Project Name
Deployment of Malt Barley and Faba Bean Varieties and Technologies for Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security and Market Opportunities in the Highlands of Ethiopia

The project will scale up the existing malt barley and faba bean varieties and will introduce improved varieties and integrated crop management practices to the farmer groups, research institutes and seed enterprises. Its aim is to create awareness, develop and deliver seed to farmers in affordable and sustainable way and develop linkages to the market to create a sustainable pool for technologies including seed. Project components include conceptual framework of malt barley and faba bean seed road map, accelerated seed multiplication, early generation seed production, large scale certified seed production, farmer based seed production and sustainability of seed supply system. Project will popularize improved seed varieties and rhizobium inoculants, farmer and enterprise level seed production. It will reduce yield gaps through effective agronomic practices and will also produce diverse nutrient-rich food. Thus, sustainable increases in the productivity of crops will help farmers to increase their access to food and generate more income for farmers and new market opportunities for enterprises. In this process, it will create a comprehensive database on demand and supply patterns in malt barley and faba bean seed and gain markets, it will be used in accessing productive assets. Besides, seed production and distribution, it will focus on strengthening human resource capacity of NARS, farmer groups and partners in basic seed production, crop management and seed/inoculum technologies which will increase capacity for innovation in partner development organizations and in poor and vulnerable communities. Finally the project will contribute to four of the CGIAR system level outcomes: reducing rural poverty, strengthening food security, policies and institutions and capacity development.