An Assessment of Extension Approaches for Bacterial Wilt Control with Potato Farmers in Ethiopia


ISBN 978-93-5547-198-7 (Print)
ISBN 978-93-5547-206-9 (eBook)
DOI: 10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-5547-198-7

 

When it comes to food crop computation for the purpose of human consumption worldwide, the potato is the third most important food crop followed after rice and wheat. The production of potato has been adopted across all cultural and social classes. It provides a source of both food and cash income for over a billion people worldwide, which contributing significantly to smallholder potato growers in terms of food security and cash income.

Due to high population growth rate across the globe, and specifically in many countries, the land situation for food crop production particularly for expanding potato production has got challenge in terms of land limitation. Therefore, this has got the attention of subject matter scientist in order to re consider other way to invest in improving the productivity of potato through using technologies.

Ethiopia, is a country of 100 million population in east Africa. The production of potato plays key roles as source of both food and cash income for small scale farmers in densely populated highlands of a country. While the impact evaluation studies show the numerous challenges potato farmers face, including a luck of access to improved high yielding quality seed, seed tubers, and soil with a highly intensive of bacterial disease, as well as a lack of knowledge in Agricultural extension support experts and less investment in skill the potato farmers.

The main objective of the book is to understand the three questions experience with potato farmers, and to provide best fit approaches that must be used by extension workers, and potato crop specialist. The three questions are investigated in this this book. How well are farmers aware of bacteria wilt and the treat it poses to potato production, how eager are farmers to participate in collective/community action to prevent bacterial wilt? how can farmers improve their response to the condition should they rely on local knowledge or scientific recommendation.

The author understands that there are already many excellent researches finding exist, dealing with specialized theory of approach in tackling of bacterial wilt through community collective approach, and regarded as guidance intended purely for government, Academician, and non-government organization who are working on community approach of potato production improvement scheme, and tackling of potato bacterial wilt through community participation.

Furthermore, the focused of the book is how to tackle the bacterial wilt problem in potato production through collective community approach management. Hence the emphases have been made on the investigating farmers understanding of bacterial wilt (BW), knowing farmers willing to engage in collective action and to develop best-fit technical information channels for acquiring and disseminating knowledge on bacterial will management.

The book is intended as a literature review, and further more to streamline reading by a scientific audience, citation is included. I have written up this book in a modest research methodology approaches but not an absolute way, because I know no other single method of research method will seem absolute or convincing. I hope this book also help thesis advisers (with knowledge of range of master’s project in the subject matter) to expend and systematize their thinking and guidance to student who working a master research study.


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An Assessment of Extension Approaches for Bacterial Wilt Control with Potato Farmers in Ethiopia

Ayano Kahano Teyika

An Assessment of Extension Approaches for Bacterial Wilt Control with Potato Farmers in Ethiopia, 7 February 2022, Page 1-59
https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-5547-198-7

Potato production provides a source of both food and cash income in Ethiopia's densely populated highlands, contributing significantly to smallholder potato growers' food security and cash income. However, Ethiopian potato farmers face numerous challenges, including a lack of access to improved high yielding quality seed, seed tubers, and soil with a high incidence of bacterial diseases, as well as a lack of agricultural extension support services. Three questions are investigated in this study. How well are farmers aware of bacterial wilt and the threat it poses to potato production? How eager are farmers to participate in collective/community action to prevent bacterial wilt? How can farmers improve their response to the condition – should they rely on local knowledge or scientific recommendations? The thesis is part of a larger research programme entitled Developing sustainable seed potato production system for improved livelihoods in 2015.  The programme, which is supported by Vita and Teasasc, is located in Chencha Woreda in Ethiopia's SNNPR region. Mixed method research is used in the thesis, which includes farmer surveys, key informant interviews, field observations, and focus group discussions. The research was carried out in two different kebeles. The research objectives were as follows: I to investigate farmers' understanding of bacterial wilt (BW), (ii) to assess farmers' willingness to engage in collective action, and (iii) to develop best-fit technical information channels for acquiring and disseminating knowledge on bacterial wilt management.

The study found that communities are clearly aware of BW, and that BW is the most serious disease problem. Farmers' concern about BW is understandable, given that the disease reduces potato yields and poses a real threat to potato production, food security, and farmer profitability. However, there is a knowledge gap in the management of BW. Furthermore, there is insufficient data to pursue the best management practises in potato production. These deficits affect three groups: the general community, the farming community, and there is a specific issue between female and male farmers regarding their understanding of BW. The study discovered that a common feature is a lack of knowledge about cultural control practises that may limit the spread of BW.  It was also discovered that more than half of the farmers studied had inadequate knowledge. The most important finding is that almost all farmers are willing to work together to combat bacterial wilt. According to survey results, female farmers and poorer farmers must be considered a special group that requires special attention from extension services. To increase yields, both male and female farmers require access to information, skills, and tools. However, contact between farmers and extension agents was found to be relatively low in general, and particularly low among female farmers. Farmers' preferred methods of learning about BW were identified as peer-to-peer learning from fellow farmers; on-farm demonstration and farm visits to observe improved agronomic practise. Private organisations / non-state actors were also discovered to be important sources of information on BW. In some areas, churches, chiefs, community meetings, private agricultural companies, local FM radio, and on-farm advisory services are important sources of information. According to the study, combining technical innovations with initiatives involving collective action is required to result in significant farmer benefits. It also suggests that the government and non-governmental organisations collaborate to assist farmers, particularly women, in implementing strategies to limit the spread of BW.