*tadesse.dessalegn@giz.de (corresponding author for presenting/poster)

Wheat is among the major cereals and staple crops grown in Ethiopia. Wheat monocropping is a challenge contributing to lower productivity, declining soil fertility, recurring rust epidemics, and poorer grain quality. Diversifying with legume crops and improved wheat varieties will help to sustain wheat production. Hence, rotation based on-farm demonstrations (RoBOFDs) with good agricultural practices (GAP) was introduced by “GIZ/Green Innovation Centre – Ethiopia” project.

More than 399 RoBOFDs were established at eight districts in 110 villages at representative host-farmers’ fields. The demonstrations were 1 ha based (2 wheat and 1 faba bean varieties) termed as main RoBOFD, and 0.5 ha based (1 improved wheat and 1 faba bean varieties) termed as satellite RoBOFD. The RoBOFDs were considered as core networking points to disseminate seeds of improved varieties and GAP knowledge to neighbouring non-host-farmers through participatory training.

The effectiveness of RoBOFD concept in disseminating new improved seeds of rotational crops, GAP knowledge, and ways to scale out was assessed through local social networks analysis. Each main and satellite RoBOFD host-farmer have shared GAP information with 10 and 6 other farmers, respectively, during 2018 and 2019. Those farmers who have received GAP information from main or satellite RoBOFDs have shared with 3 other farmers. Similarly, the improved seed exchange network analysis showed that each main and satellite RoBOFD host-farmers has shared with 10 and seven other farmers within two years.

Respondents showed that 60% of wheat and 58% of faba beans plots were covered by improved seed received from networks in 2018. One-fifth of wheat and 17 % of faba beans plots were covered with certified improved seed. “Ogolcho” followed by “Wane” and “Hidase” were improved wheat varieties. “Gabalcho” followed by “Gora” were faba bean varieties. Most of wheat and faba bean plots were planted with seeds exchanged through the social networks in both years.

Farmers (> 80%) believed wheat with faba beans rotation is important in restoring soil fertility, enhance soil biomass and improve land productivity. Two-third of farmers believed that rotation-based GAP was good practice in changing the mono-cropping of wheat. Others suggested faba beans serves as break crop for rusts, weeds control, save labour and to cope climate variability. Many farmers (70-75%) reported shortage of quality inputs and higher prices restricted applying rotation and GAP.

Availability of improved faba bean (75%) and wheat (67%) seeds was a major limiting factor. Hence, the RoBOFD concept can help to reach more smallholder farmers at shorter period with improved seed of rotational crops and GAP knowledge through their social networks.

Addressing availability of improved quality seeds of faba beans, biofertilizer, diversifying wheat varieties, and scaling out RoBOFDs to other wheat areas will help to harness monocropping and enhance sustainability of wheat production.