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The Program will support the adaptation and generation of improved and innovative technologies to enhance agriculture productivity and commercialization of small scale farmers. The component will focus on release-ready technologies that are in final or test stage (with duration to release the technology to extension of a maximum of two years) or on technology that has been released in other regions and that could be tested and introduced in the Program woredas. The intervention will comprise of two main groups of activities: (i) support to accelerate release of selected in pipeline technologies and management practices; and (ii) support to adaptation and generation of demand-driven technologies.
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1.1.8Support to Accelerate Release of selected pipe line Technologies ፡-Under this group of activities, the Program will support the accelerated release of the following pre-identified in pipeline technologies: -
Improved crop varieties and management practices including the accelerated release of crop varieties and agronomic and integrated pest management technologies such as crop varieties with high quality, resistant/tolerant to biotic and abiotic stress;
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Improved dual purpose poultry breeds focusing on the accelerated release of existing dual purpose local poultry breeds;
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Forage varieties and management practices including high quality varieties resistant/ tolerant to biotic and abiotic constraints;
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Irrigated agriculture management technologies such as (a) the determination of crop water requirement and local crop coefficient (Kc) for major crops; (b) the assessment of the response of major crops to deficit irrigation, soil moisture stress and supplementary irrigation; (c) the evaluation of efficient water use technologies (deficit, drip and alternate furrow irrigation); (d) the integration of water harvesting and micro irrigation for efficient water use; (e) the characterization and monitoring of salt affected soils and irrigation water in major irrigated areas; and (f) the development of irrigation agronomy practices for major crops and determination of leaching requirements for saline soils;
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Management technologies for acid soils and vertisols such as (a) identification of superior Nitrogen-fixing strains under limed and non-limed conditions; (b) evaluation of acid tolerant food and industrial crops; (c) determination of appropriate rates of lime and nutrient requirements of acid soils; (d) evaluation of different cropping patterns, drainage systems and drainage implements for improving the productivity of selected crops on vertisols; and (e) adjustment of crop calendar for double cropping and diversification of high value crops on vertisols;
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Integrated nutrient and crop management technologies: (a) development of soil test based fertilizer recommendation packages for major crops and soil types; (b) identification of method, time and frequency of Nitrogen fertilizer application for enhanced fertilizer use efficiency; (c) identification of effective Nitrogen-fixing strains for improving major pulse crops; (d) evaluation of different Phosphate solubilizing organisms for major crops; (e) evaluation of green manure crops for soil health and crop productivity improvement; (f) development of suitable cropping systems (cereal-pulse rotation, intercropping) for diversification and intensification; and (g) evaluation of different crop residue management systems, tillage practices and moisture retention methods;
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Soil and water conservation based agro-forestry technologies: (a) evaluation of technological options for landscape diversification of ex-closures through introduction of best bet multipurpose tree species for soil and water conservation, feed and income generation, and (b) evaluation of physical soil and water conservation technologies (bench terracing, water harvesting structures) that enhances the survival and adaptation of multipurpose tree species.
The application of agricultural technologies and knowledge to boost agricultural production and productivity is one of the priority public interventions in Ethiopia. Thus far, through concerted efforts made by the NARS quite a number of agricultural technologies and knowledge have been adapted, generated and disseminated and these technologies have significantly contributed to the sustained increase of agricultural production and productivity. However, the productivity level of the majority of agricultural commodities is still far below what can potentially be achieved. Biophysical challenges like climate change, disease and pest incidence, land degradation and reduced soil fertility and low level of farm implement technologies, etc and socioeconomic constraints such as population pressure and reduction of farm sizes, and increasing demand for nutritionally enhanced agricultural products justifies the need for participatory and demand driven technology adaptation, generation and demonstration efforts that respond to the demand of smallholder farmers and other concerned actors along the prioritized agricultural commodities’ value chains. In view of such emerging challenges, sustained support to demand driven agricultural research activities in the areas of crop, livestock, soil and water management and farm implement is very crucial. This proposed task of adapting and generating participatory and demand driven agricultural technologies will be accomplished as follows.
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Participatory analysis of the agricultural technology needs of the farming communities (men, women and youth) in different agro-ecologies and production systems with focus on AGP-II program areas, and priority crops and value chains of the program;
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A comprehensive appraisal report elaborating agricultural production problems will then be prepared and these reports will suggest proposed areas of demand driven research issues to alleviate the identified agricultural production problems;
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Assess, access and select potential agricultural technologies in collaboration with communities in AGP-II program areas, NARS partners and MoA.
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On-farm testing of the potential agricultural technologies across locations (per the guideline of NARS) in potential agro-ecologies of AGP-II program areas under the management of NARS entities:
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Technologies performing better than the local/standard ones in yield, quality and/or other parameters will be evaluated in participatory schemes using FREGs and will be recommended for release;
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Source seed of the identified/recommended agricultural technologies will be produced and supplied to research-extension liaison wings of NARS, relevant ADPLACs’ members and actors of the other components of the AGP-II for wider dissemination in AGP-II woredas.
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The forgoing technology adaptation and generation activities will be implemented by EIAR, RARIs, and their sectoral directorates catering mainly for AGP-II program areas.
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