Final version of Tropical Legumes II Project Report for Phase 1 - icrisat

1, Awash-Melka, Nasir and Ibado) were gaining wide popularity among farmers and many farmers are
simultaneously trying different varieties. About 60% of farmers planted at least one improved varieties
for the first time during 2008-2010 (Figure 2), despite the fact that varieties had been in existence since
1990s. The rate of households growing the improved variety at least for the first time remained below
5% until 2006 when the number of households adopting increased to almost 10% and started growing
at a rate of 5% in 2008/ 2009. This is largely attributed to the availability of seed of improved varieties in
the farming communities and improved diffusion of information about the varieties during the project.
Per farmer average area under the improved varieties (i.e. Awash 1, Awash-Melka, Nasir and Ibado) has
also increased during 2008-2009 in almost all production zones (Figure 6-3). Although the area planted
to improved varieties in 2010 was disrupted by drought that caused yield loss in 2009, the overall
patterns in the data suggest a trend in which improved varieties are rapidly replacing the varieties
that were dominating the common bean area at the time of baseline surveys in 2008. The current
challenge that threatens to slow down diffusion of some varieties is related with trader bias and climatic
shocks. Traders usually mix varieties of the same color (white or red colors) to bulk the volumes needed
by the buyers of their stocks. When the color differs slightly in brightness like that of Awash-Melka
as compared to that of Awash 1 and Mexican 142, it becomes less attractive to traders since it will
not meet their market requirements. Such varieties would be packaged and marketed alone but only
when production meets the volumes required by the market. Market linkages strategies like collective
marketing or corporate integration could be used to overcome such challenges.
Figure 6-2: Percentages of households planting any improved variety for the first time in each year in Ethiopia
Progress of Phase 1
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