Haramaya University has been contributing to production and productivity of locally grown crops through availing quality, disease resistant and farmer preferred crop varieties. Farmers in the region have been able to solve their seed supply problems with the production of these crops. In addition to promoting the production and productivity of crops, the University also makes a significant contribution of technology and knowledge transfer through the various farmer training centers (FTCs).
During this production year, the University’s Field Visiting and Monitoring team conducted a month-long review to evaluate the activities conducted in selected FTCs. various agricultural technologies were demonstrated in these FTCs in collaboration with Eastern and Western Hararghe zones and agricultural offices in Harari Region.
Among the beneficiary farmers in the Eastern Hararghe Zone, Haramaya Woreda, Karo Deda Kebele Farmer Association member Ato Zeko Abrahim said, “The maize and sorghum crop varieties the University gave us are drought resistant and they mature early. In addition, we use the long stems for animal feed.”
Another beneficiary from Western Hararghe Zone, Doba Woreda, Beha Adu Kebele Farmer Association member, farmer Mohammed Aliyi Orihe said, “In addition to drought resistance and early maturity, the improved crop varieties give far more yield than the ones we used grow before.”
“Haramaya University has been providing the agricultural community in the region quality, disease and drought resistant, farmer preferred crop varieties that are in line with the local climate and ecosystem,” according to Haramaya Woreda Agriculture and Natural Resource Development Office Head, Ato Shukri Mohammed Abdi. He added that the seed multiplication and distributions through the FTCs and model farmers’ fields will contribute to the increase in production of quality seed as well as help the region’s long-standing quality seed supply problems.
According to farmers and agricultural experts, the seeds the University provided gave two to three times more yield and availability of animal feed have increased.
The university has been actively involved in disseminating agricultural technologies for the last six decades. Technology transfer has been of the key functions of the university apart from teaching and community engagement activities. In this production season, several agricultural technologies have disseminated to technology users according to Dr. Chanyalew Seyoum, Research Extension and Publication Directorate Director under the University’s Vice-president for Research Affairs Office. The university has several research stations in different agro-ecologies for disseminating locally appropriate agricultural technologies. This has contributed in addressing a wider geographical area and targeting large number of community members in Eastern Ethiopia. Dr Chanyalew added that the university is also using FTCs for demonstrating these agricultural technologies. He also reaffirmed that his office will strengthen the technology by engaging the local community.
University has been working in partnership with various stakeholders to improve the availability of quality seed and other crop technologies in eastern Ethiopia. For this purpose, the university has been building the capacity of these stakeholders. This has helped a lot in disseminating agricultural technologies to target beneficiaries. The engagement of these stakeholders will be given due emphasis in order to broaden access to suitable, drought and disease resistant crop varieties in the eastern part of the country in the future.