Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura. Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura

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1 Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura Istituto Agronomico per l Oltremare From seed to pasta in Ethiopia: opportunities and challenges to overcome for small farmers in the area of the Bale Maria Grazia D Egidio Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura Unità di Ricerca per la Valorizzazione Qualitativa dei Cereali ETHIOPIA Ethiopia has an area of km 2 and a population of about 90 MM. It s a Federal Democratic Republic with 13 independent Regions. The economic growing rate is about 11% each year and an inflation rate of estimated yearly 7%. The economy is based mainly on agriculture which accounts for about 45% of PIL, around 85% of exports and employs over 80% of the population. Official language: Amaric and Oromic Local money: : Birr (1 ~ 23 Birr) 1

2 Agriculture in Ethiopia - 1 The Agriculture is the most important activity in the Ethiopian economy and the government has put in place a Strategic Plan aimed at a very rapid growth in Agriculture in order to limit imports. Agriculture has the potential to deliver the highest quality products for which the demand of international markets is very high. 45% of Ethiopia area (52 milion ha) is arable land, which is exclusive property of the state and can be assigned as concession for long periods at low cost Agriculture in Ethiopia - 2 The main agricultural product is coffee, of which Ethiopia is the fifth largest producer in the world Very important agricoltural product are cereals wheat, barley, corn, sorghum, rice, teff. 2

3 Role and movement of cooperatives in Ethiopia The Ethiopian people have got a very long social history of working together to fulfill their socio-economic needs. The Ethiopian government has always supported the cooperatives movement. ( ) In 1960 the first legislative called Farm Workers Cooperative Decree was declared: to accelerate the development of the agricultural economy of the country. Cooperative movement in Ethiopia ( ) Expansion and promotion of different cooperatives Distribution of consumer goods and extending agricultural credits (inputs, oxen, tractors, machinery etc.) through cooperatives. The establishment of cooperative training center Provision of domestic and international trainings. Post 1991 Due to the economic current system an agricultural cooperative societies proclamation (n 85/1994) was issued in order to: promote self-reliance among members; solve problems collectivity which a farmer cannot personally achieve; make members obtain modern technologies to increase agricultural production and materials at fair price; satisfy the needs of community and increase the income of farmers; promote the culture of the members by teaching and training. 3

4 Wheat in Ethiopia Durum wheat has been cultivated in Ethiopia for thousands of years, although it has gradually been displaced by bread wheat. Demand for pasta (spaghetti and macaroni) is growing faster as the demand of durum wheat grain. Low volumes and poor quality of national wheat production, obliged Ethiopian pasta industries to import the required raw material (mainly hard wheat). Project Agricultural Value Chains in Oromia 4

5 Development project and focus on Bale area PAST DISTRICT OF ETHIOPIA Wheat is cultivated on approximately 120,000 ha in the Bale zone (average yield 2.3 t/ha), and on about 150,000 ha in the neighbouring Arsi zone (yield 2.2 t/ha). (National average yield is1.8 t/ha - data 2010/11, for main/meher crop season) Bale zone is now better connected to the rest of the country due to a new asphalt road. Presence of Sinana Agricultural Research Center (SARC). Strategy Embrace all existing Bale agro-ecologies, from Agarfa district (with bread wheat yielding t/ha), to Ginir district ( t/ha due to drought stress). Involvement of the most farmers cooperatives as possible for fast-reaching the demanded volume of durum wheat grain, via: provision of high quality seed training and technical assistance building of warehouses as basic facility and asset Joint promotion of new seed multiplication schemes (i.e. the seed value chain) for achieving both larger volume and high quality of durum wheat grain. 5

6 Expected impacts Import substitution of thousand tons of hard wheat for local agro-processors Farmers cooperatives of first and second levels (i.e. Unions) enhanced and acting as medium-big enterprises Improved quality and reduced price of national pastamacaroni for Ethiopian consumers Durum wheat opportunities HIGH DEMAND National Pasta Factories 300, ,000 qt HIGH PRICE EXPECTATIONS Factories are currently obliged to pay huge amount of money for importing hard wheat FUTURE GROWTH INTERNATIONAL DEMAND EXPORT 6

7 Durum wheat: : the challenge To substitute Hard Wheat Importation by local Durum Wheat production with Bale zone leading the process toward an yearly production of about 500,000 quintals of DW will it be possible for Bale? Durum wheat: : the challenge yes for some reasons 1- DW will be a crop diversification for about 20% of Bale s annual area and production of wheat (only 10% with Arsi) 2- There is a full set of DW varieties with high productivity and quality, locally selected by Sinana research center which holds all property rights on them 3- An experienced and successful linkage of researchers, development agents, cooperatives and Unions, private enterprises, NGOs, local institutions fully cooperating for the Zone development 4- Growing determination of farmers to take the leadership of their own development 7

8 Good seed of good varieties (Bakalcha and Ejersa) Durum wheat: what & how? Suitable soils and crop management Huge amount of seed Rigorous grain bulking (no admisture at harvest and storing) Maintenance of seed purity DURUM WHEAT GRAIN - High protein content - Huge bulks - Homogeneus - The same over time Jumping into the future PRESENT FUTURE MARKET local national international PROCESSING none semi-processed transformed PACKAGING none informal packed&labelled QUANTITY & small & medium & huge & HOMOGENEITY poor partial high UNIFORMITY poor medium extrem. high over time 8

9 First results In the first cropping season (August January 2012) SARC delivered 46t of basic seed (Bakalcha and Ejersa varieties). A selected group of farmers (about 240) from 15 primary cooperatives (about 6,500 members) in five districts of the Bale zone (Agarfa, Ginir, Gololcha, Goro and Sinana) received the seed together with training and technical assistance by Sinana Agricultural Research Center (SARC) researchers and district experts. Total production stands at about 750t (average yield approx. 2.4t/ha). tons per ha Protein (%) (12% moisture) m asl Average yield and protein content of two varieties in 5 districts. Protein content is measured on 12 % moisture basis. Altitude is in a diminishing trend, while water deficit is increasing from West to East m asl Main goals Innovative grain supply contracts between the cooperative unions and the local food processing industry were signed. A premium price (incentive price) was recognised for every increment of protein content over a minimum fixed standard. Minimum marketable unit will be a full loaded truck (about 40 t), with transport cost paid by the industry. The most protein-rich batches of durum wheat received prices ca. 30% higher than bread wheat. 9

10 Durum wheat: contractual agreements Signature of Pre-cultivation Contracts between Industries and Cooperatives-Unions (before next Meher season!!) A base price equal to the prevailing local market price for bread wheat : 700 Birr per quintal A premium (10 Birr for each 0.1% increment of protein) till a maximum of 12 % protein (850 Birr per quintal) Unions collecting and redistributing the high-quality seeds (needed for next Meher!!) Parallel & fast development of the Seed Value Chain SARC acting for quality control on grain and seed production MPCoops-Unions enhanced their internal managerial and technical staff 10

11 History of Project 2003 first activities started within the Italian cooperation Arsi-Bale Rural Development Project (ABRDP) for durum wheat re-introduction, conservation, enhancement. Main partners were Istituto Agronomico per l Oltremare (IAO), Slow Food, ABRDP and local Ngo Ethio-Organic Seed Action (EOSA) 2004 Istituto Agronomico per l Oltremare (IAO) signed an agreement with Istituto Sperimentale per la Cerealicoltura (ISC-Rome) for the execution of different scientific activities and supporting for realization of Ethiopian quality laboratory study period (two weeks) in Rome for 4 Ethiopian researchers at CRA 2006 two weeks training in Ethiopia for 15 Ethiopian technicians of SARC and pasta industries by Italian technicians of IAO and CRA study tour (two weeks) in Italy for 4 high-level officials at various Italian companies assisted by CRA training in Ethiopia for 4 Ethiopian technicians (SARC) on chemical and rheological analysis (CRA) training in Ethiopia for 8 Ethiopian technicians (SARC) on electrophoretic techniques (IAO, CRA) 2007 support activities, at distance, to the actions of field and laboratory (IAO, CRA) 2008 formulation of the Italian development cooperation project for agricultural strenghtening (IAO) 2009 approval of the project by the Italian Development Cooperation 2010 ratification of the bilateral agreement for the implementation of the project 2011 start of activities of project Agricultural Value Chains in Oromia study period (two weeks) in Rome for 3 Ethiopian researchers at CRA 2012 qualitative analysis control of Ethiopian durum wheat samples (CRA) for price determination workshop in Ethiopia on first results of project and CRA participation 11

12 In memory of. ANDREA CONCIATORI 12