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DOI: 10.18488/journal.68/2015.2.1/68.1.1.7 

ISSN(e): 2312-6418/ISSN(p): 2313-3716 

© 2015 Pak Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. 

 

1 

 

 

THE EXTENT OF FINGER MILLET PRODUCTION IN SOUTH OMO ZONE IN 

THE CASE OF SOUTH ARI WOREDA 

 

Wedajo Gebre
1
 

 

1 Jinka Agricultural Research Centre, Southern Agricultural Research Institute, Jinka, Ethiopia 

 

ABSTRACT 

In Ethiopia finger millet occupies 4% of the total area allocated to cereals (nearly half a million 

hectares) each year and also contributes about 4% to the total annual cereal grain production in 

the country. The production area increased from 342,120 ha to 368,999 ha with an increase of 

7.3%, and the productivity increased from 3,769,290 to 5,241,911 quintals with a proportion of 

28%. Six varieties (Tadesse, Padet, Wama, Baruda, Degu and Boneya) have been identified for 

cultivation to date. Though the varieties were initially released for cultivation in the sub-humid and 

mid altitude areas, their inadvertent introduction in to low rainfall areas found new adaptation 

zones. The production of these varieties has expanded to dry low altitude areas including regions 

where the crop was previously unknown.  As a result of frequent drought, farmers in the dry rift 

valley region of Ethiopia widely adopted the variety that it is currently grown as one of the most 

important crops in this region. Therefore this study was initiated to discuss the production of finger 

millet in South Omo Zone, Ari woreda and generates information on the extent of finger millet 

production which is useful in designing suitable approaches for identifying gaps and intervening 

production constrains in the target area.The study areas comprised major finger millet producing 

kebeles of Ari woreda. Ten kebeles were selected systematically. Six year data on finger millet 

production and productivity was taken from woreda and each kebele. Data were collected through 

key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and questionnaires during a three-month period 

.Research in south omo zone, southern research institute and several national programs have 

resulted in considerable progress and identification of some improved finger millet varieties. The 

production of the crop in the study area is increasing.  

© 2015 Pak Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. 

Keywords: Ari woreda, Extension, Finger millet, Millet varieties, Research, South omo. 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Current Research in Agricultural Sciences 

ISSN(e): 2312-6418/ISSN(p): 2313-3716 

 

 
 

journal homepage: http://www.pakinsight.com/?ic=journal&journal=68 
 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(1):1-7 

 

© 2015 Pak Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. 

 

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1. INTRODUCTION 

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.), is one of the most important food cereals in the 

sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. The cultivation of this crop is relatively easy and it has been 

found to be reliable under circumstances where other cereal crops would have failed due to drought 

or would have given negligible yield. In Ethiopia, the crop is mainly grown in the northern, north 

western and western parts of the country, especially during the main rainy season. The nutritional 

value of the grain is high and it is used as important staple food and generally consumed as 

porridge. It is often valued as nutritious cereal by local people. This observation has scientific merit 

in that finger millet contains relatively higher concentration of calcium and dietary fiber than other 

cereals [1]. The major attributes of finger millet are therefore, its adaptability to adverse agro-

ecological conditions with minimal inputs, tolerant to moisture stress, produced on marginal land 

where other crops cannot perform and tolerant to acidic soil and termite. Also it has high nutritional 

value and excellent storage qualities. Therefore, finger millets represent one of the critical plant 

genetic resources for the agriculture and food security of poor farmers that inhabit arid, infertile 

and marginal lands. 

In Ethiopia, the grain is used for making native bread, injera, porridge, cake, soup, traditional 

breakfast called “Chachabsa” malt, local beer, and distilled spirit (Areki) alone or in mixture with 

teff, maize and barley. The great merit of finger millet is that it can be stored for period up to ten 

years or more without deterioration and weevil damage. Consequently, it has period played an 

important role as reserve crop. Nevertheless, its productivity is very low mainly due to lack of 

improved varieties, management technologies and other biotic and a biotic factor [2].   

 Finger millet occupies 4% of the total area allocated to cereals (nearly half a million hectares) 

each year and also contributes about 4% to the total annual cereal grain production in the country. 

Similar to teff, finger millet grain can be stored for several years under local storage conditions 

without sustaining significant damage by storage pests. This property together with its adaptation to 

low input conditions and relatively better nutritional value makes it one of the salient crops among 

resource poor communities living in food insecure areas. It often grown in poor soils without 

fertilizer. Only six varieties (Tadesse, Padet, Wama, Baruda, Degu and Boneya) have been 

identified for cultivation to date but appropriate management practices are still lacking. Though the 

varieties were initially released for cultivation in the sub-humid and mid altitude areas especially 

Taddesse and Padet, their inadvertent introduction in to low rainfall areas found new adaptation 

zones. At present the production of these varieties has expanded to dry low altitude areas including 

regions where the crop was previously unknown. Frustrated by repeated failure of the maize crop 

as a result of frequent drought, farmers in the dry rift valley region of Ethiopia widely adopted the 

variety that it is currently grown as one of the most important crops in this region [3]. 

Ethiopian national sorghum research program increased its effort to identify additional high 

yielding varieties that can fit in a wide range of environments. This effort drew an important lesson 

from past activities where extensive evaluation of hundreds of entries involving exotic sources 

acquired through the Eastern African Regional Sorghum and Millet (EARSAM) research network 

produced only limited progress. Superior genotypes selected from different stages of screening 

were pulled together and evaluated at multiple locations representing different agro-ecologies [1]. 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(1):1-7 

 

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Therefore, this paper discusses the production of finger millet in South Omo, South Ari woreda and 

generates information on the extent of finger millet production which is useful in designing suitable 

approaches for identifying gaps and intervening production constrains in the target area. 

 

2. METHODOLOGY  

2.1. Site Description 

The study was conducted dates during years from 2008 to 2013 based on ten potential finger 

millet producing Kebele‟s in Ari woreda. Ari woreda is located in the intensively cultivated middle 

altitudes, and could be said to mark the south-western limits of the traditional Ethiopian highland 

ox-plough agriculture. It is one of the woreda in south omo zone, Southern Ethiopia. It is bordered 

on the south by Bena Tsemay, on the west by the Mago River which separates it from Selamago, 

on the north by the Basketo special woreda and Semen Ari, on the northeast by the Gamo Gofa 

Zone, and on the east by Male woreda.  

 

2.2. Crop Production in South Ari woreda 

Ari  woreda belongs to the agro‐ecological classification of hot to warm sub‐moist lowlands. 

The woreda is divided into forty eight kebeles, it has an average altitude of 1600 m.a.s.l. The 

rainfall pattern of the woreda is bimodal. It has average rain fall of 900mm and annually it ranges 

between 1400-3200mm and the mean annual temperature is 20
0
c. About 37% of the is „dega‟ and 

60% „woina dega‟, while 3 % is considered as „Wirch‟.  The major crops produced in the area are 

maize, sorghum, barley, wheat, teff, finger millet from cereals, haricot bean, faba bean, field pea, 

ground nut from pulses and cash crops such as coffee, kororima and chat. The farming calendar for 

these major crops varied depending on the season. In the main season „Belg‟ which has long rain 

fall start from February and March the land preparation starts from December. The second season 

„Mihere‟ receive rain fall from Agust and last 2
nd

 weeks of December [4]. Major crops produced 

during this season are maize, barely, wheat and finer millet in large. The predominant form of crop 

production in the study area is rain-fed. The productivity of farmland is influenced availability of 

improved technologies and other production factors. As reported that the average productivity of 

major crops was 20-25, 10-20, and 9-12 quintals per hectare for maize, sorghum and haricot beans 

in general [5]. The study areas comprised major finger millet producing kebeles of south ari 

woreda.  Ten kebeles were selected systematically. Six year data on finger millet production and 

productivity was taken from woreda and each kebele. 

The study population comprised of three extension personnel in three extension offices and 

bureaus of agriculture and rural development, and the client system, i.e. finger millet growers (the 

end users of technology). Ten of the forty eight kebeles of Ari districts were selected randomly. 

Ten farmers and two key informants were randomly selected per kebeles respectively. Total of 

hundred farmers were selected.  

 Extension agents that were found in each Kebele were included in the study. Meanwhile, due 

to their limited number all or fifteen extension staff whose work mandate covers finger millet 

technology transfer are targeted, and further, Ten key extension agents/supervisors/ who involved 

in research-extension-farmers linkage activities and act as managers or department heads in the unit 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(1):1-7 

 

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of analysis were selected purposefully. Jinka Agricultural Research Center was selected sample 

because it have been engaged on linkage activities with extension and farmers for a long time and 

also known for the lion share of generated finger millet technologies in the study woreda.   

Meanwhile, due to their limited number all or three researchers whose work mandate covers 

finger millet technology generation, adaptation, and transfer are included, and further, five 

experienced researchers who involved in linkage activities and act as managers, coordinators or 

department heads in the unit of analysis are selected purposefully. All in all, eight researchers were 

included. In sum, eight researchers, twenty-three extension staffs, and hundred finger millet 

growing farmers were targeted.  

 

2.3. Data Collection Instruments 

Qualitative and quantitative primary data were collected through focus group discussions and 

questionnaires. In depth interviews were conducted with three experienced researchers and eleven 

extension workers holding no managerial roles and which are not targeted as a sample. Moreover, 

twenty key informant farmers from each kebeles comprised of leaders, women‟s, and progressive 

farmers had participated in the key informant interviews. 

 

2.4. Data Analysis  

Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the research-extension-farmers linkage in finger 

millet technology development, deliver, production and utilization. The qualitative data generated 

using farmer group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) are analyzed 

thematically.  

 

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

House Hold Characterization of the 100 household heads interviewed, only 12% were 

females, indicating that most of the households were headed by men. The farmers had an average 

of twenty years of farming experience. Only nineteen percent of the farmers had formal education. 

All the researchers surveyed were males, suggesting probably the presence of high gender disparity 

in the research organizations in one reason or could be the presence of few and young women 

researchers in the organizations. On average, the researchers had six years of working experience.  

 

3.1. Improved Finger Millet Varieties  

Forty three percent (43%) of the farmers claimed to be aware of improved finger millet 

varieties. However, only 15% of them had been cultivating at least one improved varieties of finger 

millet, namely „Degu‟ (13%), „Tadesse‟ (2%), and „Padet‟ (0%) in their farming experience. When 

asked whether they had been cultivating at least one of the improved finger millet varieties in 2008 

and 2009 cropping season, only 7% and 6% of farmers claimed the cultivation of only „Degu‟ 

variety in the respective years. On the contrary, majorities (57%) of the households had no 

awareness or understanding information that new finger millet varieties were exist in the 

technology system of the study area. Thus, it depicted the existing gap between researchers, 

extension agents, and farmers in developing and delivering sound finger millet varieties and 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(1):1-7 

 

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practices. The group discussion and key informant interviews held with the farmers, researchers, 

and extension agents revealed that the improved varieties that were developed, demonstrated and 

transferred to the study district in the last ten years were, 1) Degu variety in 2005, 2) Padet variety 

in 2002, and 3) Tadesse variety in 2003 cropping seasons. However, the farmers claimed the 

rejection of two of the improved finger millet varieties (Padet and Tadesse) by indicating that their 

local finger millet varieties, especially the best-preferred variety (Deqe) were superior to the 

improved varieties almost in all traits, with respect to grain yield, straw quality, grain color, early 

maturity, quality for local consumptions, weed tolerance, easy of threshing, and preference in 

market. It implied that research output for finger millet variety were minimal and lagged behind the 

farmers need for the staple crop.  

 

3.2. Researchers Awareness of Farmers Best Local Finger Millet Varieties 

To determine whether researchers were really knowledgeable about farmers‟ local finger millet 

varieties and practices, they were asked to respond to questions related to farmers‟ practices or 

varieties that were perceived to be interesting and better than some of the recommendations from 

the research organizations, and to cite the best local finger millet varieties that were rated highly by 

farmers.  

Only six or about 33% of the researchers claimed to be aware of local finger millet varieties 

that were superior to some of the practices recommended by their research organization. When 

asked to name at least one local finger millet varieties that farmers rated highly, five out of the six 

(83.3%) of the researchers correctly mentioned any such varieties (Deqe (two of them), Tiukur 

dagusa (2), Necho (1 of them). On the contrary, twelve (about 67%) of the researchers claimed that 

they were not aware of best local finger millet varieties or practices thatoutstands the improved 

finger millet practices. Generally, focus group discussion held with farmers and extensionists 

revealed that four local finger millet varieties of‟ names, Deqe, Necho, Angedie, and Tikur 

dagussa, respectively are grown in the study district. 

 

3.3. Extension Agents Awareness of Farmers Best Local Finger Millet Varieties  

As with researchers, extension agents were also asked about their awareness of best local 

finger millet varieties. Eighteen or the majority of the extension agents (69.2%) claimed that they 

were aware of local finger millet varieties that were better than the recommendations from the 

research organizations. Moreover, fourteen out of the eighteen (77.8%) of the agents correctly 

mentioned any such varieties (Zeymi barge, eight of them), Tiukur dagusa (four), Tsame barge 

(two). About 30.8% of the extension agents were not aware of best local finger millet varieties that 

were superior to improved finger millet varieties or practices. 

 

3.4. Researchers, Extension Agents and Farmers Participation in Joint Demonstration Trials  

Joint demonstration trials were also one of the prominent linkage activities where by 

researchers, extension workers and farmers were participated collaboratively regarding finger 

millet technologies. About half of the researchers had attended joint demonstration trials with 

farmers and extension workers at least once in 2008 and 2009 cropping seasons, about 26.9 percent 



Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 2(1):1-7 

 

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and 36 percent of extension agents and farmers respectively indicated that they had also attended 

such activities. 

 

3.5. Extent of Finger Millet Production  

The production of the crop in the woreda is increasing from year to year as shown in table-1 

below.  Due to fluctuation of rain fall precipitation, farmers demand to grow finger millet has been 

increasing.  Basemal and Keyessa kebele share large finger millet production potential in the 

woreda (Table 1). 

 

Table-1. Area covered and production of finger millet in south Ari woreda 

 

 

3.6. Achievements on Finger Millet Technology 

In the past decade, 2001-2010, finger millet production area in Ethiopia increased from 

342,120 ha to 368,999 ha with an increase of 7.3%, and the productivity increased from 3,769,290 

to 5,241,911 quintals with a proportion of 28%. This was partly due to the adoption of improved 

varieties and production practices as well as the ability of the crop to adapt marginal lands. Thus, a 

continuous supply of high yielding varieties that have stable performance in a wide range of 

environments is needed for sustainable production [1].    

Southern research institute, jinka agricultural research center and other national programs have 

resulted in considerable progress and identification of some improved finger millet varieties. As 

result variety Tadesse was demonstrated to growing agro-pastoral during 2007. Tadesse reach 

almost major finger millet producing areas of south omo zone especially, south ari woreda through 

pre-scale up program.  As result the area coverage and production of the crop increased from year 

2008 to 2013 almost in triple as shown in table-1 above. 

Also 25 new lines were tested for preliminary yield trial at Jinka research center on-station 

from 2006-2009 and out of these only six lines were selected for regional variety trial. During 2011 

and 2012 cropping season six new lines namely, LR001, LR002, LR003, LR004, LR005, LR006 

and with standard check (Tadesse ) were tasted at Jinka , Kako, Halaba and Konso. Data from each 

location is now organized and submitted for national plant health and quality control for variety 

evaluation and release [6]. This will have significant contribution on the production and 

productivity of finger millet in south omo especially south ari worda.  

 

3.7. Major Gaps and Limitations in the Production and Use of Finger Millet 

Major limitations for sustainable finger millet technology use have also been identified by 

many national programmes such as low priority on finger millet, declining funding for its 



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conservation, lack of trained and experienced staff, lack of facilities for multiplication and 

regeneration. 

Farmers‟ awareness of improved finger millet technologies and researchers‟ awareness of best 

farmers‟ finger millet varieties are low. Thus, further work is required to create awareness and 

improve their perceptions through joint participation in linkage activities for sound generation, 

transfer, and adoptions of new finger millet technologies. 

 

4. CONCLUSION 

As potential area for finger millet production, area coverage and productivity is being 

increased. Farmers demand to grown finger millet has been increasing.  This may due to fluctuation 

of rain fall precipitation in the study area. Also improved variety avail is not negligible as the area 

is remote part of the country.  

Accordingly, the extent of finger millet of production is increasing in the study area. Research 

study on variety development is also on progress. Finger millet can be a potential cereal for food 

security under the rapidly changing climate, alleviating its constraints will remain a challenging 

task for the researchers and office of agriculture. 

 

REFERENCES 

[1] D. Asfaw, T. Tessfaye, D. Erenso, T. Taye, M. Feyera, L. Wasihun, T. Alemu, K. H/selassie, W. 

Andualem, and D. Chemeda, "Genotype by environment interaction and yield stability analysis in 

finger millet (Eleusine Corancana) in Ethiopia," American Journal of Plant Sciences, vol. 2, pp. 

412-414, 2011. 

[2] T. Mulatu, A. Debelo, Z. Gutema, and E. Degu, "Finger millet: A potential crop in Ethiopia," In: 

Proceedings of Work Shop Organized to Re-Establish Sorghum and Millet in Eastern and Central 

Africa. Kampala, Uganda 6-9 Nov, 1995. 

[3] Central Statistical Agency (CSA), "Agricultural sample survey," Report on Area and Production of 

Crops (Pri-vate Peasant Holdings, Meher Season), Statistical Bulle-tin 446, Addis Ababa, May 

2010. 

[4] United Nations Development Program (UNDP), "Emergencies unit for Ethiopia," Preliminary 

Examination of Major Factors Affecting Subsistence Economy of South Omo Zone and Konso 

Especial Woreda in Western Ethiopia, 1995. 

[5] Central Statistical Agency (CSA), "Agricultural sample survey," Report on Area and Production of 

Crops for Pri-vate Peasant Holdings, Meher Season, Addis Ababa2001. 

[6] Jinka Agricultural Reserch Center (JARC), "Crop research department progress report." 

Unpublished Document, 2011. 

 

 

 

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