Presented by Solomon Gebreselassie, Gebrehiwot Biru, Abiyot Aragaw, Steffen Schulz and Britta Kowalski at the Africa RISING Training Workshop on Innovation Platforms, Addis Ababa, 23-24 January 2014

1. Africa RISING achievements with demonstration / on farm
trials in Ethiopia
Solomon Gebreselassie, Gebrehiwot Biru, Abiyot Aragaw, Steffen Schulz and Britta Kowalski
International Potato Center (CIP)
Africa RISING Training Workshop on Innovation Platforms
Addis Ababa, 23-24 January 2014

2. Africa RISING – Partners for demonstration trials
Amhara Region
Debre Birhan University
Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Centre
Basona Worana Woreda Office of Agriculture
Oromiya Region
Sinana Agricultural Research Centre
Medawolabu University
Sinana Woreda Livestock Agency
Sinana Woreda Office of Agriculture
SNNP Region
Areka Agricultural Research Centre
Lemo Woreda Agricultural Office
Hadiya Zone Agricultural Office
Worabe Agricultural Research Centre
Wachamo University
Tigray Region
Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)
Alamata Agricultural Research Centre
Mekelle University
Endamehoni Woreda Office of Agriculture

3. Africa RISING –demonstration trials
• Crops: Potato, Wheat, Faba bean: 3 farmers percrop per kebele
• Sites: Goshe Bado and Gudo Beret kebele, Basona Wora
na , Amhara
Upper Gana and Jewe, Lemo, SNNPR
Ilu Sanbitu and Selka, Sinana, SNNPR
Emba-Hasti and Tsibet, Endamekoni, Tigray
• Participants:
Men’s group
Women's group
Youth group

4. Evaluations
• Mid season field day
• End season field day

5. Participatory evaluations
Farmers Selection Criteria Midseason and end season field Evaluation
Men
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Resistance to diseases
Early maturity
Crop stand (erect)
Adaptation to the area
Total yield
Tuber size
Number of small sized tubers
Taste
Appearance
Women
Youth
Goshe Bado (Basona Worana , Amhara)
Crop stand (erect)
Resistance to diseases
Early maturity
Number of stems
Total yield
Taste
Tuber size
Resistance to diseases
Number of stems
Adaptation to the area
Crop stand (erect)
Total yield
Tuber size
Appearance
Shape
Taste
Gudo Beret Kebele (Basona Worana, Amhara)
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Resistance to diseases
Early maturity
Crop stand (erect)
Adaptation to the area
Total tuber number
Total yield
Tuber size
Appearance
Taste
Crop stand (erect)
Resistance to diseases
Early maturity
Number of stems
Resistance to diseases
Number of stems
Adaptation to the area
Crop stand (erect)
Total tuber number
Total yield
Tuber size
Appearance
Taste

6. Potato- Mid season field evaluation
The main objectives of the mid-season evaluation were to:
• demonstrate growth of each potato variety under local conditions
• evaluate each potato variety using farmer selection criteria.
• compare and rank the potato varieties against farmers’ selection criteria
Ranking of potato varieties by men group at Goshe Bado.
1= Worst, 2= Moderate, 3= Good , 4= Best; Score of each variety was calculated by multiplying its value given by
the number of peoples who voted (12)
Variety 1= Gudene
1
2
3
4
12 -
1.
Farmers selection
Criteria
Resistance to diseases
2.
3.
4.
Early maturity
crop stand
12
Adaptation to the area 12
No.
Total
Rank
-
12
80
3rd
32
-
Variety 2= Gera
1
2
3
4
24 -
Variety 3= Shenkola
1
2
3
4
48
12
-
-
24
36
96
2nd
-
-
36
36
168
1st
48
-

7. Potato - End season field evaluation
The main objectives of the mid-season evaluation were to:
• demonstrate the performance (yield and related parameters) of each potato variety
• evaluate each potato variety using farmer selection criteria including taste
• compare and rank the potato varieties against farmers’ selection criteria
- Farmer feedback: to avoid confusion the ranking values should only be 3 levels
Ranking of potato varieties by women group at Goshe Bado.
1= Poor, 2= Medium, 3= Good; Score of each variety was calculated by multiplying its value given by the
number of peoples who voted (9)
Variety 3= Gudene
Variety 1= Shenkola
Variety 2= Gera
Farmers selection
No.
Criteria
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1.
Total yield
-
-
27
-
18
-
9
-
-
2.
Taste of the variety
-
2
18
-
8
15
3
10
-
3.
Size of the tuber
-
-
27
-
18
-
9
-
-
Total
74
59
31
Rank
1st
2nd
3rd

8. Potato – End of Season Field day in Lemo

9. Potato - Results
No.
Farmers Selection Mid and End season field evaluation
Men
Women
Youth
Mid-season
End-season Mid-season End-season Mid-season End-season
Goshe Bado (Debre Birhan, Amhara)
1.
2.
3.
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Gudo Beret Kebele (Debre Birhan, Amhara)
1.
2.
3.
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Gera
Shenkola
Gudene
-
-
Shenkola
Gera
Gudene
Gera
Gudene
Shenkola

10. Potato - Results
Yield and yield related parameters of each variety at Goshe Bado.
TY (t ha-1)
MY (t ha-1)
UMY (t ha-1)
TNT
NMT %
NUMT %
Shenkola
44
40
4
680000
67,3
32,7
Gera
30
27
3
825555
73,2
26,8
Gudene
36
30
6
836444
62,2
37,8
Variety
Yield and yield related parameters of each variety tested at Gudo Beret
Variety
TY (t ha-1)
MY (t ha-1)
UMY (t ha-1)
TNT
NMT
NUMT
Shenkola
44
42
2
502222
77,0
23,0
Gera
48
46
2
557037
77,1
22,9
Gudene
32
27
6
779259
50,2
49,8
TY= Total yield, MY= Marketable yield, UMY= Unmarketable yield, TNT= Total number of tubers, NMT=
Number of marketable tubers, NUMT= Number of unmarketable tubers and t ha -1= tone per hectare.

11. Potato - Results
No.
Farmers Selection Mid and End season field evaluation
Men
Women
Youth
Jewe (SNNPR, Lemo)
1.
Gudene 3 sprays
Gudene 3 sprays
2.
Gudene 2 sprays
Gudene 2 sprays
3.
Gera
Gera
-
-
-
-
Upper Gana (SNNPR, Lemo)
1.
Gudene 3 sprays
Gudene 3 sprays
Gudene 3 sprays
2.
Gudene 2 sprays
Gudene 2 sprays
3.
Gera
Gudene 2 sprays and
Gera
Gera

12. Potato demonstration trials – Diffused Light Stores
DLS were constructed with farmers who participated in the potato demonstration trials

13. Farmers’ feedback on potato field demonstrations in Amhara
- Among the three varieties tested, Gudene was most affected by late blight
- The field day participant farmers appreciate the effort made by the Africa RISING
project, particularly demonstration of new varieties that were not known in the area. Most
of the farmers had been dependent on only on two varieties (Gera & Gorebella) for long
time. They observed decrease of yield over time.
- Farmers reflect that the lessons learn from the demonstration plots will help them to
adopt the technology next season. They appreciated the experience they have acquired
and the confidence they built through field day and variety selection exercise.
- Some farmers reported that they used to grow potato without fertilizer, obtaining only
low yields. They recognized the importance of applying fertilizer.

14. Farmers’ feedback on wheat field demonstrations in Amhara
- Some farmers were interested to get the wheat varieties, especially cv. Tsehay and asked how
they can find the seed.
- Some suggested the need for practical support from experts on row planting during planting
time.
- Farmers also suggested future introduction of bread wheat varieties which have double
advantage use as food and feed.

15. Farmers’ feedback on faba bean field demonstrations in Amhara
- infestation with unknown disease. Application of fungicides couldn’t protect the crop
from damage. (viral?)
- Some of the farmers noted that row planting used in faba bean demonstration is very
labor intensive. They pointed the need for a row planter.
- Some farmers urge if the project can do some work on field pea.

16. Potato
Research questions
- will combining B3 late blight tolerance and spray regime reduce farmers’ risk sufficiently
for them to adopt technology?
Wheat
- Does the increase in labour for row planting increase yield proportionally?
Faba bean
- Identify disease affecting faba bean in the field demonstrations
- Does the increase in labour for row planting increase yield proportionally?
Enset
- Which farmers’ practices further bacterial wilt spread in Enset cultures?
- To what extent can potato replace Enset in rural communities?

17. Project partners in Ethiopia

18. Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation
africa-rising.net