Haramaya University based National Groundnut Research Program in collaboration with Vice President for Research Affairs Office conducted training for farmers, development agents and woreda agricultural experts on groundnut production and improvement under the theme of “Improved Technologies Adoption for More Production” on March 26, 2022 at Babile Woreda.
According to Ato Tullu Tadesse, Haramaya University Based National Groundnut Research Program Coordinator, the overall objective of the training was enhancing the production and consumption of groundnut at Fedis, Babile and Gursum through extending the production of newly improved varieties from Haramaya University and with the intent of making contributions towards on-going efforts in the University and on awareness of technology adoption and seed system practices
.Ethiopian groundnut is an important worldwide crop cultivated for oil extraction, human food, animal feed and economic uses as well as soil fertility, it was indicated.
In Ethiopia, it is an important food and cash crop in the semi-arid areas of the eastern, western and northwestern parts, mainly under rain-fed conditions, Ato Tullu indicated.
Ato Tullu said major groundnut producing areas in Ethiopia are Babile, Gursum, Beles, Didessa, Gambella and Pawe. Newly emerged technologies save energy, time and cost of production while giving more outputs, he added.
Ato Tullu further added that the use of improved varieties had a sharp effect on yields and drought-tolerant groundnut genotypes have reduced aflatoxin levels and resulted in higher yields than drought susceptible genotypes.
In addition, households are expected to become more food secure and any excess production beyond what is needed for household consumption can be sold to earn income.
Although yield increases resulting from adoption of improved technologies have been reported, sharp gaps still exist between the yields of farmer-managed farms and stations/on-farm research managed trials. Well-functioning agricultural extension system facilitates the dissemination of new technologies to farmers and provides researchers with feedback.
The trainees expressed their gratitude to the University for organizing the training. They explained that they obtained multidisciplinary knowledge from the training that will enable them to solve their production problems by applying new technology.
Finally, the improved seed of three groundnut varieties were given to the trainee for further multiplication, production and consumption.
A total of 48 trainees (36 farmers and 12 agricultural experts) from Babile, Fedis and Gursum woredas took part in the training and 11 of them were female farmers.
Among the trainees, Ato Murad Adam Usman and Fehami Shek Umer, who are agricultural experts/ development agents, said Haramaya University is working on demand driven technology demonstration and problem solving research activity.
W/ro Hajera Beyan and W/ro Yihubo Yaya who are farmers, said they were happy to get trained and thanked HU in delivering such a very important training and which made them gain knowledge on the topic of the training including groundnut and productivity enhancement, seed or variety selection for planting, common groundnut disease and management, and post-harvest handling and Aflatoxin mitigation in groundnut.
The same training was given last year for similar stakeholders.National Groundnut Program based at Haramaya University released two groundnut varieties and had demonstrated the technology last year.
By:- Shemsedin Mohammed
Photographer:- Foad Ahmed Ali