Participatory potato seed production: a breakthrough for food security and income generation in the central highlands of Ethiopia (original) (raw)
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Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2017
Quality seed is one of the basic problems affecting the production and productivity of potato in Ethiopia and as whole in SSA. Utilization of healthy planting material is a key factor to improve potato yields and to reduce the dissemination of pests and diseases. Decentralized, community-based seed production schemes have been established in central highlands of Ethiopia. Lack of high yielding varieties with its recommended agronomic practices also contribute significant role in food security of one country. Postharvest handling and transportation also can put considerable influence on potato production and utilizations. Therefore, technology promotions were carried out from 2013 - 2015 in three districts (Welmera, Adea-Bera and Ejere) of West shewa of Ethiopia with the objectives of creating awareness and scale-up of improved potato production and utilization technologies. This work was done by the Potato Improvement Research Program, and Research and Extension Division of Holetta ...
International Journal of Agricultural Extension, 2020
Utilization of healthy planting material is a key factor to improve potato yields to reduce the dissemination of diseases and pests. Quality seed is one of the major bottlenecks hindering the production and productivity of potato in major potato growing regions of the country. Therefore, participatory on-farm seed production and improved potato technologies promotion have been carried out during the year 2014-2016 at five districts, Jeldu, Dendi, Wolmera Degem and Kersana Malima of central Ethiopia. To produce quality potato seed various rapid multiplication techniques were used. Thus, improved potato technologies were demonstrated using different methodologies such as the farmers’ field schools, the farmers' research group and field days. To supply clean tubers about 138,886 high-quality mini-tubers of improved varieties of Belete, Gudanie, Jalenie and Awash were produced. Moreover, a total of 257.08 tons of seed tubers of 15 released potato varieties were produced and dissemin...
Potato seed system in Ethiopia: challenges, opportunities, and leverage points
2023
Potato plays a crucial role in ensuring food security and income for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. However, the seed potato system faces significant challenges, mainly due to the reliance on low-quality seed potatoes from the informal sector, resulting in low yields. To tackle these issues, it is crucial to comprehend the national and sub-national contexts and assess local constraints and opportunities. A recent workshop organized by SWR-RAISE-FS brought together stakeholders and knowledge partners to exchange insights and experiences regarding the seed potato system in Ethiopia. This working paper highlights the key challenges and opportunities identified during the stakeholder workshop, as well as those revealed through a systematic analysis using a transformation framework.
Sustainable seed potato production in Ethiopia: from farm-saved to quality declared seed
2013
In potato production, seed quality is an important determinant for the quantity and quality of the tuber yield (Struik and Wiersema, 1999). Current yields in Ethiopia are low (8 t ha-1) but could easily be doubled or tripled. Perhaps the most significant constraint to increasing productivity and overall production is the chronic shortage of good quality seed tubers. Seed systems can be defined in the way farmers produce, select, save and acquire seeds (Sthapit et al., 2008). In the absence of a commonly agreed definition for different seed systems, this paper will differentiate between three different types of seed production systems, i.e. formal, alternative and informal seed production systems.
Potato Production and Marketing by Small Holder Farmers in Ethiopia፡ A Review Study
Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 2021
Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) was originated in the central high lands of the Andes in South America and was brought to Europe in the 16th century. It is the world's fourth most widely cultivated food crop after wheat, rice and maize. Ethiopia has considerable potential for potato cultivation, as 70 percent of its arable land is suitable mainly highland areas above 1500 meters of altitude. Also, the country is one of the major producers in Eastern Africa because of its suitable agro-ecology and its domestic consumption levels. The main objective of the review was to know potato production and marketing status by small holder farmers in Ethiopia. The data were collected from secondary sources mainly from FAOSTAT, CSA and different published materials on production and marketing chain in Ethiopia. The general idea of the review shows that Ethiopia has potential for potato production but lack of certified improved seed for potato producers, local seed multipliers have limited access to information and depend on low-quality local potato varieties selected and multiplied according to individual knowledge, the high cost of agro-chemicals either refuse to purchase fertilizer or apply inadequate amounts per hectare. In addition, the use of the same type of chemicals repeatedly allows pests and diseases to develop resistance. The major constraints of potato marketing involve poor storage and handling and low upgrading strategies to the commodity. Lack of market information providing institutions, higher input price, multiple taxes, and chemical herbicides, adulteration, absence of road service, poor product quality and high cost of input, weak market linkages among market. Therefore, the government and other concerned bodies should focus on increasing production and productivity of potato which in turn focused for establishing well potato market development for mutual benefits of all actors.
Agriculture and Food Sciences Research, 2019
In most developing countries potatoes are consumed in fresh with some processing into chips and crisps. In Ethiopia there are only three type of potato processed products such as boiled or cooked product, wot and deep fried types. Principally, farmers in Ethiopia produce potato for fresh marketing and tubers seed sale. To diversify potato utilization, training on potato processing was held in two kebeles of Welmera and one kebele's of Ada Berga District for selected potato producing farmers group and cooperative members to promote potato processing and increase farmer's attitude towards potato production as well as to diversify the use of potato product and foods farmers use. The recipes done were Potato Pasta, Potato Kinche, Potato quanta, Potato starch, Potato crisp and chips, Genfo, Shiro wot, Chechebsa, Enjera, bread, Firfir (from mixture of meat and egg). These food types were found food which have good look, nutritious and pleasant. Use of potato in different food items raise the appetite of people and diversify food farmers' use. Farmers appreciated the food types prepared from potato. They recommended processing and promoting it through mass media (TV), radio and exhibition in town administration. In addition, the farmers appreciated the effort Holetta Research Center puts in providing new seed tubers together with its technology to producers and they asked to get continues support in the future time.
Review of Potato Research and Development in Ethiopia: Achievements and Future Prospects
Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2019
Root crops are good sources of food, cash and foreign exchange for the majority of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Among root and tuber crops, potato is an important food and cash crop in Eastern and Central Africa, playing a major role in national food and nutrition security, poverty alleviation and income generation, and provides employment in the production, processing and marketing sub-sectors. In Ethiopia, potato production has increased during the "Meher" season as a result of improved varieties, being tolerant to major potato disease, late blight especially in the areas of major potato growing regions of the country. It is a short cycle crop with three to four months cropping cycle, are well suited to double cropping particularly in rain-fed systems and has significant advantage over grain crops which require relatively longer time to mature. Its short growing cycle allows for flexible planting and harvesting times and also permits quick production of foods to augment "hunger months" of August to October before grain harvests when people lack sufficient food to meet their basic caloric and nutritional requirements. The potato crop is cheap but nutritionally rich staple foods that contribute carbohydrates, protein, vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, iron and minerals which alleviate the problem of malnutrition in subsistence farming areas and towards the dietary demands of the country's fast-growing towns and cities. Another advantage of this crop is that, it is largely traded locally and nationally, as opposed to internationally. The crop is far less susceptible to large-scale market shocks and price speculations experienced by more widely traded staples, such as grains, during international market crises. As such, it contribute to a more stable food system, maintain nutritional and food security, and are a predictable source of income. To exploit the potential benefit of this valuable crops as food and nutrition security, the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute (EIAR) through its implementing federal and regional research centers has been conducting several research and development activities on potato since its establishment in 1966. Since then several technologies have been released, demonstrated and popularized for the larger farming community in the country. The objective of this paper is, therefore, to review potato research and development outputs obtained so far, potentials and opportunities as well as challenges and research gaps for potato production and productivity in the country.
Improving Potato Seed Tuber Quality and Producers' Livelihoods in Hararghe, Eastern Ethiopia
Journal of New Seeds, 2005
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the important vegetable crops in Ethiopia with the potential to improve the national food supply and economic benefits to smallholder producers. Hararghe in eastern Ethiopia is one of the major potato producing regions of the country and potatoes are grown in both the rainy and dry seasons. The increases in potato culture in Hararghe are spurred by ever-increasing population pressure, land fragmentation and the impossibility of sustaining farm families' livelihoods from cereal production. The presence of a