Advances in chickpea crop improvement for improved productivity and resilient cropping systems in Ethiopia

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important food legume in Ethiopia. Its production is challenged by low productivity of landraces, poor farming practices, and biotic and abiotic stresses, among others. To address these challenges, EIAR has partnered with CGIAR centers and developed improved chickpea varieties, along with integrated crop management technologies that have increased productivity. Central to these efforts is the Tropical Legumes Projects (TL) funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Since the inception of the Tropical Legume project in 2007, six ‘kabuli’ and five ‘desi’ chickpea varieties have been released. TL project also supported efforts to avail high-quality seed of improved varieties to many small holder farmers through participatory variety selection and demonstration activities. Eighteen farmers’ seed producer associations have been established to fill up supply gaps for high quality seed. Seed production of improved chickpea varieties from 2008 to 2015 amounts to 50t breeder, 788t basic and 14,495.47t certified/Quality Declared Seed. The national average production and productivity of chickpea has increased by 60% and 51%, respectively, over the same period coupled with 16% growth in export volume. Chickpea improvement program is currently focusing on disease resistance, drought and heat tolerance, mechanical harvesting and herbicide tolerance to cope up with the changing climate and the need of specific production corridors.