Better livelihoods for small holder farmers through knowledge based technology interventions in the highlands of Ethiopia: Increasing the productivity of chickpea in wheat-based cropping system

Chickpea is an important food and cash crop for many households in Ethiopian highland's wheat based cropping systems. It has become an important export crop and plays a role in diversifying the export markets of the country. Moreover, the straw is also an important source of animal feed in crop-livestock mixed farming. 23% of chickpea produced by small-holder farmers is used for sale and 57% is used for home consumption. The remaining share is utilized as seed resources. Chickpea also plays an important role in the system productivity and sustainability of wheat production as a break crop and through biological nitrogen fixation. However, high yield gaps are observed due to the unavailability of improved technologies or poor extension of improved crop technologies, drought, poor soil fertility, insect pests and diseases. Efforts to deploy chickpea varieties and technologies for sustainable food and nutritional security and market opportunities in the highlands of Ethiopia will improve the resilience of these farmers to pests and climate shocks and reduce the dependence of farmers in these regions on state support. Narrowing yield gaps is a fundamental step in increasing production and reducing food and nutritional insecurity and for increasing rural incomes.

Within the research for development continuum, ICARDA in collaboration with NARS partners has designed a strategy for fast-track generation, transfer and delivery of seed-embedded technologies, which proved to be successful both in Ethiopia (wheat seed system) and elsewhere in Central and West Asia and North Africa. This will include popularization and demonstration of chickpea technologies, accelerated seed multiplication of improved varieties by both NARS and public/private sector, targeted small pack seed distribution and on-farm seed production, capacity development of partners and key stakeholders and monitoring and evaluation of project activities. In addition, the project will enhance land productivity through promotion of Rhizobium technologies, double cropping and July planting.

The potential benefits of this project from adoption of new varieties and integrated crop management technologies would be substantial in terms of economic, nutritional, social and environmental impacts. The economic benefits include increased production leading to improved food and nutrition security and increased income for households (male and female) who adopt the technologies and the expansion of Kabuli chickpea exports in the country. Increased production of these commodities will also ensure that traders and food factories have better access to raw materials locally and increase their profits. Similarly, the increased availability of high quality straw will fill feed deficits and mitigate the critical livestock production limiting factors in the crop-livestock production system. Livestock productivity will be translated to increased income and better food and nutrition security. The social benefits include better awareness for dietary patterns to improve household nutrition particularly for women and children. Improved income for families would enable better schooling for the children and livelihood opportunities. The agro-industries will create employment opportunities for the youth and other segments of society in the agro-processing sector. The training activities will increase the capacity of researchers, extension staff and farmers to apply their new knowledge and skills in their regular research, development and farm level activities leading to improved performance. The environmental benefits include better soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation and soil health from the introduction and adoption of improved chickpea varieties. The adoption of pest resistant varieties and integrated pest management practices will reduce the application of pesticides minimizing environmental pollution resulting in healthier people. The adoption of integrated crop management practices will reduce the cost of production. The introduction of chickpea in irrigated areas will increase intensification and also act as break crops for irrigated vegetable crops which suffer from soil-borne diseases. Sustainability of the project is assured, because chickpea is considered in the GoE priority development agenda for food and raw materials for local agro-industries and exports. The new knowledge and skills acquired by professional and technical staff of stakeholder institutions (research, seed suppliers, development agencies, extension services, farmers, agro-processors, etc) will help in adopting and applying new technologies generated and demonstrated in their regular activities to sustain the project achievements. Training of NARS researchers will equip them with knowledge and skills to develop better improved varieties and crop management technologies. The existing and newly established seed and inoculant producers will grow to become private seed enterprise and continue to regularly supplying seeds of improved varieties and inoculants to farmers.