Abstract
Cultivation of rice in Ethiopia is generally a recent phenomenon it was started first at Fogera and Gambella Plains in the early 1970’s, which is preceded by its utilization as a food crop. Hence the present review was to review on adoption, Trend, potential, and constraints of rice production to livelihood in Ethiopia. Although rice was introduced to the country very recently, it has proven to be a crop that can assure food security in Ethiopia. It is reported that the potential rice production area in Ethiopia is estimated to be about thirty million hectares. Since 2006, Ethiopian rice production trends show increases in both area and productivity. Considering the importance and potential of the crop, it has been recognized by the Government as “the new millennium crop of Ethiopia” to attain food security. Rice has become a commodity of strategic significance across many parts of Ethiopia for domestic consumption as well as export market for economic development. Due to the introduction of upland and irrigated rice varieties in the country, rice farming has increased from time to time. There has been twelve upland/lowland NERICAs and Sativa-type, and three irrigated rice varieties released in Ethiopia from 1999 up to 2007. However, Ethiopian rice sector still faces remaining challenges such as high competition with imported rice, poor infrastructure, insufficient mechanization and post-harvest processing technologies, lack of skilled manpower and research facilities, poor marketing infrastructure, and channels. Therefore, building the capacity of the research community, experts, smallholder farmers and the private sector is necessary not only to further increase production but also to improve the quality of rice products through better post-harvest handling and processing.
Highlights
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) belongs to the family Poaceae; it is an essential food crop and a major food grain for more than half of the world’s population (Liu, L, .2013)
The demand for improved rice technologies is increasing from time to time from different stakeholders
It was introduced to Ethiopia in the beginning of the 1970s, even though much attention was not given to it prior to the 1990s
Summary
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) belongs to the family Poaceae; it is an essential food crop and a major food grain for more than half of the world’s population (Liu, L, .2013). Rice cultivation is the most important activity and source of income for about 100 million households in Asia and Africa (Chakraborty, 2011).just about 20 million farmers in SSA grow rice and about 100 million people depend on it for their livelihoods (Nwanze et al, 2006).During the past three decades, rice grain has seen a steady increase in consumption and demand given its important place in the strategic food security planning policies of many African countries (Africa Rice Center, 2007; Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, 2009) It is among the important cereal crops grown in different parts of Ethiopia as a food crop. Considering the importance and potential of the crop, it has been recognized by the Government as “the new millennium crop of Ethiopia” to attain food security (MoA, 2010)
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