Wheat Production in Drought-Prone Agro-Ecologies in Ethiopia: Diagnostic Assessment of Farmers' Practices and Sustainable Coping Mechanisms and the Role of Improved Cultivars

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is traditionally cultivated under drought-affected and low-input agro-ecologies in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Wheat productivity in these agro-systems is considerably low (<2.4 t/ha) due to climate change-induced drought and heat stress, a lack of modern production technologies, including climate-smart varieties, and an array of biotic and abiotic factors. The objective of this study was to determine the potential of wheat production in drought-prone agro-ecologies and to assess farmers' practices and sustainable coping mechanisms and the role of improved cultivars in Ethiopia. A participatory rural appraisal (PRA) study was conducted involving 170 randomly selected wheat farmers in the drier areas of Arsi Zone of the Oromia Regional State. Results showed that wheat and tef (Eragrostis tef Zucc.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were the most widely grown cereal crops in the study areas as the primary food source and cash income. Yield losses varying from 63.1 to 73.8% were reported by farmers due to drought stress occurring mainly during grain filling stage. The majority of the respondent farmers (>50%) planted wheat in early July using the broadcasting method. Their land was of medium fertility, and the application of inorganic fertilizer was suboptimal. Due to crop failures by intense drought conditions in the study areas, above 50% of the respondent farmers had not expressed coping strategies against drought stress except resorting to government food aid. However, about 22% of the respondent farmers reported improved agronomic practices, such as the cultivation of early maturing wheat varieties and soil and water conservation methods as sustainable solutions to mitigate against drought. Therefore, current and future wheat breeding in Ethiopia should target drought and heat stress tolerance and adaptive crop traits as ideal coping strategies under low input agriculture systems for sustainable wheat production and productivity.