The Ethiopian wheat breeding program can benefit from information gathered at the farm level to determine where farmers get their wheat seed, where they get seed when they decide to change varieties, how often they change varieties, and how they manage their retained seed. This paper reports results of a survey of 200 farmers in Enebssie area. Zembolel (87%) and Enkoy (91 %) were the wheat varieties mostly known in the intermediate and highland zones, respectively. The most common source of wheat seed planted in the intermediate zone (57%) was seed from other farmers, 25% of the farmers retained seed from the previous year's grain crop, and 14% of the farmers purchased their seed from the local market. About 40% of the farmers in the highland zone got their seed from other farmers, 34% of the farmers retained seed from the previous year's grain crop, and 22% of the farmers purchased their seed from the local market. When farmers first obtained seed of new varieties, the most common source was other farmers in the intermediate zone (47%) and MOA (33%), whi1e in the highland zone it was the local market (40%) or other farmers (38%). The farmers who retained their own seed sought to ensure its purity by c1eaning it at planting, and storing the seed separately from the wheat grain used for consumption in a local container. The weighted average age of varietal turnover was about II years. This indicates the need to strengthen wheat breeding, extension service, forn1al seed production and distribution. With regard to seed policy it is important to note that farmer-to-farmer seed transfer remains the major means of diffusing seed.

Global Maize Program

English

0007|AGRIS 0101|R99-00CIMPU|AL-Wheat Program|SEP archives 2

Jose Juan Caballero

INT1320

CIMMYT Staff Publications Collection