Farm types and farm structures in Arsi-Zone

Apart from state farms²¹ that are breeding and multiplying seeds for the coun-try, small-scale farming is the most prevalent agricultural management system in Arsi-Zone (CSA, 2016b). Both Lude Hitosa and Arsi-Robe are marked by semi-intensive crop production (T1, T2, T9, T10, T14, T15). In Arsi-Zone around 560 000 agricultural households cultivate 600 000 ha of crop land (CSA, 2016f: 48). Of this crop land, 87% is used for cereals. Wheat is grown on 40% of the cereal land and is the predominant crop in Arsi-Zone (CSA, 2016f: 48).²² The yields of wheat exceed the country’s average by about 3–4 t/ha/a in Arsi-Zone (GIZ, 2016: 3). This illus-trates the region’s potential for ensuring the supply of seeds and food. Within Ethiopia, Arsi-Zone has the highest level of mechanisation such as tractors and combined harvesters. The conditions for mechanised agriculture are good be-cause the area is relatively flat and soils are fertile. However, the level of mechani-sation amongst small-scale farmers in Arsi-Robe is only 10–15% overall (E3).

Lude Hitosa and Arsi-Robe were presented in detail in Chapter four. Apart from the many similarities, distinct differences of agricultural practices related to the woredas’ agro-ecological zones, infrastructure and socio-economic structure could be identified (see Table 3). A major difference between the two districts is the shift in cultivation periods due to different rainy seasons and elevations²³, al-lowing two harvests per year in Arsi-Robe and only one in Lude Hitosa. Huruta, the district capital of Lude Hitosa, is situated 40 km north-east of Asela, the re-gional capital. From the asphalt road, another 2.5 h must be covered on gravel road to reach Robe town, the district capital of Arsi-Robe, which is located 100 km from Asela. There are weekly markets in both woredas where farmers from the region sell their fruits and vegetables, field crops, or livestock.

Extension service in the research area

As in all of Ethiopia, the extension service is present also in Arsi-Zone. In theo-ry, farmers should be receiving training on various topics e.g. making compost, pest management, crop rotation and improved agricultural production systems (E19, E23, F17, I12). But interviews with DAs who are responsible for training in the two woredas revealed a different story (E19, E23). In Robe, farmers are hard to reach and the agricultural office does not have the means of transport to drive to

21 Like Oromia Seed Enterprise and agricultural research centre in Kulumsa.

22 Of the cereal land in Arsi-Zone, with around 18.5% tef is the second and with around 18% barley is the third most cultivated cereal (CSA, 2016f: 48).

23 Lude-Hitosa: 1 000–3 000 m; Arsi-Robe: 1 200–4 000 m (Etefa and Dibaba, 2011)

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the very remote farmers (E19). Additionally, DAs reported that most theoretical approaches for improved crop production have not been implemented in practice (E19, E23). There are various causes for this discrepancy. Mostly farmers men-tioned their lack of land but also the dependency on cash crops (E19, F17).

The extent to which extension service in Arsi-Zone needs more capacity build-ing is illustrated by another example: DAs suggest application of fertilizers with-out knowing the soil quality. There is no testing of soils (due to lack of material and laboratories) so the demand for nutrients remains unclear and the likelihood that the recommended amount of fertilizer fits to the soil’s demand is low.

Crops

Table 5 lists the main species, which were observed or mentioned by inter-viewees in the two woredas:

Table 5: List of crops observed in research region

Major crops found in Lude Hitosa Major crops found in Arsi-Robe Cereal crops

wheat, tef, barley, maize

Cereal crops

wheat, tef (white and red), barley, maize Pulses

faba bean, peas

Pulses

faba bean, peas, chickpeas Vegetables

onions, cabbage, tomato, potato, garlic

Vegetables

onions, cabbage, tomato, potato, garlic Oil crops

rape

Oil crops

flax, rape, sunflower Source: own data

The main crops in Arsi-Robe are cereals, followed by pulses and vegetables (E19). Oil crops are rising in their importance as sources of additional income for the farmers (Etefa and Dibaba, 2011: 340). In Arsi-Robe, many fields of flax (Linum usitatissimum) were found and patches of oil-seed rape (Brassica napus) and sun-flower (Helianthus). For cereals, wheat (Triticum sp.) is predominantly cultivated followed by tef (Eragrostis tef), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and maize (Zea mays).

Within the meher season, wheat, tef and barley account for more than 80% of the crops (Etefa and Dibaba, 2011: 340). Vegetables are cultivated for home consump-tion but also on larger scale for sale. The main species found in the research areas were tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), onion (Allium sp.), potato (Solanum

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Agriculture and apiculture in Arsi-Zone

berosum), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), coffee (Coffea sp.), and pepper (Piper sp.). It was observed that in Lude Hitosa the variety of cultivated crops is less diverse than in Arsi-Robe; cereals and cash crops (e.g. onions, tomatoes, potatoes) domi-nated the crop rotation.

Livestock

Most farmers in Arsi-Zone keep livestock in addition to their grain and vegeta-ble production. This ensures additional income but most importantly allows for more diverse goods for home consumption. The livestock husbandry serves vari-ous purposes: horses, donkeys and oxen are kept for transport and field work, whereas cattle, sheep, goats and chicken are kept for sale and home consumption of milk, meat, and eggs (I7, I15, T1, T10). As mentioned before, beekeeping is less common than other livestock but offers an additional income possibility for the household.

Image 4: Living fences found in the research area

Photos: Younan

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Livestock are mostly fed on communal pastures or by cut and carry systems.

After harvest, most farmers allow free-grazing leading to animals eating crop res-idues from other fields (Etefa and Dibaba, 2011: 21). For field and crop protection during the cultivation period, (living) fences are used (T2, T15). The fences are de-signed along the paths serving as protection against livestock, weathering influ-ences or theft. Furthermore, these finflu-ences can serve as a breeding place and refuge for birds or other small animals and thereby increase biodiversity.

Im Dokument Keep the bee in Ethiopia's wheatbelt (Seite 68-71)