed production of different categories and collectively produced about 1826 tons of seed. Around 4851 farmers, 15% of whom were women, have applied improved technologies of malt barley, faba bean and chickpea. More than 2000 farmers, 16% of whom were women, have received training on new crop technologies (improved varieties, integrated crop management) and seed production and marketing.

The Project Management Committee lauded the achievements of the two projects, despite constraints that include drought, and called upon implementing partners to promote scaling out the technologies and reaching more farmers in the coming years.