Agricultural potentials, constraints and opportunities in the Megech and Ribb rivers irrigation project areas in the Lake Tana Basin of Ethiopia Edited by: Akalu Teshome, Melaku Wale, Fentahun Mengistu and Birru Yitaferu ARARI, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia December 2009 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Water Resources Amhara Region Agricultural Ethiopian Nile Irrigation and Drainage Project Research Institute (ARARI) ii Agricultural potentials of eastern Lake Tana area Agricultural potentials, constraints and opportunities in the Megech and Ribb rivers irrigation project areas in the Lake Tana Basin of Ethiopia Contributors Akalu Teshome Socio-economics Andualem Wolie Plant breeding Anteneh Abewa Soil fertility Dagninet Amare Agricultural extension Fentahun Mengistu Horticulture Kerealem Ejigu Animal production Melaku Wale Plant protection Mihiret Endalew Fishery Minale Liben Agronomy Mulugeta Alemayehu Animal feeds Tatek Dejene Forestry Wolelaw Endalew Post harvest technology Yirga Alemu Water management This report is the product of teamwork with equal contribuation from the authors whose names are listed in alphabetical order. Editors Akalu Teshome, Melaku Wale, Fentahun Mengistu and Birru Yitaferu Financed by the Ethiopian Nile Irrigation and Drainage Project ARARI, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia December 2009 iii Agricultural potentials of eastern Lake Tana area Foreward Agriculture plays the major economic, social and environmental role in Ethiopia. The present pictures of the poor economy, the settlement patterns of the rural population and the intensively cultivated landscapes depict the traditional form of agriculture that existed for millenia. The mountainous landscape of Ethiopia and its variety of climatic factors make the country a water tower of East and North Africa and a center of diversity for tremendous fauna and flora species. The Ethiopian plateau, which is divided into two parts, i.e., western and eastern highlands, flanking the Ethiopian Rift Valley, constitutes about 60% of the African highlands and 46% of the country’s land mass. Ethiopia has eight major river Basins, i.e., Tekeze, Abay, Awash, Baro-Akobo, Wabi Shebele, Ghenale, Omo, and the great Rift Valley. The Amhara region contributes much of the water sources of the first three basins. More than 75% of the region is mountainous with abundant water resources. Recently, the region has been divided into several growth corridors based on watershed concepts and the potential resources each corridor is endowed with. Both the Regional State and the Federal Government have chosen the Lake Tana Growth Corridor as the most viable area for integrated development in irrigated agriculture, agro-industry, hydropower generation, tourism and other rural-urban development schemes. Currently, intensive development intervention is underway in the Lake Tana growth corridor. Dams and irrigation infrastructure, and large scale hydropower plants are under construction. Modern irrigation schemes require improved technologies such as improved seeds, high value crops, a constant supply of inputs and agronomic packages and knowledge that integrate production and marketing or value chain analysis for the individual commodities. The high cost of the irrigation schemes, the inadequate knowledge and experience of the farmers and other stakeholders in the command area make the role of research indispensable. Driven and inspired by these encouraging development schemes in the target area, a professionally mixed group of researchers undertook a field survey to identify problems and assess the need for technologies for Rib and Megech sub-catchments of the Lake Tana Basin. A Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) survey technique was used. A detailed list of problems on the current farming systems such as lack of technologies to support the new irrigation schemes and opportunities were identified. v First, the problems and the objectives of the study are stated. Second, survey methodologies and approaches are presented in detail. The major thematic areas addressed in this research include the various trophic levels and others such as soil and water, crop, forest and livestock management, fishery, farm implements, and socio-economics of the target area. Finally, in conclusion, a list of recommendations for future research and development intervention are given. Birru Yitaferu (PhD) Director, Soil and Water Research Directorate Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI) vi Agricultural potentials of eastern Lake Tana area Acknowledgements The team is grateful to the many individuals and organizations, who extended their support to us during the course of this study. First we would like to thank the Agricultural and Rural Development Offices (ARDOs) for providing us all the necessary data and for guiding us through the kebeles. Had it not been for the logistical and financial support we received from the Ethiopian Nile Irrigation and Drainage Project and the Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI), the work would have not been successfully completed. The support we received at times from the NGOs cannot go unmentioned. No doubt, the most important partners in our study were the farmers. The interactions we had with them greatly helped us to deeply understand the farming systems of the study areas. We thank them very much for their interest and cooperation. The research team vii viii Agricultural potentials of eastern Lake Tana area Table of Contents Page Foreward........................................................................................................................................v Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................vii Table of Contents .........................................................................................................................ix List of Tables................................................................................................................................xi List of Figures..............................................................................................................................xii Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................xiii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................xv 1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................1 2. METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................................2 2.1 Recommendation domains ....................................................................................................2 2.3 Data collection and analysis..................................................................................................3 2.4 Description of the study area.................................................................................................6 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS .............................................................................................9 3. 1 SOCIO-ECONOMICS...........................................................................................................9 3.2 Marketing ............................................................................................................................15 3.3 Income source .....................................................................................................................18 3.4 Labor ...................................................................................................................................19 4. CROP PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT ..................................................................23 4.1 Field crops production.........................................................................................................23 4.2 Horticultural crops production and management................................................................31 4.3 Crop pest management........................................................................................................47 5. ANIMAL PRODUCTION......................................................................................................57 5.1 Livestock production system ............................................................................................57 5.2 Poultry production...............................................................................................................60 5.3 Beekeeping..........................................................................................................................61 5.4 Feed resources and management.........................................................................................63 5.5 Animal health and veterinary services ................................................................................65 5.6 Animal disposal and marketing...........................................................................................67 5.7 Labour in livestock activity.................................................................................................68 5.8 Constraints...........................................................................................................................68 5.9 Fishery.................................................................................................................................69