Cotton Research, Extension, and Promotion

The Ethiopian government currently finances and supports cotton research, which is carried out through a network that includes Assosa, a rain-fed research center in Benshangul Gumuz Regional State, and Werer Research Center (WARC), a primary federally funded irrigated research center, in Afar Regional State. There are no additional centers or sub-centers that cover all of the different agro-climatic zones used to cultivate cotton in Ethiopia. The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MoANR) stopped providing extension services for cotton production in 2014 when the cotton sector was transferred to the Ministry of Industry (MoI). Because the major commercial farmers who could offer extension services do not provide sufficient funding, such out grower programs are often nonexistent in the cotton sector. Ethiopia's significant potential for cotton production remains untapped, as only 3% of the country's suitable cotton production area is currently being cultivated. However, compared to other African countries, Ethiopia's agricultural research on cotton is relatively new. Since the establishment of the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) to coordinate research and resources across the country’s entire research system, a more favorable research environment is being developed as the apex organization. The Ethiopian government is currently pursuing a participatory demonstration and training extension system. The goal of this approach is to disseminate the complete package of agricultural technology and practices (such as cultivars, pesticides, fertilizers, and improved cultural practices) for a specific crop. Agricultural extension programs are implemented at the Woreda (district) and Keble (village) levels, which is why cotton research has been underperforming for a long time. The public sector plays the most significant role, especially in the local distribution of inputs and agricultural extension services to smallholder cotton farmers.