For its greatest share in the economy, agriculture plays the leading role in shouldering the overall growth of the nation’s economy. Unfortunately, due to insufficient utilization of inputs, technology, fragmented plots of land and vulnerability to drought, it remained subsistence yet. Hence, to raise productivity, utilizing various and updated technology along with modern farming system is taken as a way out.
Kefena Ifa (PhD) is the Director of the Holeta Agriculture Research Institute (HARI) which is located west of Addis Ababa. As to him, his institution has been engaged in introducing, promoting and providing agricultural technologies suitable for various agro-ecologies.
Currently, it works in four zones including Western Shewa, South Western Shewa, in the Oromia special zone surrounding Finfine and Northern Shewa. In these zones, it displayed various agricultural technologies’ research outputs which can be utilized for enhancing animals and plant productivity. In addition, it introduced cluster farming in Dandi woreda of Western Shewa zone in 250 hectares of land embraced 341 households.
He further said that previously, farmers did not use cluster farming approach except cultivating various types of crops in their small holdings. But following provision of the training, they showed good attitudes towards cluster farming and implemented it. Currently, they planted various types of Teff crops such as Kora, Dagim and Kuncho specious.
The Holeta Agricultural Research Institute, in collaboration with other stakeholders, supplies various inputs such as selected seeds, herbicides and pesticides and acquaints new farming methods. In addition to these, farmers obtain extension services from agricultural professionals. What makes cluster farming different from that of the private based farming is that each farmer prepares his farms sow seeds, remove herbs, spray pesticides and harvest the product but all things are done on the same schedule.
Attracted by such practices farmers from other places came there and draw lesson and replicate it in their areas. Hence, it can be said that farmers’ adaptability to agricultural technology is sounding.
Asked what factors can be mentioned as a constraint for rising productivity, Kefena said that the woreda has never experienced drought but the occurrence of pests and herbs can be taken as challenges. However, the Oromia Agriculture Bureau and the woreda development agents, in collaboration with the stakeholders such as “kamepex,” chemical distributor private company, could be able to reverse the situation through spraying valuable chemicals.
The planted teff seed is the basic seed which is the output of the Holeta Agricultural Research Center and currently agreement is reached between the woreda agricultural office, the farmers and the Ambo cooperative union for supplying the product to the union. The agreement comprised setting the price of the product. Based on the agreement, farmers will sell their products to the union by adding from 20 to 30 percent on the price of the teff crop produced for consumption and the union supplies the product to farmers residing in other places by adding 10 percent. Hence, all the three parties that are the producers, the unions and the farmers purchased the crop will be beneficial from the value chain. The cultivated teff produced by cluster farm is selected seed utilized only for sowing not for consumption.
The seed should be planted in the mono type farming. It should not be mixed with other crops. Chernet Assefa works in the Holeta Agricultural Research Institute as Agricultural Extension Communication Representative of Working Process and Researcher. He said that his institution is working in displaying, promoting and providing of agricultural technology to farmers living in the highlands and temperate areas of the surrounding.
In this budget year, it is working on introducing new technologies by supplying crops such as Teff, wheat, barley, and other oil seeds and totally 368 quintals is prepared. By now, 1,000 hectares of farm land is covered by improved and selected seeds. With such venture 1,434 farmers are benefitted.
As to Chernet, formerly, utilizing new agricultural technology was practiced individually but now in order to inspire farmers and to benefit them from market chain clustering method is preferred as viable. In such a way competition between farmers could be created and they use the platform for experience sharing among each other. Since each of them are not at the same level of understanding regarding the cluster farming, the less experienced ones can draw lesson from the well informed ones.
With regard to the application of the new technology, farmers obtained training starting from the preparation of land up to the harvesting of the crops. After 18 to 30 days of the sowing of the seeds, additional 75 quintals of urea fertilizer is supplied to the farmers. In order to control the possible occurrence of herbs, chemical known as palace is provided to the farmers to use with full package.
In the later time, a pest that threatens the red teff was occurred and to eliminate the pest, 400 liters of Malathion was supplied to the farmers and ultimately it was able to manage the challenge.
According to Chernet, in the cluster farming the ‘Kuncho’ type of teff specious is cultivated and the pre harvest assessment indicated that 20 to 25 quintals of teff per hectare could be yielded.
In general, in this budget year, totally 368 quintals of selected seeds is distributed to the farmers in all cluster farming practiced 5 zones of 12 woredas and 17,500 quintals of seed is expected to be yielded. In the coming two or three years, large number of farmers are expected to be accessible with the selected seed.
In the cluster farming, sowing seed in line is not practiced because it needs appropriate technology such as combine harvesting machinery. In addition, the type of soil found in the area is not suitable to conduct line sowing method of the seeds.
In the future, however, the farmers with the support of stakeholders and the government are expected to purchase agricultural machinery.
Feyisa Tolossa is a resident of Dandi Woreda Huluto Kebele farmers association and he has been engaged in farming for the last 15 years. As to him, the Holeta Agricultural Research Institute provided farmers with the ‘Kuncho’ type of teff seed in the last two years and as compared to the previous seeds, its productivity is improved.
He further said that in the past, there was no stakeholder who supports them but since last year, the HARI has been supporting farmers in the surrounding through providing selected seeds, introducing farming techniques, fertilizer and pesticides.
According to Feyisa, each farmer has different size of farm lands ranging from one to three hectares. Farmers employ labor and uses input on their plots. He also said that earlier to the application of cluster farming, they used to obtain only 5 to 6 quintals per hectare but after the introduction of cluster scheme, they could obtain up to 15 quintals per hectare.
BY ABEBE WOLDEGIORGIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 10/2021
