The document discusses the introduction of high-yielding food legumes and oil seeds to diversify wheat-based cropping systems in Ethiopia's highlands, improving soil health and crop productivity. It reports on prior achievements, including the production of 37 tons of legume seeds and training for over 1800 farmers, while also outlining challenges for the 2019/20 plan such as limited resources and pest issues. The initiative is part of the Africa Rising program, supported by USAID, aimed at enhancing food security and economic stability for smallholder farmers.

1. Diversification of wheat based cropping system through the introduction of high
yielding cool season food legumes and oil seeds in the highlands of Ethiopia
Introduction
Food legumes (Faba bean, Chickpea, Field pea and Lentil)
and oil crops (linseed and Brassica) are important crops for
food, income and animal feed. They improve soil health and
play key roles for sustainable wheat production. Though
important, their productivity and production not stable from
season to season. Introduction of high yielding and stable
legume and oil crop cultivars in the wheat system is essential
to improve crop productivity and soil fertility.
Results/Achievements
Method/Approaches
• Farmers produced 37 t of seeds of five food legume
cultivars on 37 ha of land through revolving seed scheme in
2018/2019 cropping season.
• Nine cultivars of Faba bean, Lentil, Field pea and Chickpea
scaled in 2018/2019 cropping season.
• The average productivity of the legumes varied from area to
area. The range is 1.5 t ha-1 (Lentil) to 4 t ha-1 (Faba bean).
• The spillover effect benefited farmers from 10 additional
Woredas (Table 1).
• Estimated area covered by partner scaling was 2583 ha in
the four zones.
• Over 1800 farmers and other stakeholders visited PVS,
seed production and scaling activities in the four Africa
RISING sites.
• Farmer Training Centers used PVS trials to train farmers.
• PVS of high yielding canola cultivars.
• Demonstration and seed production of selected food
legume and linseed cultivars.
• Integrated management of lentil viruses and vectors in
North Shewa.
Plan for 2019/20
• Inadequate involvement of BoA through for scaling.
• Limited resources and access to early generation
materials.
• Restrictions of seed movement due to new disease and
parasitic weeds.
• Farmers demand for mechanization of food legume and
oil seeds-Bale zone.
• Instability of productivity of cultivars due to poor weed
management practices.
The Africa Research In Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) program comprises three research-for-
development projects supported by the United States Agency for International Development as part of the U.S. government’s Feed the
Future initiative.
Through action research and development partnerships, Africa RISING will create opportunities for smallholder farm households to move out
of hunger and poverty through sustainably intensified farming systems that improve food, nutrition, and income security, particularly for
women and children, and conserve or enhance the natural resource base.
The three projects are led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (in West Africa and East and Southern Africa) and the
International Livestock Research Institute (in the Ethiopian Highlands). The International Food Policy Research Institute leads an
associated project on monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment.
www.africa-rising.net
Key challenges and lessons
Acknowledgement
Yetsedaw Aynewa1, Temesgen Alene2, Addisu Asfaw2, Mohammed Ibrahim2, Workneh Dubale2, Zewdie Bishaw1 and Seid Ahmed1
1International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)
2International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
We thank farmers and local partners in Africa RISING sites and ICARDA for their contributions to this research. We also thank
USAID for its financial support through the Feed the Future Initiative.
Zones Male Female Total
Bale 3927 1506 5433
North Shewa 298 158 456
South Tigray 391 93 484
Hadiya 122 18 140
Total 4738 1775 6513
Table 1. Beneficiary male and female farmers-partners
scaling.