Oromia Agricultural Research Institute (IQQO) Agricultural Growth Program (AGP-II)

Agricultural Production Constraint Analysis Validation workshop, 23-24 November 2017

Oromia Agricultural Research Institute (IQQO) Agricultural Growth Program (AGP-II) conducted survey of Agricultural Production Constraint identifications across nine selected zones of Oromia Regional State, two districts of Harari Regional State and two clusters of Dirre Dawa City Administration. Community Level Participatory Planning (CLPP) and Participatory Research Approach (PRA) tools were used to identify the actual problems impeding Agricultural production and productivity. Meanwhile, Agricultural Production Constraint Analysis Validation workshop was organized from 23-24 November 2017 at IQQO head quarter, Alemayehu Atomsa Conference hall. The main objective of the workshop was to share responsibilities and strengthen linkages among stakeholders for strategic intervention in reducing the multiple Agricultural production problems identified by the study and beyond. Well-coming address, opening speech and key note presentation were given by Dr Dagnachew Lule (AGP-II coordinator), Dr Feto Eismo (IQQO general director) and Dr Abera Deresa (Senior researcher and advisor), respectively.  Participant stakeholders  were from Oromia Regional Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Oromia Bureau of Livestock and Fisheries, Oromia Coffee and Tea Authority, all Oromia zones office of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Federal and Regional Research Centers and higher learning institutions working in the region, Oromia regional and zonal Bureau of Livestock and Fisheries, delegates from the president office and Caffe’s standing committee for Agriculture, representatives from some CGIAR centers, Harari and Dire Dawa Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resource, representatives from Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resource, representatives from Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Regional and National AGP-II coordination units, representatives from the World Bank, Seed Enterprises and other development partners. A total of 282 participants were attended the workshop. Agricultural production constraint analysis results of western, central and south eastern Oromia; Harari Region and Dire Dawa city Administration were presented, commented and enriched. Besides, review of some of the uppermost production constraints and their management options were presented and discussed. The addressed contemporary topics includes;    

  • Fall armyworm: a catastrophic insect of the year 2017; economic significance and its control options 
  • Review of Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND), a Potential Food Security Threat of Maize Belt Farming Communities
  • Soil acidity: Threat to crop production in the cereal based mono cropping system of western Ethiopia
  • Review of Termite Biology, Ecology & Prospects for Integrated Pest Management Options
  • Wheat rusts: the major production constraints of the wheat industry & their management options
  • The progress and bottlenecks of Agricultural Mechanization in modernizing the sector
  • Mango scale insect: its significance and control options

Brief highlights of research achievements of IQQO, the progress/achievements and prospects of Agricultural growth Program (AGP-II) and the designed strategic research plan of the institute in the coming 15 years in line with the identified problems were also presented and discussed. Proceedings of technology generation/adaptation and pre-extension demonstrations activities conducted by the support of AGP-II were also distributed to all participating stakeholders and all Woredas in the region.