Abstract

A pre-extension demonstration of selected sesbania species was conducted in two districts (one from Sidama region and one from West Arsi zone of Oromia region) to evaluate, demonstrate, promote and popularize the best performing varieties of the selected forage crops, awareness creation, improving farmers knowledge and skill on forage crop establishment, management, forage production, conservation and utilization in the farming season of 2021/22. A total of sixty farmers having willingness to accept and disseminate the technology were purposively selected and grouped into farmers research groups comprising ten farmers. In each farmer’s research group, two trial farmers were selected with the rest being participant farmers in each kebele. Hosting farmers were selected based on ownership of suitable and sufficient land to accommodate trials, proximity to roads so as to facilitate the chance of being visited by many stakeholders, ability to manage planted crops and willingness to share their knowledge and experience to others. One potential farmers training center from each district was used as a demonstration site and source of planting material for the future. In each kebele, one hosting farmer and farmers research group comprising ten farmers was established one forage crop based on their interest. Two sesbania species, namely, Sesbania macrantha and Sesbania dummeri were evaluated and demonstrated on farmers training centers to visiting farmers at each district. Field results indicate that both varieties had the ability to produce significant amount of total edible biomass yield in addition to their additional benefits producing high non-edible dry matter that can be used as firewood. Therefore, further scaling up/out of the two sesbania species should be conducted in the study areas and to other places with similar agro-ecologies.

Keywords:Demonstration, Dry matter yield, Sebania dummeri, Sebania macrantha

Abbreviations: CP: Crude Protein; CV: Coefficient of Variation; DESY: Dry Edible Stem Yield; DLY: Dry Leaf Stem Ratio; DLY: Dry Leaf Yield; DMTR: Diameter; FESY: Fresh Edible Stem Yield; FLY: Fresh Leaf Yield; FRGs: Farmer Research Groups; FTC: Farmer Training Center; gm: Gram; IVDMD: Invitro Dry Matter Digestibility; Km: Kilometer; m: meter; mm: millimeter; MPTs: Multi-Purpose Tress; NBPP: Number of branches per plant; PHH: Plant height at harvest; SR: Survival Rate; TEDMY: Total Edible Dry Matter Yield; TEFY: Total Edible Fresh Yield; TNEDMY: Total Non-Edible Dry Matter Yield