PROGRESS REPORT

66 PROGRESS REPORT PROGRAM LEVEL PROGRESS REPORT 67
Value Chains
Tef & Rice
Why is transformation needed in this program area?
Tef is a hugely important crop to Ethiopia, both in
terms of production and consumption, accounting
for approximately 12.7% of all calories consumed.
Furthermore, approximately 6.6 million households
grow tef and it is the dominant cereal crop in many
high-potential agricultural woredas. 20
In 2013/14, tef accounted for 22% of all of the area
cultivated by smallholders in the Meher season
(covering about 3 million hectares), making it the most
widely planted crop in the country. 20 However, tef
has historically been neglected from a research and
extension perspective compared to other staple grain
crops, with yields remaining relatively low at 1.58 tons/
hectare. This is compounded by estimated pre and
post-harvest losses of up to 30%. 21
Production costs for tef also tend to be high, due to the
labor intensity of land preparation, planting, weeding,
harvesting, and threshing. Systemic challenges in the
areas of tef research, input production and distribution,
agronomy, mechanization, marketing, and value
addition have also been very prevalent.
Key Success Areas
Four of the five deliverables in this program area (80%)
have been classified as being “On Track.”
Through Deliverable 47 (Tef Value Chain Strategy),
a national tef strategy working document with a clear
vision, systemic challenges and interventions was
developed through a detailed and widely consultative
process with all key regional and federal stakeholders.
This document, which was approved and released
in September 2012, currently serves as the primary
coordination document for tef related interventions
across the entire value chain.
Deliverable 49 (Integrated Tef Interventions)
has focused on implementing an integrated set
of interventions across the entire tef value chain
in 58 high-producing woredas of Amhara, SNNP,
Tigray and Oromia. More than 600,000 smallholders
have reportedly participated in these interventions.
Furthermore, the newly introduced tef-pulse double
cropping technology has been implemented in 14 of 58
major tef growing woredas. Linkages have also been
created between smallholder farmers, cooperatives
and processors/institutional buyers.
Areas with Challenges
Of the five deliverables in this program area, one (20%)
is considered to be “Significantly Delayed.”
Work on Deliverable 48 (Rice Value Chain Strategy)
was significantly delayed due to the magnitude of other
Deliverable 50 (Tef Productivity Enhancing (TIRR)
Package) has piloted, demonstrated and scaled-up
the widely popular TIRR package across the country.
Assessments of this technology package in 2006 E.C.
(2013/14) showed that the TIRR package increases
tef yield by 72% compared to national averages and
by 44% compared to its control group broadcasting
with a higher seed rate. In 2007 E.C. (2014/15), nearly
6 million smallholder farmers were trained on the
technology package with nearly 1.6 million documented
to be using the technology.
Deliverable 51 (Tef Breeding Capacity) has been
implemented in collaboration with research institutions
and universities across four regions. To this end, a
total of 13 MSc students working on tef productivity
technologies were supported, and their findings have
been presented to, and validated by, partners. In
addition, the ATA and EIAR have forged a partnership
to develop lodging tolerant/resistant, semi-dwarf, erect
and high yielding varieties of tef suitable to different
agro-ecologies as well as varieties tolerant to major
abiotic stresses.
value chain strategies under simultaneous development.
Since rice is not a priority strategic crop, compared to
tef, wheat, maize and others, the development of the
Rice Value Chain Strategy document was delayed.
Objectives of the GTP I Transformation Agenda Deliverables
During the GTP I period, the Tef Value Chain Program
focused on research and development, increasing
productivity and production by leveraging the public
extension system, and facilitating market access for
both domestic and international markets. An overall
Overall Performance Summary
Of the five deliverables in this program area, four (80%)
are considered to be “On Track” – the highest of any
program area – while the remaining one deliverable
(20%) is “Significantly Delayed.”
On Track
Slightly Delayed
Significantly Delayed
20%
80%
national Tef Value Chain Strategy was also seen as
a vital output in order to align stakeholders around
common objectives and leverage opportunities
available at each step along the value chain.
Thematically, the “On Track” deliverables in this
program cut across three primary areas: Policies/
Strategies/Regulations; Direct Engagement with
Smallholders; and Capacity Building. The “Significantly
Delayed” deliverable is in the Policies/Strategies/
Regulations thematic area.
Deliverables in this program area have contributed
most significantly to the farmer engagement related
outputs. Of the 9.7 million farmers reached through
Transformation Agenda deliverables during GTP I,
nearly 6 million of these (almost two-thirds) have been
reached in this program area. Furthermore, over 1.5
million smallholders have used technologies introduced
in this program area, covering more than 750,000
hectares.
Deliverable status and key achievements in primary thematic areas
Thematic
Area
Policies/
Strategies/
Regulations
Capacity
Building
Deliverable Status Key Achievements
D47: Develop and release
National Tef Value Chain
Strategy
D48: Develop and release
Rice Value Chain Strategy
D49: Initiate implementation
of integrated set of tef
interventions in key
geographies
D50: Test and scale-up tef
productivity enhancing
package (TIRR)
D51: Enhance Agricultural
Research Institutes’ breeding
capacity to address key
issues for tef productivity and
other enhancing technologies
Completed Results:
1 strategy implemented
• National Tef Value Chain Strategy developed, released and under
implementation
Progress to Date:
• Deliverable was deprioritized due to competing priorities; will be
restarted in GTP II period
Completed Results:
600,000 SHFs trained in new technologies
688,900 SHFs using new technologies
368,700 ha of land covered by new technologies
• Integrated package introduced in 58 target woredas addressing
smallholder climate-smart productivity and improved market
linkages
Completed Results:
5,900,000 SHFs trained in new technologies
1,593,349 SHFs using new technologies
732,573 ha of land covered by new technologies
• TIRR productivity enhancing interventions with row planting,
improved seed and reduced seed rate rolled out across the
country
Completed Results:
13 stakeholder experts trained
• 13 tef research studies by MSc students supported