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

Outline

• Introduction (EAAPP)

• Purpose of the study

• Methodology

• Findings

• Policy implications

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.

• 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.

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.

Methodology Sampling procedure and sample size

• Multi stages sampling techniques were used.

Table 1: Number of respondent by regional level

Fig 1. EAAPP-wheat districts and survey areas in Ethiopia

Regional state

No of district

Total No. of HHH

Male Female

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%)

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.

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 .

Households access to basic facilities

Access to services/facilities

Access

Yes No

Agricultural inputs and services

outlets/providers 91.68 8.32

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

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.

Farmers access to public mass media (telephone and internet) services as

technology pathways

Region

sate

District

Self-perception on telephone services

(%)

Self-perception on internet services (%)

Good Average Poor Good Average Poor

Amhara Gozamin 22.22 44.44 33.33 0.00 0.00 0.00

Enarjinaena

wuga

63.96 33.04 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

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

Berena-

Wayu

61.64 30.14 8.22 0.00 0.00 0.00

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-

Wemberta

56.70 43.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Dega -

Tenben

32.02 35.97 32.02 0.00 0.00 0.00

Amba -

Alagie

53.86 34.60 11.53 0.00 0.00 0.00

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

Weighted average 47.34 40.32 12.34 22.22 77.78 0.00

Landholding status

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.

• 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.

Adoption of wheat varieties

The current survey registered a total of 21 cultivars.

A range of bread wheat varieties released from 1980 to 2009 were identified.

Source: 1,Variety registry book (2010); 2,Survey result

Variety Target1 Year release1

Area (ha) per

HHH2

Percent

adopter2

Digelu National 2005 0.8 15.1

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

Hawi National 2000 0.6 3.8

Simba National 2000 1.0 0.2

Pavon-76 National 1982 0.9 0.2

Sofumar SE Oromia 2000 0.1 4.2

Shina NW Amhara 1999 1.0 1.5

K 6295-4A National 1980 0.3 2.3

Dinkinesh Wello 2007 0.3 0.1

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

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.

Variety Area (ha) per HHH2 Percent

adopter2

Digelu 0.8 15.1

Galema 0.5 28.2

Tuse 1.1 6.0

Madawalabu 0.4 8.4

Kubsa 0.5 42.0

Hawi 0.6 3.8

Simba 1.0 0.2

Pavon-76 0.9 0.2

Sofumar 0.1 4.2

Shina 1.0 1.5

K 6295-4A 0.3 2.3

Dinkinesh 0.3 0.1

Jiru 0.8 0.3

Tossa 0.50 0.1

ET-13 0.6 0.1

Enkoy 0.4 0.3

Menzie 0.3 0.5

Bollo 0.3 0.1

Mellnium 0.8 0.7

Israel 0.2 1.3

‘Kubsa’ and ‘Galema’ were the most adopted varieties at national level.

The popularity of ‘Kubsa’ and ‘Galema’

• Adaptability, high yield,

• End use quality and

• Abundant availability of their seed.

Unfortunately, both ‘Kubsa’ and ‘Galema’ became susceptible to yellow rust.

‘Digelu’, and previously existing ones like ‘Medawalabu’ are expected to overtake.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a)

Wheat vareities

Fig: 2 Productivity (t/ha) of wheat varieties by regional state, 2010

Oromia

Amhara

SNNPR

Tigray

Cropping management, and inputs use

Gross margin income of wheat producers

During the time of the survey 1US$ = 16.80 Ethiopia Birr (ETB)

The country mean weighted gross margin income from wheat production was 4608 ETB/ha. The low profitability in Oromia in the year could be partly attributed to Devastating effect of yellow rust High cost of production

Due to the use of machinery in major wheat producing zones of the regional state, Arsi and Bale zones.

The use of chemicals - especially herbicide - is common in Arsi and Bale zones for the control of grass weeds.

2,000.00

4,000.00

6,000.00

Oromia Tigray Amhara SNNPR

3,116

6,510

5,482

5,027

Inco

me

(ET

B/h

a)

Regional states

Figure 3: Gross margin income from wheat production by regional states

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.

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.

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

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.

Thanks for your attention!