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Smallholders' coping mechanisms with wheat rust epidemics: Lessons from Ethiopia.
Moti Jaleta1, Dave Hodson2, Bekele Abeyo1
1International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Plos One
|August 1, 2019
Summary
Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia adopted rust-resistant wheat varieties and diversified crops to cope with yellow rust epidemics. These strategies, along with fungicide use, helped mitigate yield losses and improve food security.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Pathology
- Climate Change Adaptation
Background:
- Biotic stresses on crops, exacerbated by climate change, threaten food security, particularly for staple crops like wheat.
- Ethiopia, a major wheat producer, faces significant challenges from wheat rust epidemics impacting smallholder farmers.
- The 2010/11 yellow rust epidemic severely affected national wheat production, highlighting the need for effective coping mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine smallholder farmers' coping mechanisms in response to wheat rust epidemics in Ethiopia.
- To analyze the factors influencing farmers' adoption of ex-ante coping strategies against rust re-occurrence.
- To assess the yield advantages of rust-resistant wheat varieties.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two waves of nationally representative household panel data (2009/10 and 2013/14) to analyze coping strategies.
- Employed multinomial logistic regression models to identify factors associated with ex-ante coping strategies.
- Compared yield performance between susceptible and resistant wheat varieties.
Main Results:
- Farmers employed ex-ante strategies including increased area under resistant varieties, crop diversification, and fungicide use (ex-post).
- Significant dis-adoption of susceptible varieties and adoption of rust-resistant varieties occurred post-epidemic.
- Household characteristics, wheat specialization, and access to improved seeds influenced strategy choices.
- Resistant varieties showed a 29-41% yield advantage even in non-epidemic seasons.
Conclusions:
- Continuous development and deployment of rust-resistant wheat varieties are crucial for smallholders in rust-prone regions.
- Effective coping mechanisms are vital for maintaining wheat yields and ensuring food security amidst climate change and evolving rust races.
- Findings offer relevance for other wheat-growing regions globally facing similar challenges.