The Role of Agricultural Technologies in Addressing Food and Nutrition Security, Gender Empowerment and Climate Resilience: Experience of Operational Research Technology Dissemination Project in Tigray. Proceeding of the Result Sharing Workshop of the Iri

By : Haileselassie Amare, Mizan Amare, Embaye Kidanu and Zelealem Tesfay (PhD)(Tigray Agricultural Research Institute , 2018-06-24)

Abstract

With the objective of enhancing production and productivity of smallholder farmers popularization of improved wheat varieties was executed in three selected woredas of eastern and southeastern zone of the region. Beneficiary farmers were selected purposively (safety-net beneficiaries) to align with the objective of the Irish Aid ORTD Project. It had been implemented in collaboration with office of agriculture of Hawzen, Kawlaelo and Hwajirat weredas where the respective wereda had a role in selecting beneficiaries based on the pre-defined criteria as well as farmers’ willingness to participate. A total of 414 farmers selected from the three woredas have been participated and two improved wheat varieties (Mekelle 1, and Picaflor) were provided. A yield data of both improved and local varieties was taken using quadrant. At the same time perception data was collected from 60 sample beneficiaries. To examine the profitability of the improved varieties, production cost was also collected. The data was analyzed using analytical techniques such as descriptive, frequency and percentage and cost benefit analysis. The result shows that, in Hawzen woreda on average 35.9 and 33 quintals/hectare was harvested from the improved varieties (Mekelle-1 and picaflor), respectively. While on average 21 quintals/hectare was harvested from local variety. In kAwlaelo an average yield of 39 and 30 quintals/hectare was harvested from the two improved varieties, in the same order. Whereas the average yield obtained from the local cultivar in the woredas was 22 quintals/hectare. Moreover, in Hwajirat woreda the average grain yield of picaflor was 34.29quintals/hectare whilst the local variety gave an average yield of 14 quintals/hectare. The average net benefit that farmers could obtain from improved and local varieties was 16551 ETBha and 9300 ETBha, respectively. Besides, in all parameters like marketability, test, flour quality, disease resistant, seed size, color…etc. farmers were satisfied and for the future they all planned to continue using the varieties. Hence, further scaling out activities need to be made by the office of agriculture of the respective woredas.

Keywords: Popularization, Bread wheat, Smallholder farmers

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