Introducing Climate Adaptive Agricultural Technologies through Participatory Evaluation and Scaling up at the Potential Area of North Shewa Amhara

Abstract

The demand for malt barely increased rapidly due to the coming of new beer and malt factory in Ethiopia specifically at North Shewa Zone Amhara Region. For these, participatory evaluation and scaling of recently released malt barely varieties were done at North shewa zone Ethiopia. The objectives of the study was demonstrating and scaling the improved malt barley varieties. During the first phase the improved varieties were demonstrated and evaluated by local farmers. Based on the farmer’s preference, agronomic data and economic analysis the improved variety HB1963 and HB1964 were recommended for future scaling up at the potential areas of North shewa with recommended agronomic packages’. In the second phase, the selected varieties were scale up in clustered base during 2019 main production season. The scale out varieties, HB1963 and HB1964 give 19.56% and 28.61% yield advantage over the local check of Holker variety respectively. The study recommendations were strengthen the formal and informal seed system by concerned stakeholders using local seed producer and marketing cooperatives and unions. The government and local beer and malt factories should give higher initiation for domestic market of malt barley to motivate malt barley producer farmers and substitute malt import.