Presentation by Mr. Mesay Yami (EIAR, Ethiopia) at Wheat for Food Security in Africa conference, Oct 9, 2012, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

1. Prospects and Challenges of Wheat Production in
Ethiopia: Evidence from Major Wheat Producing
Regions of the Country
Mesay Yami, Fekadu Fufa, Terfe Fita and Sultan Usman
Wheat Regional Center of Excellence (WRCoE)
Eastern Africa Agricultural Productivity Project (EAAPP)
Wheat for Food security in Africa Conference
October 8-12, 2012, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2. Outline
• Introduction (EAAPP)
• Purpose of the study
• Methodology
• Findings
• Policy implications

3. Introduction
• Major challenges facing the Eastern Africa sub-region are
– raising level of poverty,
– food insecurity, and
– high rate of unemployment
• To alleviate these challenges, the region has to clearly articulate its development
agenda covering all key sectors of the economy.
• Agriculture is one of the sectors considered the most critical economic pillar
– 45% of the regional GDPs and
– directly employing over 75% of the population
• Therefore, its revitalization is likely to yield wide range of positive impacts.
• MDGs of halving global poverty by 2015, NEPAD through CAADP initiated a
regional outfit.

4. • This new outfit was dubbed Eastern Africa Agricultural Productivity Project
(EAAPP).
– Focusing on improving agricultural research, technology generation,
dissemination and adoption.
• Four commodities were identified to be implemented in the four RCoEs.

5. Purpose of the study
• The overall objectives of study was to collect baseline information on wheat
production, productivity, production constraints, and availability of technologies.
• The specific objectives were:
o Assess production, productivity and income obtained from the existing wheat
culture;
o Identify the main constraints and opportunities for scaling-up of wheat
production; and
o Understand farmers’ perception on services provisions by the public and
communication methods of technology pathways for wheat technologies.

6. Methodology
Fig 1. EAAPP-wheat districts and survey areas
Sampling procedure and sample size in Ethiopia
• Multi stages sampling techniques
were used.
Table 1: Number of respondent by regional
level
Regional No of Total No. Male Female
state district of HHH
Oromia 5 315 288(91.4) 27(8.6)
SNNPR 2 158 129(81.6) 29(18.4)
Tigray 5 143 123(86) 20(14)
Amhara 6 340 305(89.7) 35(10.3)
Total 18 956 845 (88%) 111 (12%)

7. Data collection & analysis
• Both primary and secondary sources
• Primary data related to
– Demographic and socio-economic characteristics,
– Access to institutions and infrastructure,
– Crop management practices, were collected using structured questionnaires.
• Primary data were collected from June to July 2011.
• The coded data file was also shared with other EAAPP countries.
• The household data were analyzed first at district level and then finally the country
level weighted figures were aggregated.

8. Major findings
Socio-economic characteristics
• A grater proportion of the respondent (90%) were MHH.
• FHH of is relatively high in SNNPR (18%) as compared to the proportion in Tigray
region state (14%), Amhara (10%) and Oromia (7%).
• Mean family size was 6 persons per household with the range of 5 – 9.
• Education level of household heads
31%- none educated /illiterate,
36% -read and write,
9%- primary education,
19% -junior education,
4% -secondary education and
0.58% -of the HHH respondents were tertiary level, respectively .

9. Households access to basic facilities
Access
Access to services/facilities
Yes No
Agricultural inputs and services
91.68 8.32
outlets/providers
All-weather road 85.18 14.82
Animal health 82.06 17.94
Credit 78.52 21.48
Electricity 21.79 78.21
Health center 94.73 5.27
Internet 1.82 98.18
Output market 94.47 5.53
Potable water 56.83 43.17
Public telephone 60.07 39.93
Public agricultural extension 86.77 13.23
School 98.06 1.94
Overall 74.59 25.41

10. Level of satisfaction of
farmers to PAES
Farmers’ overall attitude towards
PAES was positive.
The positive attitude of wheat
farmers towards the PAES means
that the farmers were satisfied
with these services.

11. Farmers access to public mass media (telephone and internet) services as
technology pathways
Self-perception on telephone services Self-perception on internet services (%)
(%)
Region Good Average Poor Good Average Poor
sate District
Amhara Gozamin 22.22 44.44 33.33 0.00 0.00 0.00
Enarjinaena 63.96 33.04 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
wuga
Meket 73.80 23.80 2.40 0.00 100.00 0.00
Jamma 45.71 48.57 5.71 0.00 100.00 0.00
Siyade 61.64 30.14 8.22 0.00 0.00 0.00
Berena-
Wayu
Oromia Digalu - Tijo 45.50 31.80 22.70 25.00 75.00 0.00
Arsi - Robe 18.60 67.40 14.00 0.00 100.00 0.00
Sayo 3.60 42.86 53.55 0.00 0.00 0.00
Chora 7.30 70.90 21.80 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dodola 49.86 39.32 10.83 0.00 0.00 0.00
Tigray Atsb- 56.70 43.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Wemberta
Dega - 32.02 35.97 32.02 0.00 0.00 0.00
Tenben
Amba - 53.86 34.60 11.53 0.00 0.00 0.00
Alagie
Endamehoni 57.13 42.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Ofla 70.87 29.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
SNNPR Hulla 100.00 0.00 0.00 50.00 50.00 0.00
Misha 52.95 39.24 7.81 0.00 0.00 0.00

12. Landholding status

13. Wheat production status
Productivity ranged from 0.76
t/ha in SNNPR to 1.92 t/ha in
Tigray region.
The productivity was low in
SNNPR and Oromia.
The severity of yellow rust was
very high in the year 2010 mainly
in Oromia and SNNPR.
According to the survey result the
productivity of the crop was
1.52t/ha.

14. • CSA for 2011 and 2012 season the productivity of the crop increasesd from 1.84t/ha to
2.03t/ha.
• If we compare the land allocated, production and productivity of wheat for the 2010,
2011 and 2012 season, the result is in mixed scenario.
• In 2012 crop season land allocation for wheat decreased by 7.5% .
– Attributed due to yellow rust epidemics in 2010 season forces farmers to reduce
wheat land in 2012.
• Despite the decreases in land allocation, the production of wheat in 2012 increased by
2% compared to 2011 seasons, and
• Productivity of the crop had 11 and 10% increases over 2010 and 2011 crop season,
respectively (CSA, 2012).
• The increase in production and productivity of the crop in 2012 crop season, triggered
by the normal and adequate rainfall.

15. Area (ha) per Percent
Adoption of wheat Variety Target1 Yearrelease1 HHH2 adopter2
Digelu National 2005 0.8 15.1
varieties Galema National 1995 0.5 28.2
Tuse National 1997 1.1 6.0
Madawalabu SE Oromia 2000 0.4 8.4
Kubsa National 1995 0.5 42.0
The current survey registered Hawi National 2000 0.6 3.8
Simba National 2000 1.0 0.2
a total of 21 cultivars.
Pavon-76 National 1982 0.9 0.2
Sofumar SE Oromia 2000 0.1 4.2
Shina NW Amhara 1999 1.0 1.5
A range of bread wheat
K 6295-4A National 1980 0.3 2.3
varieties released from 1980 Dinkinesh Wello 2007 0.3 0.1
to 2009 were identified. Jiru NS Amhara 2006 0.8 0.3
Tossa Wello 2004 0.50 0.1
ET-13 National 1981 0.6 0.1
Enkoy National - 0.4 0.3
Menzie NS Amhara 2007 0.3 0.5
Bollo NS Amhara 2009 0.3 0.1
Mellnium National 2007 0.8 0.7
Israel Local - 0.2 1.3
Local Various - 0.3 22.5
Source: 1,Variety registry book (2010); 2,Survey result

16. The largest number of improved
cultivars - 12 out of the total 19 was
grown in Oromia.
Less variety choice in SNNPR and
Tigray regional states.

17. Variety Area (ha) per HHH2 Percent
adopter2
‘Kubsa’ and ‘Galema’ were the Digelu 0.8 15.1
most adopted varieties at Galema 0.5 28.2
national level. Tuse 1.1 6.0
Madawalabu 0.4 8.4
Kubsa 0.5 42.0
The popularity of ‘Kubsa’ and
Hawi 0.6 3.8
‘Galema’
Simba 1.0 0.2
• Adaptability, high yield,
Pavon-76 0.9 0.2
• End use quality and Sofumar 0.1 4.2
• Abundant availability of Shina 1.0 1.5
their seed. K 6295-4A 0.3 2.3
Dinkinesh 0.3 0.1
Unfortunately, both ‘Kubsa’ and Jiru 0.8 0.3
‘Galema’ became susceptible to Tossa 0.50 0.1
yellow rust. ET-13 0.6 0.1
Enkoy 0.4 0.3
Menzie 0.3 0.5
‘Digelu’, and previously existing Bollo 0.3 0.1
ones like ‘Medawalabu’ are Mellnium 0.8 0.7
expected to overtake. Israel 0.2 1.3

18. Fig: 2 Productivity (t/ha) of wheat varieties by
regional state, 2010
3
2.5
2
Productivity (t/ha)
1.5 Oromia
Amhara
SNNPR
1
Tigray
0.5
0
Wheat vareities

19. Cropping management, and inputs use

20. Gross margin income of
Figure 3: Gross margin income from wheat production by regional states
wheat producers
6,510
The country mean weighted gross 5,482
margin income from wheat production 6,000.00 5,027
was 4608 ETB/ha.
Income (ETB/ha)
The low profitability in Oromia in the 4,000.00
year could be partly attributed to 3,116
Devastating effect of yellow rust
2,000.00
Oromia Tigray Amhara SNNPR
High cost of production
Regional states
Due to the use of machinery in
major wheat producing zones of
the regional state, Arsi and Bale During the time of the survey 1US$ = 16.80 Ethiopia Birr (ETB)
zones.
The use of chemicals - especially
herbicide - is common in Arsi and
Bale zones for the control of
grass weeds.

21. Major wheat production constraints
• Diseases, especially rust diseases;
• Weeds especially grass weeds in wheat mono-cropping areas of the country;
• Farmers in mechanized wheat production areas cannot get pure seed from own
harvest due to varietal mixing during combine harvesting of farmers’ fields after
farmers’ fields planted to different types of varieties;
• Combine harvesting of small scale farmers’ fields after farmers’ fields aggravates
spread of weed seeds from farm to farm, a problem currently observed in Arsi and
Bale zones in Oromia regional state;
– The combine harvester operators will not adjust the cleaner to separate
weeds and grain effectively for overestimating wheat yield.

22. Continued
• Extreme moisture conditions, low moisture , waterlogging and low soil fertility;
• Shortage/unavailability of seed of improved variety;
• Less farmers awareness of improved crop management practices ;
• Improved varieties are not timely available to farmers distant from wheat
improvement research centers;
• High cost of combine harvesting in mechanized wheat production system;
• High price of seeds, chemical fertilizers and pesticides;
• Less availability and efficacy of many pesticides.

23. Opportunities
• The interest of farmers in improved varieties;
• Availability of market for the crop;
• Strong interest of national and international research organizations in the crop
improvement;
• The importance of the crop in food self-sufficiency as strategic crop at regional and
national levels;
• Conducive environment for wheat production;
• The diverse use value of the crop;
• Availability of various processing plants for various products; and
• Availability of human resource and knowledge in the improvement and
development of the crop.
• Population growth and urbanizations

24. Recommendations
• Develop and disseminate appropriate cultural practices to contain the problem of
weed infestation in wheat mono-cropping systems;
• Improve farmers’ knowledge in quality seed production;
• Focus on dissemination of not only improved varieties but also management
practices:
• Increase farmers’ awareness on the importance of ICMP;
• Focus on demonstration, multiplication, and up-scaling of rust resistant, high
yielding and end use quality wheat varieties are essential;
• Emphasis on breeding for durable resistance is indispensable to counteract the
frequent disease epidemics and to ensure sustainable production of the crop and
its contribution to food security;
• Develop and disseminate available pre-harvest and post-harvest farm implements
appropriate for small scale farm size.

25. Thanks for your attention!