In Ethiopia, the potato serves as a key component in food security and as a cash crop with potential for enhancing the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. These farmers, constituting 83% of the population and holding 95% of agricultural land, primarily cultivate potatoes in the highland regions. The crop is noted for its expansion into non-traditional areas.
A collaboration between the International Potato Center (CIP) and the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) has been ongoing since 1975. The partnership aims to improve potato productivity and profitability through research and innovation. This collaboration has led to the release of approximately 29 CIP-bred varieties, characterized by late blight resistance and high yield. The 'Gudene' variety is notably prevalent due to its culinary features and disease resistance.
Gebremedhin Woldegiorgis, an EIAR potato breeder, highlights the benefits of this collaboration, noting the acquisition of germplasm, technical support, and training in germplasm evaluation and cleaning. These resources have positively impacted Ethiopian potato farmers.
Over the past five years, CIP and HARC researchers have identified 15 promising variety candidates based on yield, disease resistance, and organoleptic quality. These clones were initially grown from true potato seeds sourced from CIP headquarters in Peru.
In 2018, a gender-disaggregated participatory varietal selection (PVS) was conducted to assess the clones' suitability for local preferences. Farmers evaluated these clones at various stages, including flowering and post-harvest, considering organoleptic characteristics.
CIP Researcher Hirut Getinet noted differences in selection criteria between genders. Female farmers prioritized disease resistance and plant vigor, while male farmers focused on medium maturity and yield. At harvest, both genders prioritized tuber yield, size, and color.
Female representative Aselefech Telila and male participant Bedada Chala expressed optimism about the clones' yield potential and disease resistance. Vivian Polar from CGIAR highlighted that new high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties could enhance productivity and address input access disparities faced by women.
Clones CIP312920.532 and CIP312920.515 emerged as top selections. EIAR plans to propose their release following further evaluations. Farmer representatives emphasized the potato's importance for food and income, noting its higher yield per area compared to other crops like barley and wheat.
CIP Breeder Thiago Mendes stated that gender-differentiated PVS could support breeding decisions, potentially increasing the adoption of new varieties. The selected candidates have the potential to improve yields by 40% over the current top variety, Gudene, due to enhanced disease resistance.
Source: CIP