Challenges and Opportunities of Seed Multiplication in Eastern Tigray Ethiopia

Gebremedhin Welu, International Journal of Horticulture and Plant Breeding Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 1, December 2014, pp. 1 -19, Available online at http://ijhpbs.com/

Seed is the most important agricultural input and it is the basic unit for distribution and maintenance of plant population. Improved crop varieties play a critical role in agricultural intensification. In Ethiopia, as in many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the informal seed system is still the dominant system for seed supply. Though there are three systems in Ethiopia farmers in our zone most dominantly uses their own seed your after your. This is because shortage of improved varieties in the area in addition to the awareness they have. To increase production and productivity in the zone farmers should get improved varieties in time and in amount of different crops. For the achievement of this, collaborative efforts of all stake holders in capacity building on crop production and post harvest handling, development of high yielding widely adapted cultivars with better resistance to diseases and pests, development of improved agronomic and managemental practices is very essential. The potential of the zone can produce its own seed and cover the demand of farmers not only in the surrounding but also the Region as a whole. However the assumption of scholars and the actual ground is not compatible. So, The Aim of this paper is to review the production, role of farmers training center (FTC) in seed production, potentials, challenges and future opportunities in seed multiplication.

Keywords: Challenge, FTC, Potential, Production, Seed