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Irrigated crop commodity value chains in three Amhara zones. Kahsay Berhe and Yohannes Mehari LIVES – Commodity Value Chain Development Inception Workshop EIAR HQ, Addis Ababa January 21-24, 2013. Introduction. Outline Intervention zones and districts Commodities and PAs
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Irrigated crop commodity value chains in three Amhara zones Kahsay Berhe and Yohannes Mehari LIVES – Commodity Value Chain Development Inception Workshop EIAR HQ, Addis Ababa January 21-24, 2013
Introduction • Outline • Intervention zones and districts • Commodities and PAs • Constraints in value chains • Cross cutting issues
Constraints related to irrigated crops Fruits • Input supply • Few government nurseries sourcing seedlings • Few number of seedlings • Majority of the seedlings are un improved • Improved seedlings transported from long distances • No farmer based fruit seedling suppliers (except in Kalu) • Lack of value chain approach • Food insecurity environment creating dependency (free handouts/subsidized fruit seedlings) • Less regulatory activity (Kalu district) • Marketing • Poor quality fruit produced • No marketing group for apple fruits, except for seedlings (Kalu) • Some fruits sold cheaply (farmers discouraged)_papaya ,
Irrigated crops continued • Fruit production • Fruit production not widely practiced (mainly WG and NG) • Lack/poor quality fruit seedlings • Lack of skilled manpower • Limited types of water lifting equipment in use • Diseases and pests • Fruits irrigated only at seedling stage
Irrigated crops continued Vegetables • Marketing • Poor/no market linkage, • No marketing group • Farmers price receivers, no bargaining power • Lack of post harvest infrastructure • Sometimes lack of buyers (shallot_Gonder z.) • Lack of market information • Monopolistic marketing regime • High price fluctuations due to seasonal supply imbalances • Lack of institutional linkages between actors in the vegetable value chain
Irrigated crops continued • Input supply • Lack of value chain approach • Lack of improved varieties • Lack of water pump repair services in the rural areas (except Dembia) • No farmer based vegetable seed/seedling supply system • Lack of private crop spraying service • High priced input, poor priced output (garlic) • Vegetable Production • Disease outbreak • Slow replacement of varieties, deterioration (potato) • Lack of skilled irrigation agronomists,horticulture expertise • Historically, government policies focused primarily on grain crop production - food security; • Platform • No platform on irrigated crops
Irrigated crops continued… • Forage/fodder production • Livestock is a secondary activity • Livestock production is lead mainly based on traditional knowledge • No/poor research output on irrigated forage/forage • Lack of knowledge on irrigated forage production • Input supply • Lack of planting material • Lack of post harvest equipment • Marketing • No research output on cost benefit analysis of irrigated forage/fodder
Cross cutting issues • Knowledge management • Training in FTCs is not practically supported • Insufficient technical equipment for training in FTCs • Manpower • High staff turnover • Gender • No/few women focused activities • Environment • Win-win situation between apiarists and fruit and vegetable growers (dry season bee forage/pollination) • Uncontrolled use of agrochemicals is leading to death of bees and may pollute ground and surface water • Soil salinity
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Proposed interventions • Fruits • Youth groups/pump owners trained of maintenance of water pumps • Support private crop spraying providers • Establish farmer based improved fruit seedling suppliers • Establishment of water users association in schemes
Proposed interventions • Vegetables • Introduction of new vegetable varieties • Introducing post harvest technologies (zero energy cool chambers) • Training on vegetable seed production systems • Regulatory body need to be strongly engaged • Demonstration of irrigation equipment in FTCs • Market linkages • Creation of marketing groups • IPM application and appropriate chemical application time