Seed Production and Distribution of Maize in Ethiopia
1993
Gugsa Indeshaw | Yonas Sahlu (Ethiopian Seed Corporation, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia))
The establishment of the Ethiopian Seed corporation (ESC) in 1979 facilitated the production and distribution of seed in the country. Maize seed is the second largest quantity of seed produced in Ethiopia after wheat with annual average production of 62,732 quintals. Open-pollinated Varietal development of maize in the country has been rather slow and existing varieties are mainly from introduced sources. Also nearly all hybrids currently under commercial production are of Kenya origin with the parent seed being imported for domestic hybrid seed production. The continuous supply of breeder seed and the systematic maintenance of varieties and lines was non-existent. Whatever supply of initial materials for multiplication from research institutions was based on adhoc arrangements. An agreement has recently been reached with the Institute of Agriculture Research whereby IAR is annually responsible for supplying breeders seed of IAR release. Varieties and hybrids are produced on state farms and a small quantity is produced on research farms with special contract arrangements between ESC and the producers. Currently, ESC produces part of its basic seed requirement on its own basic seed farms at Shallo (Sidamo) and Gonde/Iteya (Arsi). The average annual seed distribution between 1985 to 1991 has been 61,292 quintals with approximately 79 and 21 percent share to the peasant sector and state farms respectively. The quality of seed being distributed is poor. Incentive price for seed growers is not paid and hence special attention is given to the production of maize seed. Moreover there is no seed quality control of certification authority to protect seed users. There is a real need to develop a national seed industry with the appropriate linkages of industrial participants.
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