CROP RESEARCH DIRECTORATE

The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) is discharging its responsibilities of delivering and continually improving various agricultural technologies and their recommended applications and production methods by coordinating its research activities through various work processes and coordination offices, with the ultimate goal of ensuring food security and reducing poverty in the country in line with the Government’s development direction.

The major strategic goals of crop research in EIAR are:

·       Supplying competent , effective and suitable agricultural technologies in adequate amount applicable to agro-processing industries, export market, food and nutrition enhancement;

·       Enhance institutional executing capacities;

·       Enabled in adequately multiplying and supplying initial technologies to diversified cropping systems: Belg and rain fed system, irrigation system, cropping system etc.; and

·       Enhancing transfer of research outputs, skill and knowledge for development

The Crop Research Directorate has been conducting various significant research activities and development-oriented tasks through the various centers of the Institute and in collaboration with higher learning institutions (HLIs), regional agricultural research institutions,regional bureaus of agriculture, and international research institutions and other relevant partners. Accordingly, it has helped to increase the productivity and production of the farmers and strengthened the efficiency of markets and relates dagro-industries. 

The research has also engaged itself in the coordination of agricultural research activities throughout the country, technology pre-multiplication, pre-extension scaling out, capacity building, and provision of supports to those in need. It is believed that enabling a sustainable, reliable and demand-based supply of technologies to users that is based on the nationally set development vision and the GoE’s development policy and strategy, that assesses institutional strengths and weaknesses, and that is based on a strategic plan and management document that considers the interests of concerned bodies shall all help EIAR and the Directorate to become more efficient in supplying technologies to users.

Crop directorate is mandated to generate improved crop varieties and management options and deliver startup technologies mainly breeder seed of the improved varieties. The sector envisioned to enhance genetic gain through use of modern tools, optimized breeding pipeline, digitization and advanced statistical approaches. The sector undertake research on crops in line with the countries development demand focusing on food and nutrition security, foreign exchange earnings, and input access for the agro-processing industries. In order to develop farmers preferred climate resilient varieties the sector implements targeted breeding on the major food and nutrition security crops. In addition, adaptation of improved technologies elsewhere through the public research system and/or private companies to fast track the release and accessibility of improved varieties is also considered as an approach. 

 

Crop research has 22 national research programs organized under it to carry out the assigned tasks.

1.  Tef Research Program

·       Tef is the top area crop with some 3 million ha and more than 8 million producers, spreading in warmer, intermediate agro-ecologies; with few part on the cooler climatic zones.

·       The research program has been undertaking research focusing on yield improvement, lodging resistance, and different market class technology development, and recently with planting system.

·       Thus far, the program released 35 varieties of different productivity, quality, adaptability and market preference.

·       The productivity of the crop has increased to an average of 16 q/ha from a tone two decades ago.

  • The program is winner of the science and innovation forum trophy for wider impact of the Kuncho variety.

  • Current research in tef focuses and making hundreds of gene pool enhancement every year gearing to productivity increment, adaptability /non-traditional ecologies/, export quality, and lodging resistance.

2. Maize Research Program

·      
Maize is one of the
widely adapted principal and productive food crops occupying about 1.8 million
ha in warmer to cooler agro-climatic ranges.

·      
Maize research has
focused on filling gaps in yield,adaptation and stress tolerance.

·      
Some 61 agro-ecology
clustered varieties have been released; including hybrid and OPV, QPMs with
their recommended production packages since its inception.

·      
The national
productivity has gained a 77% increase in two decades to score 3.5 t/ha;
whereas under best adoption condition 7-8t/ha is common for farmers.

·      
Various acting
development parties are extensively making use of improved maize varieties,
particularity of hybrids, as their production inputs.

·      
The maize research
program is now focusing on biotic strains like MLND, rust, viral diseases;
production potential, climatic resilience like heat, and improving yield
potential options.

3.  Wheat Research Program

·       Wheat is top of the critical crops in food security and utilization. It covers 1.7 miilion ha of cooler and intermediate agro-ecology domain, and recently is advanced to the warmer ecology under irrigation.

·       The national wheat research has undertaken rigorous undertakings on yield gaps, diseases/rust/, quality /industrial/and adaptability.

·       Some 67 bread and 33 durum wheat varieties have been released thus far responding to the critical gaps identified.

·       The national yield has doubled just in two decades and recently it gives out 2.5 t/ha; while under best management farmers gained about 7 t/ha on average. Even if nationally some 400,000 t are produced, still some 20% deficient is fulfilled by import.

·       More than 15 durum wheat varieties have been released qualifying the industrial needs.

·       The program is winner of the national science and innovation trophy, for its outstanding performance in combating rust.

Activities are underway in preventing and controlling wheat rust disease, productivity increment, industrial quality maintenance, and irrigated wheat technologies

4. Sorghum Research Program

·       Sorghum with the national coverage of some 1.6 million ha is occupying the climatic sensitive ecology and fills critical gaps of pastorals and agro-pastorals vulnerable in the domain.

·       Sorghum research has been executed focusing on phonological traits, diseases, and bird attack, quality and adaptability traits.

·       Some 41 sorghum and 14 millet varieties have been released thus far filling the prioritized gaps identified.

·       Productivity has increased from some 1t/ha to 2.4 t/ha in just two decades.

·       The research program is now focusing on generation of hybrid super yielding varieties, quality meeting varieties, seed system enhancement, and resilience to impacts of climate are the focus of the current research on sorghum.

5  Barley Research Program

·       Barley in Ethiopia is produced in cooler agro-ecology, occupying about a million ha. The research has been undertaken on productivity, resistance to pests and quality parameters /malt/.

·       Thus far, 16 malt and 36 food barley varieties have been generated and availed to users.

·       The national average productivity has grown from less than 1 t/ha to 2 t/ha over the two decades; whereas with best adopter farmers 4-5t/ha has been realized.

·       Industry-oriented malt barley variety generation and testing has been carried out with recent focus.

  • The national barley research has been awarded the national science and innovation trophy for its outstanding performance in malt barley research.

 

  • The barley program is focusing on industrial quality and quantity through technology availing partnering with the breweries and other facilitators. It is also focusing on seed system research to maximize access in the development sector.

6. Rice Research Program

·       Rice is one of the globally important crop coming to an adaptation in Ethiopian agricultural system. Even if its arrival is relatively recent, the adaptation of the crop is immense.

·       Some 29 varieties suit to irrigation-7,upland-16 and lowland- 6 have been released.

·       Productivity has grown as high as 2.9 t/ha, which is superior to many principal crops of old existence.

·       Current areas of focus in rice research include crop management and identification and generation of hybrid varieties, mechanization, postharvest technology, and resistance to biotic challenges like blast, and abiotic cases like cold.

7. Highland Pulses Research Program

  • Includes crops that are produced in the cool and semi cooler climatic domain, and dominated by vertisols and wheat-soil media. They cover area of about a million ha, with faba bean taking the major share of about 440 k ha.
  • The research program of highlands pulses have identified and prioritized challenges like: A. Blight in chickpea, chocolate spot in faba bean, soil born complex diseases, rust, aphides, postharvest pests, water logging, yield deficit, quality parameters for industry, marketing and consumption.
  • Thus far some 97 varieties of faba bean (29), field pea (34),chickpea (33) and lentil (10) have been released suit to different market class, adaptation, utility values.
  • Productivity has grown from less than 1 t/ha to 1.8 in faba bean,1.9 chickpea, 1.4 lentil and 1.6 in field pea in two decades.
  • Chickpea and lentil program has won the national science and innovation forum for its outstanding performance and impact in Kabuli chickpea and Alemaya lentil variety.
  •  
  • The role of the crop in generating foreign currency, in maintaining appropriate nutrition, and providing inputs for the agro-industry sector has grown, and activities focusing on disease resistance, adaptability, productivity increment, and industry and export quality maintenance are being carried out.

8. Lowland Pulses Research Program

·       Lowland pulses are, pulse groups grown under warmer climatic and shorter moisture environment. Most of them fall under high market class agri-produce category; and valuable to climatic errors.

·       The crop under this category covers about half a million ha.

·       The research has been taking place with prioritized gaps like moisture stress, heat stress, pests, diseases /bean magot/, market quality, nutritional quality.

·       Thus far some 65 varieties have been released with share of cowpea-6, haricot bean 55, mung bean 4 suitable in the warmer climatic corridors and responding to identified challenges.

·       The productivity of low land pulse is still at poor improvement,however, it has grown from less than 1 t/ha to 1.5 t/ha in the last three decades.

   

Research activities on these commodities have enabled earning of significant amount of foreign currency from marketing/export of haricot bean, mung bean.

·       The research program is now focusing on bio-threat resistance,nutritional enhancement, yield potential improvement, heat tolerance, moisture deficit tolerance, salinity tolerance, acidity tolerance, irrigation system technology and seed system.

9. High and midland Oilseed Research Program

10. Lowland oil crops research program

11. Cotton and other industrial crops research program

  • Ethiopian cotton research program is one of the oldest,destined to commercial system and irrigation. In its more than 4 decades of age, it has released more than 27 varieties, including hybrid cotton and one Kenaf variety that suit to the production system.
  • The research program has identified critical gaps in yield,bio-threats and soil medium related factors.
  • Recently, it has released hybrids of more than 10% productive cultivars, and the program is focusing on medium length types, adaptive and productive technologies that stand bio-abiotic stresses.
  • Despite the gains, the booming garment industry in Ethiopia could not be supplied with designed quality and quantity of the produce.
  • The program is focusing on developing super quality varieties in yield and lint size and strength, seed system, hybrid development, technology development for rain fed and irrigation system and in line with the regulation to catching with genetically modified technologies for pest and weed.

12. Agronomy, physiology and Cropping system

  • Crop management contributes more than one third of the total components in crop production. Agronomic research has thus far been recommended cropping density, cropping pattern, cropping system, nutrient management etc have significantly contributed to the crop system.
  • In the research system still there is a great hope to get more responses as we go along.
  • The program is focusing on the cropping system inline with agro-ecology and climatic situation; yield potential establishment, maximum input responses composition, etc.

13. Tropical and sub-tropical fruits research program

  1. Temperate Fruit Crops Research Program

15. Warm season Vegetables Research Program

  1. Cool season Vegetables Research Program
  1. Root Crops Research Program

Roots and Tubers

  • Root and Tubers are crops mainly distributed in the south and southwestern zones where relatively longer moisture period is manifested.
  • The crops are major source of family calorie security particularly in populated parts of the country.
  • Thus far more than 68 varieties including potato (32), sweet potato (25), cassava(2),Taro (3), and Enset (6) and Yam(3), have been released in the last 3 decades, which are of a significant contribution in satisfying nutritional and food requirements and market demands.

Current research activities focus on generation of disease-resistant and highly productive varieties which satisfy nutritional as well as agro-processing demands.

18. Potato Research Program

  1. Enset Research Program

Enset is a crop known for supporting more than 25 million people with its product and is one of the a strategic crops in Ethiopia. Enset gives Kocho, amicho and bulla products for food, fibre for jute industries raw material and constructions, feed for animal, for local medication, climate change resilience and mitigation, avoid soil erosion and improve soil fertility. The typical attributes of the crop are its ability to produce a high yield per unit area (the amount of food from 50–60 enset plants could be sufficient for an average family of 5–6 people per year), the ability to harvest at any time and stage, and store for a long time. Enset research program was established in 1997 with the mandate of conducting enset research across the country and coordinating collaborative research works across national and regional research centers, including Hawassa, Jimma, Holeta, Kulumissa, Wondogent, Bonga, Worabe, Arbaminch, and Jinka agricultural research centers.

  1. Enset Research Program

Enset is a crop known for supporting more than 25 million people with its product and is one of the a strategic crops in Ethiopia. Enset gives Kocho, amicho and bulla products for food, fibre for jute industries raw material and constructions, feed for animal, for local medication, climate change resilience and mitigation, avoid soil erosion and improve soil fertility. The typical attributes of the crop are its ability to produce a high yield per unit area (the amount of food from 50–60 enset plants could be sufficient for an average family of 5–6 people per year), the ability to harvest at any time and stage, and store for a long time.

 Enset research program was established in 1997 with the mandate of conducting enset research across the country and coordinating collaborative research works across national and regional research centers, including Hawassa, Jimma, Holeta, Kulumissa, Wondogent, Bonga, Worabe, Arbaminch, and Jinka agricultural research centers.

  1. Coffee and Tea Research Program
  • Coffee Arabica is produced in Ethiopia North West to south east hemisphere, and is the driver of agricultural produce fetching the top multi-million revenue income.
  • The crop covers more than half a million ha nationally.
  • Research in coffee has been conducted for some 40 years, and some 36 varieties including hybrids have been released till now.
  • The average productivity has increased from 3 q/ha to 8 q/ha in two decades, and this figure reaches as high as 18 q/ha under situations where technology recommendations are fully applied.
  • The release of hybrid coffee varieties has increased the overall production of coffee by 15% for adapting farmers.
  • Current research in coffee focus on generation of superior hybrid varieties, market class varieties, productive, and adaptable cultivars.
  1. Medicinal and aromatics Research Program

Aromatic, Medicinal and Biofuel crops

  • Aromatic, medicinal and biofuel crops are crops of special preference in the cosmetic, seasoning, flavor, medicinal industries using plant sources. Essential oils are critical elements of the resource.
  • Research has been undertaking on characterization and basic understanding of the bio-products. There has also been key focus and piloting of small scale processing industries on the bio-products for different purposes.
  • Thus far some 25 varieties have been released fitting the gaps in the sector.
  • The research will keep on characterization, development, and identification of germplasm cultivars for agro-industrial application.
  • This sector is on a fast advance globally and currently it is one of the goals in the research system.
  • Particular emphasis is given to jatropha, castor oil and some field crops
  1. Spice crops research program

Spices

  • Ethiopia is endowed with agro-climatic opportunities to grow diverse spices.There is traditional costum to consume spices since many generation. Spices research includes highland crops such as black pepper, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, Korarima, long pepper, vanilla, cinnamon, black cumin, fenugreek, coriander and white cumin current.
  • The two major spices are highland spices and lowland/perennial spices,both of which are yet less reached by the research.
  • Research activities focus on generation of disease-resistant, processing quality,highly productive and market-competitive varieties.