Cluster Based Pre Scaling Up of Improved Malt Barley Technologies: Evidence from West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Malt barley is a high-opportunity cash crop, with great room for profitable expansion, particularly when connected to growing breweries. With the intention of popularizing advanced malt barley varieties (IBON174/03 and HB-1963) on a large-scale demonstration farming approach, this activity was carried out in West Shewa Zone potential areas to increase production and productivity of malt barley technologies during 2020-2022 production seasons. West Shewa Zone was purposively selected based on agro-ecological zone as the target population for this cluster farming. From the Zone potential areas, three districts were randomly selected including Ambo, Toke kutaye and Elfeta Districts. From each district, 9 kebeles and 144 host farmers participated in this cluster based on their interest and availability of adjacent farm plots. Thus, 9 clusters were formed, and 60 ha of land was covered on improved malt barley technologies. Training was given for stakeholders for 144 farmers, 44 DAs, and 16 agricultural experts who worked in selected districts on barley production and management packages. The study found that the average yield from the IBON174/03 variety was 30qt ha-1, 29qt ha-1, and 28qtha-1 at Toke kutaye, Elfeta and Ambo districts, with an overall mean grain yield of 29qtha-1. The HB-1963 variety yielded 26 qt ha-1, 24 qt ha-1 at Toke kutaye, Elfeta and Ambo districts respectively for an overall grain yield of 25 qt ha-1. Therefore, from the researchers and farmers evaluation both demonstrated malt barley varieties were recommended for the study areas and similar agro-ecologies for further demonstration and dissemination.