Photo: V. Durroux/CIP
During the ‘Ganna’ season of 2014 I decided to participate in potato seed multiplication, and planted the potato (Gudane) variety given by the project on a fifth of a hectare plot area, and harvested 10,600kg. This is an incredible yield for me.
I sold 3,000kg of the produced potato during harvest for 9,000 Birr (US$420), and sold 6,000kg of potato seed for 36,000 Birr (US$1,670). 1,000kg was used as planting material and the rest for home consumption.
Previously, I used to sell other grains like wheat and barley to buy agricultural inputs such as seed, fertilizer, herbicides, and fungicides. But, this time I used the money obtained from the sale of potato to cover costs for the inputs.
In addition, the project supported me with materials and skilled man-power for constructing Diffused Light Storage (DLS). Without this storage, I would have been unable to properly preserve the potato produced for seed, which has earned me the largest income.
The Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) program comprises three research-for-development projects supported by the United States Agency for International Development as part of the U.S. government’s Feed the Future initiative.
Through action research and development partnerships, Africa RISING will create opportunities for smallholder farm households to move out of hunger and poverty through sustainably intensified farming systems that improve food, nutrition, and income security, particularly for women and children, and conserve or enhance the natural resource base.