Progress of the First Year Legume CHOICE Project Activities - Ethiopia-Action Site

By

Tamene Temesgen & Tadesse Birhanu

Legume CHOICE Project Regional Planning Meeting

February 2-4, 2015

Addis Ababa

Progress of the First Year Legume CHOICE Project Activities -Ethiopia-Action Site

Main activities accomplished1. Planning meeting conducted,

Partners from the research institutes and agricultural offices participated.

Site teams had worked in groups and produced presentation on the existing farming systems, legume functions, constraints to legume intensification and opportunities for legume promotion/intensification

2. Implementation sites were selected Diga field site: Lalisa Dimtu (medium market), Fromsa (Good market)

Jeldu field site: Kolu-Galan (medium market), Chollanko (Good market)

Main activities accomplished contd…

3. Village meeting has been conducted at both field sites

Farmers from all typologies, genders and age classes were well represented in the participants.

The objective of this village meeting was to introduce the project into the farmers and to help to set farm typologies.

Farm typology indicators,

Thresholds for the typology indicators

Three farm typologies identified

Ownership of certified farm size, size of livestock holdings (oxen owned) and the level of use of agricultural inputs (chemical fertilizer)

Main activities accomplished contd…

ParticipantsVillage meeting FGD

TotalDiga Jeldu Diga Jeldu

Male Farmers 20 40 17 27 104

Female farmers 18 19 7 6 50

Development agents (DA) 6 6 3 3 18

DA's Suppervisors 2 - - - 2

Agricultural office experts 2 2 1 1 6

Total 48 67 28 37 180

Main activities accomplished contd…

Typology indicators and their thresholds at Diga and Jeldu field sites

Implementation site Typology Farm size Livestock (Oxen) Chemical fertilizer use

Diga field site

1. Wealthy ≥ 4ha ≥ 6 oxen All “recommended” rate

2. Middle income >1 & < 4ha 2-5 oxen Below “recommended” rate

3. Lower income ≤ 1ha 1 or no oxen Do not use

Jeldu field site

1. Wealthy ≥ 3ha

≥ 4 oxen

All “recommended” rate

≥ 4ha

2. Middle income >1 & < 3ha

2-3 oxen

Below “recommended” rate

>1 & < 4ha

3. Lower income ≤ 1ha 1 or no oxen Do not use

4. Focus group discussion has been conducted at both field sites

The aim of FGD was: To identify and score existing legume species cultivated & their respective

functions

To identify existing constraints for legume intensification and

To search opportunity for niches for possible intervention

In all field sites, FGD participant farmers were made aware of legumes

definition and different legume types with their respective examples

Main activities accomplished contd…

Result of Focus Group Discussion

Knowledge of legumes and legume systems:

•All farmers are aware of the role of legumes in soil fertility improvement and in increasing the productivity of subsequent cereal crops.

•Also aware of the multipurpose functions of legumes

•They are not aware of the mechanisms by which legumes can improve soil fertility (N-fixation).

•Most farmers are not aware of the function of fodder tree legumes rather they use them for other purposes such as for shade and construction

Annual grain Perennial grain Tree Annual fodder

No.

Legume Species legumes legumes legumes legumes

Diga Jeldu Diga Jeldu Diga Jeldu Diga1 Ground nut  2 Haricot bean  3 Faba bean  4 Field pea  

5 Ann.Climbing bean  6 Soy bean7 Lupin  8 Cow pea  9 Chick pea  

10 Lentil11 Grass pea12 Fenugric

13 Per. Climbing bean  14 Sesbania    15 Lucinea    16 Pigeon pea  17 Lab-lab    18 Tree Lucern19 Calindra20 Alfalfa21 Acacia

Legume species and their category grown in both field sites

Major legumes produced in each implementation sites

• Lalisa Dimtu: Ground nut, bush type haricot bean and perennial climbing bean were received highest frequency.

• Fromsa: Sesbania, annual climbing bean, faba bean and perennial climbing bean were dominant.

• Kolu-Galan:- Faba bean, field pea, chick pea, grass pea, tree lucern, caliandra

• Chillanko: Faba bean, field pea, chick pea, grass pea, lentil, caliandra and tree lucern were frequently grown

Major functions of legumes identified during focus group discussion

Major functions of legumes identified at Lalisa Dimtu during FGD

NoLegume species

produced Legume typeRank of legume function

1 2 3 4

1 Ground nut Annual grain legume Market Food Feed (residue)Soil Improvement

2 Haricot bean Annual grain legume Market FoodSoil Improvement -

3 Cow pea Annual grain legume Food Feed - -4 Chick pea Annual grain legume Market Food - -5 Field pea Annual grain legume Market Food - -6 Soy bean Annual grain legume Food Market Feed (residue) -

7 Climbing bean Perennial grain legume Food MarketSoil Improvement -

8 Pigeon pea Fodder tree legume Food Feed - -9 Sesbania Fodder tree legume Feed Shade Fire wood -

10 Lucinea Fodder tree legume Feed Fire wood Fence -11 Lab lab Ann. herbaceous legume Feed - - -

Major functions of legumes identified….

Major functions of legumes identified at Fromsa during FGD

NoLegume species

produced Legume typeRank of legume function

1 2 3 4 5

1 Faba bean Annual grain legume Food Market Soil Improvement

Feed (Residue)

Feed (cooked grain)

2 Field pea Annual grain legume Food MarketSoil Improvement Animal feed -

3 Haricot bean Annual grain legume FoodSoil Improvement Animal feed - -

4 Ann. Climbing bean Annual grain legume Food Market - - -

5 Peren. Climbing bean Annual grain legume Food Market - - -

6 Sesbania Annual grain legume FeedSoil Improvement Shade Fire wood Fencing

Constraints related to legume area production, productivity and legume utilization

Diga field site:

• Lack of seeds of improved cultivars, • Diseases & pests, Poor soil fertility, • Termite incidence & damage • Lack of awareness on functions and benefits of legumes, • Low market price of their produce, • Poor crop management, • Cereal mono-cropping, • Un affordable price of chemical fertilizer, • Giving priority to cereal crops and • Lack of knowledge of legume utilization in different forms• Lack of herbicide for weed control

Constraints contnd….

Jeldu field site:•Soil fertility decline•Lack of improved seeds•High fungal disease incidence•High input (fertilizer) price•Lack of pesticides (fungicide)•Change of weather•Lack of awareness•Low market price of the product•Insect pests

Percent of importance attached to major legume production and productivity constraints at Diga field site

Lalisa Dimtu Fromsa

Percent of importance attached to major legume production and productivity constraints at Jeldu field site

Different measures that farmers are locally practicing to alleviate the challenges

No. Major challenges identified Different measures that farmers are practicing to alleviate the challenges

1 Lack of improved seeds and supply

Farmer to farmer seed exchange, Purchasing from who owned, Selecting vigor seed from locally available

2 Disease Rouging out diseased plants, Planting quality seeds, some cultural practices Crop rotation, use fungicides, Planting date adjustment Not to plant on soils with poor fertility

3 Lack of awareness Consulting expertise, Trying out research results on their farm, Experience sharing through field days, Farmer to farmer field exchange visits and Attending mass media

4 Low market price of produce

Keeping in store to sale during high price time Producing a crop that have good market value.

Measures that farmers are practicing contd…..

No. Major challenges identified Different measures that farmers practicing to alleviate it

5 Decline in soil fertility Use of manures, Crop rotation, Reducing land under cereals, Using both organic and inorganic fertilizers Fallowing

6 Preference for cereal Using legumes as intercropping

7 Insect pests Insecticides if available, Mixing grain with chilly paper to protect storage pests

8 High price for fertilizer Use of compost, Manure application, Share cropping

Preference of legume functions by gender at Diga field site

Preference of legume functions by gender at Jeldu field site

Major use of legume types by typologies-Lalisa Dimtu

Major use of legume types by typologies-Fromsa

Major use of legume types by typologies-at Kolu-Galan

Major use of legume types by typologies-at Chillanko

Quick baseline survey on legumes at Diga

Outlines:1.General household information• Age of household heads • Household heads education level• Age classes of household members

2.Land holding of the respondent farmers3.Livestock holdings of the households4.Land use of the respondent farmers5.Legume species grown in the implementation sites• Proportion of land cultivated for legume crops/species

6.Different cropping systems practiced in the implementation sites7.Rate of chemical fertilizer application

Quick baseline survey on legumes at Diga

• Purpose of the survey:• To have existing baseline information on the status of legume production in

the area• To help to select farmers for farm characterization survey

• Methods:• There are 3-Zones in each implementation sites in such a way that the first

zone is nearest and the last zone is farthest away from the main road.• Transects walks was done across these pre-defined zones to cover areas, far

from and near to the main road. • Farmers households on both sides of the transect were randomly visited and

questions were asked according to the pre-prepared QS tool to cover 10% of the total households in the Kebele.

• A total of 126 farmers, i.e., 68 from Lalisa Dimtu and 58 from Fromsa were asked

Quick baseline survey result

Baseline survey result at Diga contd....Age classes of the household members

Household head level of education

Frequency of farmers landholding

Proportion of farmers landholdings by typology

Average land allocation for different crops, grazing & Others

Lalisa Fromsa

Total cattle population by farm-typology

Proportion of livestock holding by farm-typology

Different legume species scored/grown at Diga field site

Legume cropping systems practiced at Diga Field Site

Status of chemical fertilizer use by respondents

• Lalisa: average of 125 kg/ha

• Fromsa: Average of 55 kg/ha

• On average: 88 kg/ha applied

• Majority apply b/n 50 & 100 kg/ha.

• Almost 17% of the respondent do not apply fertilizer

• Most use corralling system of animal manure

Possible niches for interventions

According to the rank given by FG:

• Awareness creation through practical training using demonstration of research proven technologies at both field sites

• Soil degradation and lack of improved seeds of legumes • Provision of seeds of improved cultivars and • Introduction of legumes with soil conservation capacity

Moreover:• The importance of and better tolerance of fodder tree legumes to sever

termite incidence than any other annual crops show us the need of immediate introduction, demonstration and scaling up of such legumes.

Possible niches for interventions contd…Introduction of new varieties of pigeon pea in particular is very important because:

• It is getting an attention to be used as biological soil

conservation

• Pruned stems and leaves-livestock feed

• Green pods and seeds-human food

• Pruned pigeon peas-can be used as live stake to produce annual

climbing beans which are commonly produced using dry

stakes---this helps in reducing deforestation

Possible niches for interventions contd…

Maize-Legume (both bush and annual climbing common beans) intercropping is the major cropping system but harvest from intercropped legumes is very low.Therefore,

• Introduction, demonstration, and expansion of improved varieties compatible for

intercropping (particularly for farmers with small land holding)

• Awareness creation and trainings on how to, when and what varieties to be used

for the cropping system

• Trainings on optimum management practices when crops are intercropped

Cereal-Legume rotation for farmers with large farm size

Possible niches for interventions contd…Problem of soil fertility degradation, lack of seeds of improved

cultivars and high fungal disease pressure were received highest priority constraint

Therefore, introduction, demonstration, and expansion of improved varieties of commonly grown highland legumes

Introduction and demonstration of legume species with soil conservation/erosion control capacity while simultaneously fixing atmospheric N

Potato mono-cropping is a common practice – Demonstration of legume intercropping in potato (particularly field pea)

Introduction of improved chick pea varieties for double cropping of chick pea after barley using residual moisture

Thank you!