LEGUME CHIOCE PLANNING MEETING, 10-11 JUNE 2014, IRLI CAMPUS, ADDIS ABABA

KEY CONSTRAINTS TO LEGUME EXPANSION IN JELDU WEREDA, WEST

SHEWA, OROMIA

GROUP MEMBERS

1.Dr Fekede Feyissa (Animal Feed, EIAR)

2.Dr Gemechu Keneni (Legume Breeder,

EIAR)

3.Tibebu Seifu (Animal Production, WBoA)

4.Jonson Negewo (NRM, WBoA)

CROP PRODUCTION STATUS

Category Crop types Proportion

Cereals Wheat, barley, tef, maize, sorghum

78% of 46, 000 ha

Legumes Faba bean, field pea

15% of 46, 000 ha

Oilcrops Linseed, noug, gomenzer, sesame

5% of 46, 000 ha

Horticultural crops

Potato 2% of 46, 000 ha

Forage/tree legumes

Tree Lucerne, Leucaena

Limited to backyard

Why legumes? Food (family consumption)

Household income

Soil fertility restoration

Crop rotation

Product diversification

How legumes are produced within systems?

• Mixed culture of faba bean and field pea

• Sole cultures of faba bean and field pea

• In rotation with cereals

• As life fence in the backyard (tree legumes)

• Rarely oats-vetch mixture for hay making

Current yieldsWheat = 18-40 q/haBarley = 20-45 q/haTef = 8-18 q/haMaize = 25-50 q/haSorghum = 20-30 q/haFaba bean = 7-12 q/haField pea = 4-9 q/haLinseed = 4-6 q/haNoug = 5-8 q/haSesame = 3-6 q/haGomenzer = 3-7 q/haPotato = 200-600 q/ha

Current yields …Forage biomass (DM)

Oats = 10-15 t/ha

Vetch = 5-8 t/ha

Tree Lucerne = 7-10 t/ha per cut (minimum two cuts a year)

Desho grass = 10-15 t/ha per cut (minimum two cuts a year)

CONSTRAINTS TO LEGUME EXPANSION

Soil acidityLow soil temperatureEnterprise competitivenessFoliar diseases/insects/weeds

CONSTRAINTS TO LEGUME EXPANSION …

Hail and frost damage

Lack of improved production technologies

Low awareness on the role of legumes in agricultural sustainability

Allotment of marginal land and least priority in terms of production inputs, crop management and protection practices

• Lack of intensification of livestock production

• Shortage and low productivity of land

• Shortage, timely supply and high price of production inputs (seed, fertilizer)

CONSTRAINTS TO LEGUME EXPANSION …

CONSTRAINTS TO LEGUME EXPANSION …

Ongoing Initiatives

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Faba bean Field pea Chickpea Lentil Haricot bean

Pulses

Yie

ld (k

g/ha

)

National average (1997 & 98)National average (1999-2008)Average (on-farm)Avearge (on-station)

Performance of improved faba bean variety at Jeldu

Hitherto research efforts resulted in a number of improved production technologies – a matter of building on success!

Nation-wide scaling up of “high value” crops production technologies already underway – a suitable ground!

Nation-wide amelioration of acid soil with lime expected to be launched soon – pulses are more sensitive to soil acidity than many other crops (with the exception of maybe soybean)

This is a time when risks of cereal-cereal monoculture in some potential production areas is already considered a national threat (at technical and policy levels)

Positive output:input price ratio with good local and export markets

Ongoing Initiatives …

THANK Y

OU