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Good quality seed plays a vital role in enhancing food production and improving the livelihood of populations engaged in agriculture. Wheat is among the food security crops in Ethiopia, and it has become a national strategic commodity in recent years. The present study aims to look back at the historical development of the wheat seed industry and assesses the opportunities for sustainable wheat seed sector transformation.

The wheat seed industry development in Ethiopia was started the 1970s with the establishment of formal seed schemes including variety registration and commercial seed production.  The present study benchmarks in the year 2000. The national average wheat yield increased from 1.2 tons per ha in 2000 to 3.0 tons per ha in 2022 with a yearly increase of about 94 kg per ha.

During the same period, the improved seed area coverage expanded from 5.6% to 22.0%. The number of varieties available for production in 2000 was 24 (for both bread and durum wheat). This number has increased to 145 wheat varieties in 2022. There is a dynamic of varieties due to biotic and abiotic challenges in the wheat production system. In recent years, there is a considerable shift in wheat variety choice and improved seed coverage contributing to the yield increase and sustainability.

The study highlights the wheat seed industry structure, opportunities with the national initiative of wheat self-sufficiency, and the options for sustainable wheat seed sector transformation.  

Keywords: seed system; yield gap; improved seed; Triticum aestivum L