Improved potato production technology Farmers’ Field Day

BENEFIT-REALISE Program Bahir Dar University Cluster in collaboration with Lay Gaint Woreda office of agriculture has organized improved potato production technology farmers’ field day in Lay Gaint Woreda, Akabiet kebele on 19 August 2019.

A total of 72 participants was involved in the field day. Of whom 58 of them were males and 14 of them were females.

Participants were PSNP and non-PSNP farmers from hosting kebeles, PSNP and non-PSNP farmers from neighbouring kebeles, experts from neighbouring woreda office of agriculture, PSNP farmers from neighbouring woreda, hosting Woreda administrator, hosting woreda agriculture office head, experts from hosting woreda agriculture office, experts from hosting woreda communication office, hosting kebele officials, hosting kebele development agents, sister project (ISSD) manager,  NGOs( FH and Vita) in the woreda, community service and research directors from Debre Tabour University, Adet agricultural research centre head and crop directorate director, manager of Guna cooperative union, representatives from local potato seed producer association, BENEFIT-REALISE program manager and experts.

The objective of the field day was:

  • To have improved potato production activities/technologies evaluated by  stakeholders; and
  • To learn and share experience, best practices and challenges faced 

Before the field visit, Mr Tarkegn Yesoph hosting woreda administrator made a welcoming and an opening speech to participants at the kebele centre. After the welcoming and opening speech participants moved to the field and visited four improved potato farm plots.  At the potato farm plots, BENEFIT-REALISE programme Bahir Dar University cluster manager, Dr Almaz Giziew, welcomed the participants and briefed them about the BENEFIT-REALISE programme’s goals, outcomes, intervention woredas, the contribution of hosting woreda,  etc. Following her, Mr Abebe Lake, woreda agriculture office head of Lay Gaint woreda, also made a welcoming speech acknowledged the contribution of BENEFIT-REALISE programme, kebele development agents and beneficiary farmers and also advised beneficiary farmers to further scale up this improved potato technology.   After the field, the general discussion was made at the kebele centre. The general discussion was facilitated by BENEFIT REALISE programme Bahir Dar University cluster manager, hosting woreda agriculture office head and Adeget agricultural research centre director: Dr Almaz Giziew,  Mr Abebe Lake and Dr Asefa Derebe respectively.

Issues raised by participants:

  • Shortage of improved and quality potato seed
  • Shortage of potato collection the centre or diffused light storage (DLS)
  • Lack of market linkage
  • Rampant of rodents which frequently damager their crops
  • Shortage of chemicals for rodents, etc.

The Woreda administrator, woreda agriculture office head, manager of Guna cooperative union, research and community service directors of Debre Tabor University, managers of FH and Vita projects, ISSD manager, Adet agriculture centre director and crop director and BENEFIT REALISE program Bahir Dar university cluster manager reacted to the issues raised. Finally, Mr Abebe Lake, woreda agriculture office head made his acknowledgement  to all who made the field day successful and closing speech.