1. Global Monitoring to Local Actions:
The Case of Stripe Rust in Ethiopia in
2013/14
D.P. Hodson1, B. Abeyo1, A. Badebo1, Y. Alemayehu1,
B. Hundie2, G. Woldeab3 and B. Girma2
1 CIMMYT-Ethiopia, 2 EIAR, Kulumsa Research Center, 3 EIAR, Ambo PPRC
Photo: Dr Bedada Girma, DRRW/EIAR

2. Introduction
• Global rust monitoring system – catalyzed by stem rust
(Ug99), but a valuable resource for all wheat rusts (5000+
stripe rust records)
• 2013 stripe rust
outbreaks across a
large region
• Similarities to 2010
(a major stripe rust
epidemic year)
• Basis for alerts to
other regions (East
Africa)

3. Early warning – Ethiopia 2013
Ethiopia: Local Action Steps
Global Rust Monitoring System Assessment
CWANA – Yellow Rust
Outbreaks (surveys)
Climatic
Conditions –
favourable for
yellow rust?Regional Winds
Rust Caution
– May 17th

4. The Fear – Another Year Like 2010
2010: Ethiopia
experienced the
largest stripe rust
epidemic in recent
history
Over 600,000 ha of
wheat affected
An estimated 60
million Ethiopian Birr
(US$3.2 million) were
spent on fungicides
Large production
losses were observed
Photo: Ayele Badebo, CIMMYT

5. Initial Main Season Outbreaks
• When & where did stripe rust first appear?
2010: Assasa Plain, August
(early occurrence)
2013: Assasa Plain, August
(early occurrence)
Not a promising start to the 2013 season?, but ……

6. Overview: Local Actions 2013
Multiple Stakeholders: CIMMYT, EIAR, MoA Extension Directorate, ATA, FAO, Animal &
Plant Health Directorate, Regional Ag Bureaus, etc …
Survey
Planning
Meeting
Belg
Season
Surveys
Key
Stakeholder
Planning
Meeting
Timely Chemical Control
Early Main
Season
Surveys
Regular Situation
Updates + Forecasts
Full Main
season
Surveys

7. 2013 Season Outcomes
• Based on early warning, local actions
contributed to staying ahead of the disease
– Timely surveys (Belg season, early main season)
– Farmer awareness
– Strategic stocks of fungicide
– Timely + effective chemical control
– Good information exchange

8. Regular (weekly) Situation Updates (Disease +
Control)

9. Element of forecasting – Daily +
forecast wind movements

10. Continued comprehensive survey
effort (better timing in 2013)
2010 2013
Total Survey n = 1084 fields Total Survey n = 1292 fields

11. Stripe rust outcomes: 2010 & 2013
2010 2013
Stripe Rust Hotspots - From Survey Data
Total Survey n = 1084 fields Total Survey n = 1292 fields

12. National Cereal Yield Gains vs Previous Year
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Teff Barley Wheat Maize Sorghum
2.77
5.03
0.66
15.51
13.67
%
y
i
e
l
d
G
a
i
n
2010 % Yield Gain (vs 2009)
2010 % Gain
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Teff Barley Wheat Maize Sorghum
11.09
5.49
12.18
5.39
11.49
%
y
i
e
l
d
g
a
i
n
2010 & 2013 % Yield Gain (vs previous year)
2010 % Gain
2013 % Gain
All cereals – except wheat – performed well in 2010All cereals – especially wheat – performed well in 2013
Source: CSA, 2011, 2013

13. Shift to Resistant Cultivars – Played a major role
S / MS
R / MR
Unknown
Known Cultivars – On-farm Survey Data
2010 2013

14. Conclusion
• 2013 was a high risk year for stripe rust in Ethiopia
• Early warning, good planning and effective on the
ground actions had a positive influence
• Positive actions, post 2010 epidemic, almost
certainly contributed to making 2013/14 a record
wheat production year for Ethiopia. Key factors were:
– Rapid spread of rust resistant cultivars that
dramatically reduced the vulnerability of the
Ethiopian wheat crop
– Timely and coordinated surveillance efforts, coupled
to good information exchange amongst different
stakeholders, resulted in effective control and
awareness campaigns that targeted emerging stripe
rust outbreaks

15. Looking Ahead: 2014/15 Season
• Rust threats continue:
– Stripe Rust: Unusual early
outbreaks already seen in 2014.
Close monitoring needed on
susceptible cultivars if conditions
prove to be suitable.
– Stem Rust: Most widely grown
cultivar “Digalu” totally susceptible
to race TKTT-. High risk situation
for 2014/15
• Planning already started – EAAPP
survey plans in place, Key
stakeholder planning meeting
held on 22nd April
Yellow rust
infections –
Debre Zeit
17th April
2014
Digalu: 100% loss Nov 2013

16. Acknowledgements
• Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation
• USAID
• DRRW
• EAAPP (World Bank)
• EIAR + RARI’s
• CIMMYT
• ICARDA
• Ministry of Agriculture
(Extension, Plant & Animal
Health Directorates)
• FAO
• ATA
• Regional Agricultural
Bureaus
• Ethiopian Seed Enterprise
• Regional Seed Enterprises
• USDA-ARS Cereals Disease
Laboratory, Minnesota
• Global Rust Reference
Centre, Denmark
• Cambridge University, UK
• THE FARMERS OF
ETHIOPIA!