The effects of drought in Ethiopia in the last two decades have been drastic (10 to 100% yield loss). Prolonged drought has lowered production of major food crops, resulting in an acute and recurrent shortage of food. The farmers' ability to adjust to drought depends upon available technology and the production systems in use. agriculture is the mainstay of the Ethiopian economy, accounting 41% of GDP, 90% of foreign exchange, and 85% of employment. The agricultural potential to overcome food shortages remains high. Chronic food insecurity however, characterizes the arid and semi-arid regions, which comprise nearly 55% of the total cropped area. Here shortage of rainfall is the most important limiting factor to agricultural production In these zones irrigation and the development of relatively drought- tolerant staple crops are the best options for sustainable agricultural output without further damage to the environment. Among the major food crops grown in Ethiopia, maize ranks first in total production and yield per hectare. It is a well-adapted Ethiopian priority food crop grown in almost all ecological zones. Its yield in drought-prone areas is primarily limited by shortage of rainfall and absence of drought-tolerant varieties. Two open-pollinated maize varieties, 'ACV3' and 'ACV6', both early-maturing and relatively drought-tolerant have been recently proposed for release. These varieties have proved to be significantly higher yielding than local check varieties, showing the potential for improving the performance of maize under conditions of water stress through plant breeding.

English

9801|AGRIS 9702

Jose Juan Caballero

CIMMYT Publications Collection