IMPERIAL ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT
AWASH VALLEY AUTHOR flY ADDIS ABABA
MELKA SADI-AMIBARA PROPOSED IRRIGATION PROJECT
FEASIBILITY STUDY
P \ R T II
STUDIES AND SURVEYS
VOL. 5 - AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK
t i \ it o \ s i it
_ _______       ______ _____ J Rome. July 1969CONTENTS
PART 1 -         GENERAL REPORT
PART II -        STUDIES AND SURVEYS
VOL 1 - HYDROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY
VOL. 2          SOIL SCIENCE
VOL. 3
GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY
VOL. 4
IRRIGATION ENGINEERING
VOL. 5
AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK
VOL. €
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS
VOL. 7
SOCIOLOGICAL AND HEALTH ASPECTS
PART III -
OUTLINE OF THE PROJECTIMPERIAL ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT
AWASH VALLEY AUTHORITY
ADDIS ABABA
MELKA SAD1-AMIBARA PROPOSED
IRRIGATION PROJECT
FEASIBILITY STUDY
PART 11
STUDIES AND SURVEYS
VOL 5 - AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK
1 1 \       * <J N S L I | Rome. Julv 1969contents
Page
1. I
NTRODUCTION
I
2.
ECOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE CROPS
2
3.
CONDITIONS OF PRODUCTION AND SELECTED
ANTICIPATED YIELDS
4
3. 1 SOIL CONDITIONS
4
3.1.1 Physical Nature
6
3. 1.2 Nutritive Elements
6
3. 2 LAND PREPARATION
8
3.3 CULTURAL OPERATIONS
10
3. 3. 1 Sowing
10
3. 3. 2 Irrigation
13
3. 3. 3 Crop Care
3. 3. 4 Harvesting Operations and Farm
1 4
Treatment of the Product
1 7
3. 4 ANTICIPATED YIELDS
18
4.
CULTIVATION COSTS
20
4.1 INTRODUCTION
20
4. 2 CROP COSTS
20
4. 3 MACHINE AND IMPLEMENT COSTS
28
4. 4 OTHER INPUTS
32
5.
RANKING OF CROPS
33
6.
ALTERNATIVE CROPPING PATTERNS
36
7.      STOCKBREEDING IN THE PROJECT AREA 7. 1 INTRODUCTION
497, z technical questions
Page
51
7, 3 POSSIBLE TYPE OF STOCKBREEDING
54
8.
MACHINE AND IMPLEMENT WORK DIAGRAMS
57
9.
LABOR REQUIREMENTS
65
10,
PROSPECT OF USING RIVER LOOPS BY
REFORESTATION
66
APPENDICES
TABLES
1       - ECOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE CROPS: BREAKDOWN BY PRE SENT KNOWLEDGE OF TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND MARKET DEMAND
2        - PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ARABLE SOILS IN PROJECT AREA WITH REFERENCE TO THE BASIC LAND CLASSES
3.       - PREPARATORY WORKS RECOMMENDED FOR MAIN CROPS CONSIDERED IN THE STUDY AREA
4        - AVERAGE YIELDS EXPECTED FOR SELECTED CROPS 5        - ALFALFA - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA
6        - COTTON - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA
7        - GROUNDNUT - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA8
9
10
1 1 12 13
14 15
16 1 7 18
19
20
21
22
23
24
- GREEN BEANS - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA
SUDAN GRASS - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA
_ TOBACCO (VIRGINIA) - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA
VEGETABLES - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA
HOURLY COST OF MACHINES AND IMPLEMENTS
PRICES PAID BY FARMERS FOR AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS
CHOICE OF CROPS
SELECTED CROPPING PATTERNS FOR COMMERCIAL
FARMS
INITIAL CROPPING OF THE IRRIGATED AREA WITH RE
FERENCE TO PRESENT LAND CLASSES
SELECTED CROPPING PATTERNS FOR SETTLEMENT
FARMS
START-UP OF PRODUCTION IN THE PROJECT IRRIGATED
AREA RESERVED FOR THE SETTLEMENT SCHEME WITH
REFERENCE TO THE PRESENT LAND CLASSES
WORKING DAYS PER MONTH (WITHOUT RAIN) AND MONTH
LY HOURS AVAILABLE FOR EACH OPERATION
MONTHLY      WORKING      HOURS      FOR      MECHANIZED      OPERATIONS, 100 HA - CROPPING PATTERN A
MONTHLY      WORKING      HOURS      FOR      MECHANIZED      OPERATIONS, 100 HA - CROPPING PATTERN B
MONTHLY      WORKING      HOURS      FOR      MECHANIZED      OPERATIONS, 100 HA - CROPPING PATTERN C
MONTHLY      WORKING      HOURS      FOR      MECHANIZED      OPERATIONS, 100 HA - CROPPING PATTERN
CHOICE BETWEEN MECHANIZED AND MANUAL OPERATIONSFIGURES
1-
2 -
3  -
4  -
CROPPING PATTERNS 'A’                 1 B1 ’C - 1 st AND 2nd PERIOD cropping PATTERN 'A1 - 1st PERIOD
CROPPING PATTERN 'A' - 2nd PERIOD CROPPING PATTERN 'B' - 1st PERIOD
5    -        CROPPING PATTERN 'B' - 2nd PERIOD
6
CROPPING PATTERN 'Cf - 1st PERIOD
7  - CROPPING PATTERN ’Cr - 2nd PERIOD - 1st PART
8  - CROPPING PATTERN 'O' - 2nd PERIOD- 2nd PART
9 -
10 -
11 -
12 -
CROPPING PATTERN FOR SETTLEMENT SCHEME
CROPPING     PATTERN     'A'     -     LABOR     REQUIREMENTS     -     FORE
MAN
CROPPING     PATTERN     'A'     -     LABOR     REQUIREMENTS     - SKILLED LABORER
CROPPING     PATTERN     ’A’     -     LABOR     REQUIREMENTS     - UNSKILLED LABORER
13     -        CROPPING      PATTERN      'B'-      LABOR      REQUIREMENTS      -      FORE MAN
14     -        CROPPING     PATTERN     'B1        -     LABOR     REQUIREMENTS     - SKILLED LABORER
15     -
CROPPING     PATTERN     'B1        -     LABOR     REQUIREMENTS     - UNSKILLED LABORER
16    -       CROPPING     PATTERN     'C‘     -     LABOR     REQUIREMENTS     -     FORE MAN17 - CROPPING PATTERN 'C' - LABOR REQUIREMENTS - SKILLED laborer
18- CROPPIN PATTERN ’C' - LABOR REQUIREMENTS - UN SKILLED LABORER1 . INTRODUCTION
This volume deals with various aspects and problems relative to agri cultural and agro-economic questions.
First and foremost the different ecologically possible crops are con sidered. This is followed by an examination - according to the ex perimental or practical data available for each crop - of the prospects of marketing the products. Forming an Appendix section, there is a wide documentation of experimental extracts, data and information, collected together and commented upon with respect to all the main ec-
□logically possible crops.
An exposition of the essential characteristics of the chief cultural prac tices serves to specify more clearly the technical requirements to achieve the productive targets in the first phase of the Project, while there is
a summary reference to the elements and factors which should permit an expected increase in unit yields In the envisaged second period of the life of the Project.
The crops selected are arranged into a number of alternative cropping patterns, of which the costs and benefits are analyzed individually, in order to identify the one which appears most advantageous.
Next* the choice of cropping patterns for the Commercial Farms and for the Settlement Scheme is defined* and for each of the two models selected the specific considerations as to the method and timing of their possible practical implementation are set out, in relation to the soil characteristics as evidenced by the Soil Study.
Given the present lack of sufficient* reliable data and knowledge on the question, the prospect of a development of livestock when the Project Area is under irrigation, is for the moment dealt with on a theoretical basis only, assuming the validity of consumption figures, biological cycles and yields acquired from experience in similar environments in other territories. The interest attaching to the results of the calculations made in this respect, however, stresses the advisability of going further into the subject, performing a fuller experimental investigation. In the Appendix section there are some suggested overall directives, while the essential objectives for the continuation of agricultural experimentation are outlined.- 2 -
2.      ECOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE CROPS (1)
The climatic and pedological conditions and the availability of irrigation
water make a wide range of crops ecologically possible in the Project
Area, However, only for a certain number is experimental and practic
al information available on the nature, timing and methods of crop care
and the yields which might be obtained under irrigation in the soil and
climatic conditions pertaining in the Middle Awash Valley.
Appendix I contains some of the information and essential data on the
individual ecologically possible crops. In Table I the individual species
are distinguished on the basis of the following indications:
a)      Crops for which sufficient test work has been done to permit at
least an initial evaluation of their practical possibilities, and which
have given good results (2).
b)      Crops which have already been successfully grown on farms in this
area (3).
c)       Crops which are unknown or insufficiently known under local condi
tions and which have not been tested; crops for which test work
run so far has not been successful or the results inconclusive and
for which it would be advisable to run further tests before giving
them further consideration.
d)      Crops which can be grown successfully and whose marketing pros
pects are favorable.
e)      Crops which can be grown successfully but whose marketing pros-
pects appear unfavorable (see Annex l.arid Vol. 6 lor further details).
(1)     For fuller information on the elements from which the material in
this paragraph has been taken* see Appendix 1,
(2)     This      test      work      was      performed      by      the      Melka      Warar      Resm^htioi
of the Institute of Agricultural Research.
(3)     The surveys covered the Awara Melka and Nara Era’Farms ^elonJ- ing to Mr. Montanan, the National Resources Share Corpojatior.\s Abadir Farm, the HVA Metehara Farm.thc AVA pilot Settle
111
rm
of     Melka     Warar,     the     AMBASH     Pt.     Ltd.     Farm     and     thrKthidpilrf     F.irm
Development S, C. Farm. 
♦’ H V ■ ’ ’
V,3
ECOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE CHOPS BREAKDOWN BY PRESENT KNOWLEDGE OF TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND MARKET DEMAND
•
------ L
W
(b)
M
(4)
{*>
Crop*
(•»
(b)
(c)
W)
Crop*
Cara ale
> M&lia
- Rica
- Sorshum
- Whwt
Fiber Cs o p»
A
x
Oil Sa«da (Cool }
-       Ground rat*
-       Nang
-       Raps
Safflower
*      Samme Soya be Ana
Sus^ltfwar
Pulaaa
X
X
X
3C
X
X
X
X
,r
X
X
X
X
X
X
« Cotton
- Kemal
- JiH®
-    Ramie
-    Slot
Fodder Cffu^a
X
X
X
X
X
X
- AUiUi
- Elephant
|T»U
- Sudan icr>»B F ruit Tr«»
X
X
X
X
X
-       Be*na
♦ Chick pale
-      Lentil a
»      Pena
5utfiT ind Stdrri^
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
l*au
r -        Su.|*r cjuia Tobacco
Vagaubblaa end
X
X
X
- AvDc-ldo
pa* re
- Bananaa
- Cltruv
- Cuatarda
- Datao
- Crapea
- Cufl v*
- M*»i qm*
- P*P*T*«
- Pa talon frulta
- PinapplBi
’ Spondlae
Oil Saade
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Spice*
-       Elamia
Cafabafa*
-       Carr ala
-       Cucumber ■ EgjpUat
-       'Garden b*at» - Green ba*FM'
Cwn pn*
•       Larttu^a
-■     Marcia#
-      Onion j
Paprika
-       Potatos a
-       Pusnpldjia
-       Sweat patatoa# - Tomato**
■ -       Wlt*r majfins
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
- Cftator beam
<•)
(M
(<0
(-)
Sa» i*ki.
«XKX
XKxNkXX4
3  CONDITIONS OF PRODUCTION AND SELECTED
ANTICIPATED YIELDS (1)
Irrigated agriculture in the Middle Awash Valley is of relatively recent
origin, while the Melka Warar Experimental Station, where fairly sys
tematic observations have been macle on the various aspects and pro
blems of a number of cultivated species was only started in 1966, Thus
only a relatively small number of crops considered as ecologically suit
able - and among these only relatively few varieties - have so far been
examined - and for the species considered some of the essential agro-
nomic problems still require elaboration.
It is therefore impossible, for the time being, to say whether the con
sistency and frequency of the agronomic practices recommended as a
result of trials made, or because they have been accepted by farmers
in existing irrigated areas, are really the optimum ones in the local
environment. Nor is it possible to affirm whether the yields at present
obtained are the highest possible. However, for the purposes of the
present study only those technical practices will be considered that have
already been experimented at Melka Warar or adopted by the farms al
ready operating in the Middle Awash Valley. Similarly, for yields,
only the levels already reached in sufficiently acceptable and well-
proven conditions will be taken.
3.  1 SOIL CONDITIONS
The soil studies (see Part II, Vol, 2) have shown that, with
regard to the agronomic aspects, the basic characteristics of
the arable lands in the Project Area may be summarized as
follows (2).
(1)        For    sources    and    fuller    details    on    the    subjects    in    this    para graph, see Appendix 1.
(2)         For     the     representative     examples     of     the     physical     and     chemi cal    properties    of    the    arable    land    classes    present    in    the    IrEi_ gation Areaisee Table-6-
3.1.1 Physical Nature
The largest group of arable soils included in the Area - about half - is of a relatively loose nature, consisting mainly of
clay-loam with moderate clay content. These soils can be
easily worked and are well drained while for the require
ments of vegetal life they offer the best conditions of permea
bility.
A second group - about 30% - consists of loamy or clay-loam soils, offering some resistance to penetration by farm imple ments, with mainly slow drainage. A third and final group consisting of the remaining soils - is made up of loam-clay
and clay soils offering considerable resistance to implements
if worked in dry conditions with very slow drainage.
None of the soils of the first three classes of the land classifica tion applied to the Project Area have physical properties which would preclude satisfactory development of the preselected crops, even if the more clayey soils, which combine slow drainage with a high pH value and with relatively strong salt concentrations, will require particular care in laying out the land, special pro visions for future irrigation and high efficiency in the drain
age arrangements.
3.1.2 Nutritive Elements
Organic matter, although present in small quantities, is typi fied by its mainly uniform distribution. It is concentrated in the surface horizons in the coarser soils but has a better and more diffuse distribution in the vertisols where, due to crack ing. fine particles of the topsoil precipitate deep down at the beginning of the rains. This mechanical omogenization is also responsible for the relative uniformity of these soils with re spect to both physical and chemical properties.-7-
Chcmical fertility, in its turn, on the basis of the methods
of analysis used,is limited with regard to the available phos
phates, whereas in particular for the saline soils, it is high
in potassium. This content will, moreover, drop appreciably
as leaching is effected since reference is made specifically to
the quota of soluble potassium. The exchangeable potassium
is, on the other hand, stronger and more lasting and this should
be relied upon to satisfy the nutritional requirements of the
crops. In short, even the chemical fertility is, as is the or
ganic fertility, quite uniformly distributed in the Area’s arable
soils and although the analytical data obtained show that at
least nitrogen and phosphate fractions are not present in large
quantities, the fact needs to be stressed that, as will be more
fully discussed below, tests conducted at the Melka Warar Sta
tion have shown that cotton, maize and groundnuts give no
marked increase in production on joint, or separate, applica
tion of nitrogen, phosphates and potassium. This means that
the availability of essential nutritive elements accessible to the
plants does not represent a limiting factor in the soils in ques
tion for the satisfactory development of the preselected crops.
Alkalinity  and salinity.  The pH is never less than 7  and goes up to  9  or more only  in the saline and alkaline soils,  included in Land Class 6. and thus not included in the arable lands.
Calcium is the dominating cation in the exchange complex. The good influence of this element well balances, in the deeper horizon of certain soils, the presence of higher amounts of ex changeable sodium, and in some cases also of magnesium. Cal cium sulphate in the form of crystals of gypsum is often pre sent in the more salty horizons or profiles, and certainly im proves the permeability and the fertility status of these soils.
Whereas the accentuation of alkalinity is not therefore an un favorable element for the productive possibilities of the species selected for the arable lands of the Area, the salinity of the Subclass 2 (a, st, sd, std) and 3 (st, sd, std) is a restricting factor for the development possibilities of a number of crops and a very serious factor indeed for the use of Class 4 for a- gricultural purposes in general.- 8 -
In cases where the specific electrical conductivity is greater than 4 mmhos, the land must be, in fact, classified as saline
and therefore the problem of leaching arises. Leaching would require a fair length of time and fairly energetic measures ac cording to the amount of salt present and to the permeability
of the soils themselves.
Under the present state, it must be considered that the lands ascribed to saline Subclasses are not immediately suitable for growing tobacco and groundnuts, whereas they can, with cer tain reservations, grow maize and even better cotton and veg etables. However, for these Subclasses, the salt content is not very high and the removal of this limitation may be accomplished with two to three years of growing under irrigation a more saline tolerant species, which in this particular case, could be cotton. The contrary is the case of Class 4, for which the high salt concentration imposes a severe limitation so that the possible use for agricultural purposes is for truck crops; alternatively, their use could be postponed following a leaching treatment,
in turn followed by cultivation of saline resistant crops, such as cotton.
Whereas the considerations set out above refer to the salt con tent of the soil up to depth of about 40 cm, the soil investiga tions have shown the presence of salt in sometimes higher quantities at greater depths, so that this, although not affect ing the expected productivity, will require particular care in land preparation and water management. Furthermore this
is a limiting factor for tree crops.
3. 2 LAND PREPARATION
All the experience and irrigation farming effected in the Middle Awash Valley have been carried out on the basis of mechaniza tion of all land preparation operations. For this reason, the same technique is taken in the assumptions and in the computa tions which follow.I- 9 -
, rhe ohvsical conditions of the dif-
To assess the influence o {erent types of soil present m
irrigated area on the tilling
required (when the dif-
times.    well as on type of Hl g * 
a9
SoU Map
-r;::.         ”
1****
and loose soils, as follows:
• —
Loose Soils
Firm Soils
Unit 5
I .QAIll
Unit 3
Unit 1
Unit 4
Unit 2
Unit 1
Unit 6
U ni t 11
Unit 9
On the basis of this breakdown farm soils would represent about 20%  of the arable area,  loams about 30%  and loose soils about 50%.
Il has not been possible to conduct local dynamometric tests, nor was it possible to obtain any data from previous surveys. However, on the basis of reliable data on physically similar soils and of information from some of the farms already operat ing in similar conditions in the middle valley of the Awash, it may be assumed that, when using the same implements, the work required for the normal ploughing of the firmest and of the loosest Boils in the irrigated area, can be estimated at about 10% more or 10% less respectively, compared with that necessary for tilling loams (1). The times adopted when calculating cultivation costs, set forth in Chapter 4,are a weighted average which take account of the proportion of the var ous types of soil present in the Project Area and calculat-
dif fc renecs
(1) these umerences are acceptable lor soils
b causVVtT tHe right moisture content for tilling
the local
e«ort needed L mi Xm i, U that required by loams. 
° f "J6" nf‘"1Chin®M Which typifies
Vl l> dlfferent from
**- 10 -
ing that half the farm soils are worked when their moisture content makes them suitable for tilling, and half are not.
For the land tilling scheme, variations in the phys
ical nature of the soils would only be appreciably noticeable during the operation, which come between the end of the cotton growing cycle and the beginning of the next cycle. Information obtained from well organized farms with soil conditions similar to those in the middle valley of the Awash points to the advisabi lity of always ploughing the land after the cotton crops has been taken in. It is then harrowed some 3 or 4 months later when the next crop is to be sown; loose soils being harrowed once and firm soilB and loams twice. Here again the proportions of the various types of soil were taken into consideration when com- puting cultivation costa.
Table 3 shows the number and characteristics of the prepara tory works recommended for the main crops considered in the Project Area.
3. 3 CULTURAL OPERATIONS
3. 3. 1 Sowing
Planting Time - As already mentioned (see Chapter 2), the data available do not show that the climatic conditions are likely to hinder or prevent to any appreciable extent agri cultural production suitably aided by irrigation. However, specific experiments carried out in this respect have shown that the final outcome of any given crop depends mainly on the
owing period, and that for almost all the crops there is one period or more than one period for optimum planting. The sowing periods of the principal species considered have thus
een carefully examined on the basis of the experimental re sults or of acquired practical experience.PRLPAIlATOM V WORKS RECOMMITS DLD FOR MAZN CROPS
coni:di urn in the study am la
- II -
LrM*J- 12 -
For the majority of the crops examined, it appeared that,
from a strictly climatic point of view, the optimum sowing
period varies, to a greater or lesser extent, around June 15
or November 15. There are also periods of tolerance which
usually considerably extend the optimum periods indicated.
At times the sowing period must also be considered in rela
tion to the period when harvesting will take
place, when particular climatic conditions may be required
or may interfere with the desired qualitative characteristic s
in the product. Special sowing periods should also be adopt
ed for crops whose product is meant for export in the fresh
state, for in this case the availability of the product must
coincide with the period when suitable market conditions oc
cur.
Table     3     shows     the     optimum     and     tolerated     planting     period     limits, on tte biBis of available data, for the main crops considered.
Planting distances - The experiments carried out locally to determine the planting densities and distances of the various species grown are relatively few and limited to a small num ber of crops. The sowing distances suggested refer at all events both to the results of these experiments and to obser vations and information acquired from practical experience in the Area. (Ser Table 3 for the sowing or planting distances for some of the principal crops considered).
Planting Systems - It is foreseen that the seeding of nearly all the cultivated species may in practice take place by ma chine (see Chapter 4). Transplanting for the species which require a seedbed for their early development stages is at present always performed by hand, and it is considered that this system will be maintained also in the near future.
_1 reatment of seed before planting - In the scheme considered for the Project, pre-planting seed treatment is planned only for cotton, since the plant health situation advises in favor of such treatment. While the known situation for the other crops does not at present indicate the necessity for pre-sow-13 -
ing 
ti
ol.
situation should
lliv      other      spvcicH,      it      is      slrcsscd be constantly watched in order to
that the take prompt
action should such need arise.
Seed supply - At present the seed of some of the major crops grown on the commercial farms in the Middle Awash Valley is imported, while that of others is produced locally. The imported seed also has the drawback of being very expensive(l), while that produced locally is mainly obtained from the pro duct as a whole, with no thought to selection, and hence gives very little or no guarantee as to purity and quality. It will thus be highly advisable that, at least for the essential crops, the competent Authority studies and actuates a program for the most convenient and economic local production of the re quired seeds. A program of this sort for cotton at the Melka Warar Research Station is considered highly appropriate.
Varieties used - It has already been shown that the number
of varieties tried out is relatively small. Thus even in this respect it is not possible to state whether the variety or vari- eties.which have received attention are presently the most suit able objective choice within the vast range of existing varieties. Even though it is possible to foresee that, following further comparative tests, some fuller knowledge can be acquired in this matter, the computations which follow will be made taking into consideration only the varieties considered as being the best ones in the light of present knowledge.
3. 3. 2 Irrigation
The experiments conducted at Melka Warar up to the year 1 96 //1 968 considered irrigation only from the point of view
(1) Cottonseed, imported from Israel, costs 1 30 Eth. $ per ql in Addis Ababa. Hybrid maize seed, from Kenya, costs 100 Eth. $ per ql.- 14 -
of the times between applications, without taking into account the comparative effect of the quantities of water individually applied or the overall applications for the various crops examin ed in this respect.
Since the above date some observations have also been made on the irrigation quantities applied per application and in toto. for some of the main crops, but the data acquired cannot yet be con sidercd sufficient to deduce any precise guidelines. Neverthe less. the assessment of these initial data, together with the interpretation of the irrigation practices adopted by the best* run local farms, makes it possible to recommend certain tech niques and irrigation applications which, pending adequately tried and tested experimental data, are deemed valid for Project conditions, and which are moreover substantially borne out by the theoretical calculations applied to the local soil and climatic conditions (see Part II. Vol. 4. Chapter 1).
3. 3. 3 Crop Care
Weeding * The presence of a considerable weed problem is to be stressed in the existing irrigated farms. Local experi
ments carried out using chemical weedkillers do not for the moment seem to have led to very satisfactory results, so it
is foreseeable that the problem will continue to be tackled
as at present, at least in the coming few years, with mecha nical weeding completed by hand operations, or with hand weeding alone.
To sum up, the scheme formulated for the implementation of the Project provides for the mechanical performance of all weeding operations in the interfiles between crops, with the sole exception of tobacco, where operations will have to be manual to avoid the risk of damaging the leaves. Weeding along the rows of cotton, where considered necessary, will
at all events be performed by hand. Earthing is envisaged by mechanical means for all crops requiring it, except in the case of tobacco, for which the operation must be done manual ly for the reason mentioned above.- 15 -
Table 3 indicates the type and number of crop care operation, recommended for the principal species.
Pe-gt treatments - Parasites, especially insect pests, and fungus diseases constitute for many crops (and above all for cotton) a serious drawback which conditions the possibility
of obtaining profitable yields. The ability to effectively con tain the damage by using insecticides and pesticides and the systems of application which have been discovered relative ly recently, have constituted and constitute one of the essen tial methods to attain the yields discussed today.
While pest control over extensive areas requires the use of aircraft, it seem* worthwhile pointing out that the rate and amount of applications should be effected according to a pre arranged schedule drawn up by competent personnel and for mulated on the basis of an exact knowledge of the species of pest present and of the essential characteristics of their bio logical cycle, rather than left to the unprepared opinion ex pressed from time to time by the farmers concerned.
Fertilization - The problem of fertilization has been only part ly investigated, while for certain crops no investigation has in fact been made. Most of the trials conducted at Melka Warar have, however, shown a relatively feeble and on occasion nil or even negative reaction of crops to fertilizers. This gives,
at least in the light of present knowledge, apparent reason to the current practice in the Middle Awash Valley, which does not provide for any application of fertilizer on most seasonal crops.
More accurate fertilization tests were carried out at the Melka Warar Experimental Station on the cotton, maize and ground nut crops in the 1968/1969 agricultural year, and these con firmed what had already emerged, namely that they do not respond to the application of N. P and K.
It was therefore decided not to foresee any application of fer tilizers to these crops during the early years of the Project, since the lands had never been under cultivation previously.- 16 -
On the other hand, it was considered that some fertilization
would be required as from the 7th year of cultivation, with
the application of formulas which - lacking any reliable in
dications - have been derived from the general outlines con
tained in the SRI study (1) with regard to cotton, maize and
groundnuts; while for tobacco they were deduced from ex
periments carried out elsewhere in similar environmental
conditions.
In any case it should be pointed out that reference to the make-
up of the fertilization formulas to be introduced as from the
7th year of Project activity should, from the technical stand
point, be looked upon as purely indicative at this stage. The
quantification referred to in Chapter 4 was expressed specific
ally to meet the need to quote a certain figure to cover the as
sumed cost of fertilization which could be adopted in the second
period of the life of the Project. It is clear that the effective
make-up of the formulas to be applied toward the end of the
first period will be those shown to be convenient by the tests
which will continue at the Melka Warar Experimental Station,
or by other sufficiently reliable substitute tests.
An interesting confirmation of the claim that the crops in que
stion, grown by irrigation in the Awash Valley with the applica
tion of fertilizers, will respond positively in a certain number
of years, has emerged from the results of a series of fertiliza
tion tests on cotton conducted at Tendaho as part of the national
investigation program laid down and controlled by the Institute
of Agricultural Research. From these tests, carried out on
lands continuously under cotton for seven years, there was
finally a marked response to the application of nitrogen, al
though analogous applications in previous years had not shown
any appreciable consequences on the yields of this crop.
(1)      Stanford      Research      Institute      -      Potential      Fertilizer      Demand in    Ethiopia,    by    H.    M.    Benedict    and    S.    A.    Cogswell,    April 1968, SRI Project IV - 6350.- 17 -
super -
of saline
3. 3.4
Regarding the type of fertilizers to apply when the add^iorl
of one or more nutritive elements to the soil is advisable
is as well to bear in mind that, given the beneficial effect
which will always be provided by gypsum under local condi
tions. phosphorus should be applied in the form oi
phosphates while it is best to avoid the application
fertilizers on soils which are already salt.y.
Harvesting Operations and Farm 1 reatment of the
Harvesting operations - Harvesting is now, according to local practice, carried out entirely by hand and it is assumed that
all harvesting operations on the Project-grown crops should -
at least in the time span considered by the study - be carried
out manually.                   The sole exception is the preliminary oper ation during groundnut harvesting, which consists in uprooting the mature plants, removing most of the residual soil from the
nuts and from the root apparatus of the harvested plants, and
in windrowing the plants from several rows for the initial dry ing of the product, required prior to the subsequent hand strip ping of the nuts. These operations, carried out by a single
run of the machine with the help of two easy to use pieces of
equipment, mz, a digger and a shaker, «an.in tact » unven ion I -
J.V bf rnci b i. i 'cc ven with ’he lov. < os*t <i| labor prevailing
(sw Glia ptv i 4).
Farm treatment of the product - It is envisaged that only the essential operations for the preservation or initial marketing
of the product will be carried out on the farm, and that all
other operations will be performed externally to the farm.
That is to say, the normal drying and grading of harvest will
be done on the farm, in the threshing spaces or stores form
ing part of the normal farm premises, but there will be no special technological processing performed on the farm, with the sole exception of tobacco, for which it is planned that the Commercial Farms will make individual or group arrange ments to deal with the drying and initial processing of the pro duct, which will then be delivered to the Monopoly dried, graded and baled.
Product- !8 -
anticipated yields
To make an assessment of the average yields obtainable for
the principal crops consndered when the Project is in opera
tion, the following essential details are first considered sepa-
rately and then the results arc coordinated;
Results of tests performed at Melka Warar.
Average      yields      obtained      on      the      Commercial      Farms      visited in the Area or nearby.
Evaluation of the ecological and pedological conditions of the Area  compared with those of the crops for which the productive data have been registered.
Evaluation of the conditions of work efficiency and of run
ning the farms where the present data are obtained, com
pared with, the expected average efficiency in the future
Project farms.
On the basis of a prudent evaluation and an elaboration of the
data obtained, the average yields obtainable in the first ten
years of Project activity have been estimated, as indicated in
the column entitled ’’1st Period’1 in Table 4.
After this first period it is assumed that, due to an ensemble
of improvements, the average yields will increase somewhat
and that, in the second period of the Project life, they will
reach the figures given in the column entitled M2nd
Period in the same Table 4. It is expected that the improve
ments mentioned will derive essentially from:
The streamlining of agricultural techniques in general,
due to fresh results from investigations, and to improved
knowledge, enhanced capacity of farm managers, and
greater skill with practice on the part of the labor.
The      use      of      better      selected      reproductive      material      more suitable for the environmental conditions.- 19 -
The ensemble of expected benefits from ten years of works and irrigation practice on formerly virgin soils partly characterized by relatively high alkalinity and salinity conditions.
AVERAGE YIELDS EXPECTED FOR SELECTED CROPS (in ql/ha)
Table 4
Crops
1 st Period
2nd Period
Beans (dry seeds)
Cotton (seed cotton)
Groundnuts (shelled)
Maize (dry seeds)
Tobacco (dry leaves)
Vegetables (fresh)
10
16
20
30
15
300
16
22
25
40
1 7
380
Furthermore, with regard to qualitative characteristics, the average income from tobacco, referred to present prices, can be assumed to rise from Eth. $ 130 to Eth. $ 190 per quintal (see Part IL Vol. 6).- 20 -
4. CULTIVATION COSTS
4. 1 INTRODUCTION
Interviews with enterprises presently engaged in irrigated agri culture in the Upper and Middle Awash basin provided the first indications on the techniques used at present in cultivating crops, as well as on cultivation costs for each crop. For a number of crops (e. g. cotton, tobacco, citrus fruit) more than one source of information could be tapped and compared. For others, only one source could be tapped. Full cooperation was obtained on this subject by the Consultants at Wonji, Metehara, Nura Era, Abadir and Awara Melka. The information obtained was sifted, checked and completed on the basis of other data collected in Ethiopia, and on the basis of Italconsult's own agronomic experi ence. Tables 5-11 show the cultivation costs per ha for all the crops which were considered as candidates for cultivation in Melka Sadi - Amibara. Originally, a similar elaboration had been carried out also for citrus fruit, beans (dwarf), berbere and other minor crops. These elaborations did not justify a further check, as the crops to which they referred were discarded as unprofit able (see below, Chapter 5) or not sufficiently tested and have not been included in the Final Report. Previous progress reports showed them, however, and they were considered by the Steering
Committee.
4. 2 CROP COSTS
Tables    5-11    show    the    time    and    cost    of    machine    and    labor    for    each cultural operation.
The estimates were derived from actual experience, and were checked by means of supervised operations on some of the farms of the Area. Care was taken to avoid the application of the re sults of supervised tests directly to Lhe estimates of costs, andALFALFA - CULTIVATIONCOTTON - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA(Eth S)
Wark Hours
Operation!
kta chine
and
Implement
Machine
Hours
Machine and
Implement
Cost
per Hour
Foreman
Skilled
Unskilled
Total
Machine and Input
Costs
Total Labor
Costa
(Market Rated
Total Cost
(Market
Rates)
Total Labor
Costs
(Real Rales)
Total Cost (Real Rates)
Ploughing
Harrowing
Furrowing
Ditching
Einiching of ditches
Sowing: seed
Sowing: operation!
Irrigation!
Resowing: operation* Resowing: seed
Weeding
Thinning
Pest control! operations Pest control: materials
Watchmen
Harvesting and transport to storage
Residue removal Drying to storage
TOTAL
Fertilising materials | Fertilising: operations |
65 HP 3. d.
65   HP20   d harrow
65   HP
furrower
65   HP
ditcher
-
•
65 HPdrill
3. 90
1. 10
0. 92
0. 10
4. 69
4. 89
4. 56
4. 59
•
•
J. 90
1. 10
0. 92
0. to
3. 90
-
•
-
4. 98
-
•
0. 92
32. 00
4. 90
12.00
3. 30
•
-
•
-
-
-
18.00
2 00
-
•
-
0. 92
0. 10
3.20
-
0.92
121. 00
24. 00
-
200. 00
32. 00
•
-
96. 00
540. 00
160. 00
46.00
18. 29
5.38
4.20
0 46
-
-
•
65 HP
cultivator
•
aircraft
•
•
-
-
0. 92
•
-
-
5.30
-
5.25
4. 58
•
•
2. 50
16. 17
•
21.00
93 80
•
-
-
-
•
-
2. 22
0. 45
0. 52
0. 06
0. 50
-
0. 52
30. 98
3. 74
-
36 69
4.99
-
•
14. 98
90 43
25 65
7 18
20. 51
5. 83
4. 72
0. 52
0.50
5.25
5. 10
30. 98
3. 74
2. 50
52 86
4. 99
21. 00
93. 80
14. 98
90. 43
25.65
7. 18
2.02
0.45
0.48
0. 05
0. 34
-
0 48
24 58
2. 54
-
26.69
3.39
-
•
10. 18
63 63
17.65
4 88
20.31
5. 33
4.68
0.51
0. 34
5.25
5. 06
24. 58
2. 54
2. 50
42. 86
3. 39
21. 00
93. 80
10.18
63. 43
17.65
4. 88
10. 24
64. 00
10. 24
1.235 04
28. 00
171.63
90. 10
-
218. 91
4. 37
390. 54
90. 10
4. 37
157. 16
2. 97
328.79
90. 10
2.97GROUNDNUT -CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA(Eth. $)
T------ -----
Work Ifoura
Operation*
Machine
and
Implement
Machine
Hours
Machine and Implement
Coat
per Hour
Foreman
Skilled
Unskilled
Total
Machine and Input
Costa
Total Labor
Coats
(Market Rat«»
Total Coal
(Market
Rates)
Total Labor
Coats Real R a tee)
Total Cott Real Rates)
Ploughing
Harrowing
Land leveling
Ditching
Finishing of ditches
Sowing: seed
Sowing* operations
Irrigations
Weeding
Watchmen
Harvesting
Stripping
Transport to storage
TOTAL
Fertilising: materials Fertilising operations
65 HP
3-d plough
65 HP
20-d harrow | 65 HP
leveler
65 HP
ditcher
•
65 HP drill
-
65 HP
cultivator
-
65 HP digger-shaker
-
65 HP
trailer
3 00
i. 10
0.55
0. 10
4 69
4.89
5. 04
4. 59
-
-
-
•
3.00
I. 10
0. 55
0. 10
-
-
•
-
0. 92
-
3. 30
4.98
-
4. 90
•
28 00
12. 00
0. 92
-
3. 30
•
1. II
-
4. 91
-
2. 25
-
4. 97
-
•
8. 00
-
•
1. 11
•
2. 25
3. 00
•
•
0. 10
3. 20
0. 92
U2. 00
200.00
96. 00
80. 00
320. 00
16. 00
14,07
5.38
2. 77
0. 46
•
45. 00
4. 58
-
16. 17
-
5 45
•
U. IB
1 71
0. 45
0. 23
0. 06
0. 50
-
0. 52
27. 10
36.69
14. 98
12. 94
52.67
3. 43
15 78
5 83
3. 00
0. 52
0. 50
45. 00
5. 10
27. 10
52. 86
14.98
18. 39
52.67
14 61
1. 56
0. 45
0. 23
0. 05
0. 34
•
0.48
21.50
26.69
10. 18
8. 94
36.67
2.63
15.63
5. 83
3.00
0. 51
0. 34
45.00
5. 06
21. 50
42. 8b
10. IB
14. 39
36.67
13. 81
12. 33
48.00
12.33
831.22
105.06
53 20
151. 28
4 00
•
0. 62
256 34
53. 20
0.62
109.72
•
0.42
214. 78
53. 20
0.42
Table 7GREEN BEANS - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA'Eth I)
Work Hours
Operation!
Machine
and
Implement
Machine
Hou re
Machine and Implement
Cost
per Hour
Foreman
Skilled
Unskilled
Total
Machine and Input
Costs
Total Labor
Costa
(MarketRat^
Total Coat
(Market
Rates)
Total Labor
Costa
(RealRates)
Total Coot (Real Rates)
Ploughing
Harrowing
Land leveling
Furrowing
D.tchmg
Finishing of ditches
Sowing: seed
Sowing; operations Fertilizing; materials Fertilising operations
Irrigations
Weeding
Pest control: operations Pest control, material
Watchmen
Harvesting
Grading
Packing (cartone)
TOTAL
65   HP   J-d plough
65 HP 20-d harrower
65   HP
leveler
65   HP
furrower
65   HP
furrower
3. 90
1. 10
0 55
0. 92
0. 10
4. 69
4. 59
5. 04
4 56
4 59
3. 90
I. 10
0. 55
0. 92
0. 10
3. 90
65 HP drill
0. 92
4 95
0 92
65 HP
cultivator knapsack
sprayer
4. 40
16 00
4. 90
0. 2)
12. 00
28 00
16. 00
4. 40
18. 29
5. 38
2 77
4. 20
0. 46
-
250. 00
4. 58
131. 20
•
-
21 56
3. 68
-
10 00
4. 00
-
0 *2
0 10
3 20
0 92
144 00
168 00
270 00
16. 00
96. 00
950 00
300. 00
-
-
-
-
120 00
2. 22
0 45
0 23
0.52
0. 0b
0. 50
-
0 52
-
26 59
35 84
49. 43
2 50
14. 98
156 32
48. 18
-
20 51
5. 83
3. 00
4. 72
0 52
0 so
250. 00
5. 10
131. 20
26 59
35 84
70. 99
6 ia
14. 98
156. 32
48. 18
120. 00
2. 02
0 45
0. 23
0.4R
0 05
0 34
-
0 48
-
19. 39
27. 44
35. 93
1. 70
10 18
107 32
33. 18
•
20. 31
583
3. 00
4 68
0. 51
0 34
250 00
5 06
I 31. 20
19 39
27 44
57. 49
5. 38
10 IB
107. 32
33 18
120.00
27. 89
70 00
11. 89
1.983.04
562 12
33B 34
900. 46
239.19
801. 3!
1
8 oiq*XSUDAN GRASS - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA (Eth I)
Manhoura
Hay
2/3 Green - l/3 Hay
r
Total Labor T
Coate Real Rates)
Green
|            --------I—
Operations
Machine
sad
Implement
1
Machine I Hours
Ma chine and
Implement Costs
per hour
Foreman
—
Shilled
f------------------- Unskilled
Tout Machine
and Inputs
Total Labor Cotta
(Market
Rates)
TotalCoat
(Market
Rates)
otal Cost (Real
Rates)
Total Coit j To (Market
Ratal)
tal Coat 1 (Real
Rates)
‘otalCoet T (Market
Rates)
otalCoet
(Real
Rates)
Ploughiog,25 cm Harrowing
Land leveling
Ditching
Finishing of
ditches
Sowing: teed Sowing: operation
. Irrigations
Weeding
Mowing
Hay preparation
Tran apart and
■forage
TOTAL
65 HF
J-d plough
65 HP
20-d barrow
65 HP
leveler
65 HP
ditcher
-
...
-
3.20
I. 10
0. 55
0. 10
....
•
3.20
1.10
0. 55
0.10
•
5. 04
4. 59
-
•
-
0. 10
15.01
5.36
2.77
0. 46
AA
5S
1
1
1
I
•
-
-
-
L, 62
0. 45
0.23
0. 06
0. 50
-
HH
AA
YY
65 HP
drill
•
•
65 HP
mower
65 HP
hay. rake
65 IIP
trailer
0. 92
-
•
20, 00
4.00
30. 00
—(
•
4.56
•
•
4 67
4.47
4.97
•
42. 50
3. 00
-
0.92
-
•
4. 67
4. 00
30. 00
•
0.92
170.00
360. 00
-
2. 00
•
44. 00
50. 00
4.20
•
-
93. 40
IT. 86
149. 10
-
0. 52
41. 14
5? 19
1. 92
1.65
19. 91
16 63
5 61
3 00
0.52
0 50
50.00
4 72
41 14
57. 19
95. 32
19 53
169 01
1.66
0.45
0 23
0. 05
0. 34
•
0.46
32. 64
39 19
1.92
1.65
IT. 71
16 67
5.63
3. 00
0. 51
0. 34
50. 00
4.66
32.64
39.19
95 32
19.53
166.61
i
?1
170. 66(i
1
0
39.87
63.50
39. 67
2, 117.42        |338.20
125.39
463. 59
96. 32
"1
414 52
454. 71
419 04          457. 64             424 15
W 176 hour*/ ha of unskilled for loading. sctUog on truck, unloading 1.200 qle. of green; 9 hours of foreman; machine as for hay.TOBACCO (VIRGINIA) - CULTIVATION CO5TS PER HAIEth. $)
Operation*
Machine
and
Implement
Machine
Hours
Machine and
Implement
Cost
per Hour
Work Hours
■i
Foreman Skilled Unskilled
Total
Machine and Input
Coots
--------------r
Total Labor
Total Cost
Costs                   (Market Market Ratee|           Rates)
.L
Total Labor I
Costa
XealRatee)
Total    Coal    1
y.eal Rates)
Ploughing. 30 im
Harrowing
Furrowing
Ditching
Finishing at ditches
T ranaplanting
Irrigation*
1 Peet control ineecUcide
Pest control: treatment
’ Disease control materials
D.sease control: treatment
Weeding
Harvesting
Residue removal
Watchmen
65 HP 3. 90
3-d plough
4 69
-
65 HP
20-d hUTDMVr
65 HP
fur rower
65 HP
ditcher
-
•
aircraft
knapsack
eprkyor
-
-
-
1. 10
0 92
0. 10
4. 69                        -
4 56                        •
4 59                        -
•
4. 00
26. 00
•
3. 90
1. 10
0. 92
0 10
3. 90
•
0. 92
0 10
4. 20
280 00
104. CO
-
•
•
40 00
480. 00
560. 00
152. 00
96 00
19 00
320. 00
-
150 00
126.00
184 00
126 00
216 00
IB 29
5. 38
4. 20
0. 46
-
-
•
20. 00
6. 00
20 00
9 20
-
•
-
-
39 76
•
225. 00
-
•
•
-
•
2. 22
0. 45
0. 52
0 06
0. 50
45 06
25. 16
-
-
-
6 24
76 12
91 49
24 40
14 98
6. 26
50. 61
2 3. 40
19. 97
59. 90
19. 97
36 4 5
20 51                         2. 02 5 63                         0. 45 4. 72                        0 40 0. 52                        0 05
0 50                         0 34 45. 06                           II 06 25 16                         19. 96
20 00
•
•
-
o IJ
6 00                        -
20. 00 |
-
40. 00
Transport to curing plant                65 HP. traits               B. 00 Grading and tying                                 -
-
4 97
-
•
10. 00
12. 00
2 CO
2. 00
-
8 00
Curing : materials
Curing : labor
Oven handling
Grading and tying
Bagging and loading
Nursery
TOTAL
Fertilising: materials
Fertilising operations
-
-
-
-
•
•
-
-
-
8. 00
15 44          |               4. 24
78. 32                        54 32
91 <9                         63 49
24 40                         16 60
14. 98                      10. 18
46 02                          5 31
50 61                       34. 61
225 00                         - 23. 40                      15. 90 19. 97                     13. 57 59. 90                     40. 70 19. 97                     13. 57 36 45                      25 65
20. 31
5 83
4 66
0 51
0. 14
31. 06
19 96
20. 00
6. 00
20. 00
13. 44
54. 32
63. 49
16 80
10. 18
45. 07
34 61
225 00
IS. 90
13. 57
40 70
13. 57
25. 65
54. 02
64. 00                   14 02
3.065 12
J4B. 29 505. <J6
SO. 00
85 4 25
352 70                  700 9^
50 00
I
4 00
1 0 62                                    0 62
50. 00
0 62 0 62
1'
Table 10VEGETABLES - CULTIVATION COSTS PER HA (EthS)
Work Hours
Operations
Machine
and
Implement
Machine
Hours
Machins   and Implement
Cost
per Hour
Total
Machine
Foreman
Skilled
Unskilled
Costa
Total Labor
Costa
M arket Rat«)
Total Cost
(Market
Rates)
Total Labor
Costa
(Real Rates)
Total Cost fceal Rates)
Ploughing
Harrowing
Furrowing
I Ditching
■ Finishing of ditches Transplanting
Fertilising: mate rials Fertilising: operations
Irrigations
Weeding
past control: ope rations Pc ■ t control: materials
Watchmen
Ha rveating
Transport
Nursery: seed
Nursery: operations
65 HP. 3*1
plough
65   HP.ZO-d harrower
65  HP
furrow* r
65  HP
ditcher
-
5.90
1. 10
0. 92
0. 10
4.69
4. 69
4.56
4. 59
-
3.90
-
-
65 HP
cultivator K napsack
4.40
19. 00
4.90
0. 23
-
•
4. 00
12. 00
28. 00
16. 00
3.90
I. 10
0. 92
0. 10
•
•
•
4.40
64. 00
65 HP.
trailer
12. 00
4.97
•
12. 00
0. 92
0. 10
3.20
280. 00
144.00
168. 00
270. 00
19.00
96.00
1.240. 00
32. 00
18.29
5 38
4. 20
0. 46
24. 00
160. 00
-
131. 20
-
-
21.56
4. 37
14.00
•
-
59 64
58. 33
-
2.22
0. 45
0. 52
0. 06
0. 50
45. 06
-
26.59
35. 84
49.43
2.96
-
14. 98
215.46
9.93
•
33.22
20.51
5.83
4. 72
0. 52
0.50
45. 06
131.20
26. 59
35. 64
70. 99
7. 33
14.00
14. 98
215.46
69. 57
58. 33
33.22
2. 02
0.45
0. 43
0. 05
0. 34
31. 06
-
19. 39
27. 44
35. 93
2.01
-
10. 18
153. 46
8. 33
25.22
20. 31
5. 83
4.68
0.51
0. 34
31.06
131.20
19. 39
27. 44
57.49
6. 38
14.00
10. 18
153.46
67.97
58. 33
25.22
TOTAL
41.42
146. 00
22.42
2.417. 12
1           117.4)
437 22
754.65
316. 36
633. 79
1- 28 -
factors    such    as    workmen's    inefficiencies,    loss    of    time    due    to    repairs, etc. were considered. The unit costs of machines are discus-
below,
Labor costs have been calculated on two different bases: a market rate, which is the wage rate applicable today in the Awash Valley, and a ’’real” rate, which reflects the economic cost of labor, the
concept of which is more fully described in Part 11,^01. 
costs have been assumed to grow over time, at the same rate of the growth in productivity, but the cost of machinery and inputs has been considered constant throughout the life of the Project.
This procedure is dictated by the necessity of projecting the economic conditions of the project against the background of an equilibrium growth process for the economy as a whole. It is
to be noted that, as a result of such an assumption, cultivation costs present a smooth rising trend, while the yields (or the productivity) of the project can rise only in leaps and bounds, depending on assumptions related to the development of the proj
ect.
6. Labor
The     degree     of     mechanization,     shown     in     Tables     5-11     is     the     result of an analysis which is more fully described below.
4. 3 MACHINE AND IMPLEMENT COSTS
Table 12 indicates the hourly cost of tractors and implements chosen for cultivation purposes in the Project Area. Only one type of tractor appears capable of performing all cultural oper
ations.
This choice was also based on present practices on irrigated farms in the Upper Awash Valley. Other implements were simi- larly chosen. Retail prices were obtained from suppliers. They are net of custom duties, from which they are - in any case - exempt. Years of life have been estimated both on the basis of present experience, and by reference to other countries with conditions similar to those prevailing in the Project Area.HOURLY COST OF MACHINES AND IMPLEMENTS
Hourly Coot (Eth. $)
Type
Retail
Price
Years of
Life
Annual
Work
Hour*
Work Hours in Life
Repairs
as % of
Price
Consumption
(lt/h/HP)
Renewal
Factor (1)
Repairs
Consumption
Total
T ractora:
65-70 HP
Implements;
Plough 3 d
Harrow 20 d
Cultivator
Ditcher
Furrower
Mower
Planter
Hay rake
Trailer
Land leveler
Knapsack sprayer
Digger shaker
12.500
5
1.800
9. 000
130
0. 10
1. 14
1. 81
1. 43
4. 18
1.550
1,550
1.050
730
1,050
1,200
1.600
900
3.000
1. 100
300
1.000
5
6
6
6
6
5
5
•
6
B
6
1. 800
900
600
750
1.200
1.500
700
1.500
1.500
300
1,400
400
9. 000
5,400
3.600
4,500
7,200
7.500
3. 500
12,000
9.000
2,400
4.200
2,400
100
100
100
50
50
100
50
50
100
75
100
50
•
0. 14
0. 22
0.23
0. 13
0. u
0. 13
0. 37
0. 05
0 26
0 32
0 06
0 32
0. 17
0. 29
0. 29
0. 08
0. 07
0. 16
0 23
0. 04
0 33
0 34
0. 07
0.21
0. 10
-
0. 31
0. 51
0. 52
0. 21
0. 18
0. 29
0. 60
0. 09
0. 59
0. 66
0 23
0. 53
(J) According to the following formulae—jy-i-jj—j— . wherein 1 » 10%.
Table 12- 30 -
Work-hours in life depend on the have been estimated on the basis (see below,Chapter 8), but averaging
annual work hours. These
of the machine work diagrams out the results of such dia-
grams, which differ according to different cropping patterns.
Machine utilization is high: this is mainly because the expect.- cropping patterns are likely to bring high rates of double crop ping This has, in fact, influenced the estimated life of the equipment, as assessed by farmers now in the Area (e. g. tractor life is normally taken at 8 years at present vs. the estimate oi
5 years in Table 12).
Again by reference to present practices, weighed against the higher utilization, has been estimated the cost of repairs expres sed as a percentage of the purchase price, and fuel consumption. The hourly cost for renewal is estimated on the basis of a normal sinking fund formula. It was preferred to calculate the renewal cost rather than the capital recovery cost, as the machine fleet will be assumed to be purchased at the time the Project starts. Hourly costs of machines - and, in general, cultivation costs as given in Tables 5-1J - are also used for the financial accounts
of future farms. However, the renewal factor is subtracted,
for such accounts, as machines are renewed as needed.
The degree of mechanization has been analyzed. The fundamental choice as to a basically mechanized agriculture is less an eco nomic problem than an agronomic one, once it is admitted that double cropping must be effected. However, even after such a fundamental decision is taken, it is still possible in principle to utilize manual methods of cultivation versus mechanized ones
in at least a few of the cultural operations.
Such choice must be made when the machine work diagrams are constructed, and therefore when the basic alternative cropping patterns have been chosen. On the other hand, alternative crop ping patterns must be set up before the machine work diagrams can be elaborated and, therefore, before the choice on which operations should be mechanized is made. To solve this vicious circle, a feedback operation was carried out. A mechanization hypothesis was used for determining cropping patterns and ma chine work diagrams; on these the mechanization choice was made- 31 -
Table 13
PRICES PAID BY FARMERS FOR AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS
Item
Unit of
Measure
Price
(Eth. $)
Fertilizers:
Complex fertilizer (NPK)
- Urea
Ammonium sulphate
i qi
i qi
i qi
29. 60
33. 00
2 0. 00
Pesticides
-     D. D. T.
-     Endrin
Cottoran      Ciba
Malathion
Dimitron Ci ba
Kara tain
Rogor
-    Nemapaz
1 It
1 It
1 kg
1 It
1 It
I kg
1 It
1 It
0. 85
3. 80
13. 50
2. 25
18. 00
11. 80
6. 50
2. 00
Seeds
Cotton
Groundnuts
Tomato
• qi
1  ql
-    Eggpla-nt
kg
Green peppers
Maize (hybrid)
Beans
kg
kg
qi
-    String beans
qi
I 30. 00
30. 00
10. 50
10. 50
14. 00
100. 00
35. 00
192. 00
Plants
Citrus fruit
Grape
Mango
Other inputs
“ Wood
i
l
l
I. 00
0. 20
I. 00
CU. tn
6. 66- 32 -
and the results were carried back to cultivation costs, to crop ping patterns and to the machine diagrams. Thus, Tables 5-I I already incorporate the mechanization choice. The latter is shown below.
4. 4 OTHER INPUTS
The requirements in seed, fertilizers and pesticides have been discussed elsewhere. Table 13 shows the price adopted for each major input. These arc prices currently prevailing in the country, rendered ex-farm.- 33 -
5. RANKING OF CROPS
As in all feasibility studies of irrigation areas where the number of ecol ogically possible crops is large, the choice of crops on which to build cropping patterns to be tested for their rates of return, requires the a- doption of criteria to make the number of alternatives small enough to
be workable. The criteria used apart from the purely agronomic con siderations already discussed above, have been as follows.
a) Market restrictions. These are of two main types: a limit to crop output determined by the size of the domestic market, when the export market is not feasible (e. g. grapes, bananas, sugar); a
limit to output determined by the absence of a crop in the consum er market of the country (c. g. rice if rice were not also excluded for agronomic reasons), when the export market is cither not fea sible or untested. The export market - for those crops that canbe exported - has generally been considered as capable? of absorbing an unlimited amount of output, mainly because Ethiopia represents a very small fraction of total world supply for virtually all the crops considered, but also because it has been assumed that there is always a price low enough to clear the market. One important exception is that of vegetables (for fuller details, see Part II, Vol ume 6).
M G_rop returns . A preliminary’ streamlined excerci.se for deter mining single crop rates of return has been carried out for those crops that are not immediately* excluded from consideration for marketing reasons.
Production costs per ha for each crop have been estimated, along with the value of saleable output. The resulting net benefit over a 30-y ar period has been compared with a very rough estimate of
e
investment costs per ha for the Project. The absolute level of such costs is, naturally, irrelevant at this stage.
rhe results (see Table 14) show that, among the crops not subject to market restriction, tobacco shows the highest return, followed by cotton and - with much lower returns - by groundnuts, maize and pulses. Livestock appears as a comparatively high-yielding activity, but, as explained elsewhere, calculations are based on•34 -
CHOICE OF CROPS
___________________
Description
rf-----------
Maize
Cotton
Livestock
Groundnuta
Beane
Tobacco
Vegetables
Investment coet per ha
(Irrigation)
(Other)
Cultivation coat per ha Revenue per h*
Net revenue per ha
Rate of return
3. 750
(J. 750)
-
241
432
Lil
3%
3.750
(3.750)
1
391
918
527
14%
6.650
(J. 750}
(2. 900)
1. 234
3,253
2. 019
17%
3. 750
(3. 750)
-
256
468
3.750
(3. 750)
•
224
391
Lkl
4%
2%
5. 020
(3. 750)
(1.270)
854
2, 080
1. 226
24%
3.750
(3. 750)
-
755
6. 080
5. 325
Tl00%
A saumptiona:
Cultivation coat*, ae per Chapter 4.
Revenue: prices and -yield* lor let 10-year period Project life: 30 ycara.- 35 -
untested assumptions. Vegetables are high return crops, but are sub- ject to market rest rictions.
With these results in hand, it is possible to start setting up cropping patterns. It is clear that, leaving aside vegetables and livestock, the leading crops are tobacco and cotton. Other crops should be dealt with as rotational adjuncts, always taking into account, however, their rel ative profitability.
No substantive judgment needs to be passed, in this Report, on the re sults of Table 14 or on the manner of calculation: this was only a sim plifying passage that permitted restriction of the alternatives to the really principal ones. A substantive judgment should be passed, rather, on the alternative cropping patterns discussed below.- 36 -
6 . alternative cropping PATTERNS
In     this     Feasibility     Study     the     P"nc^1“     °'     "     ”     eg     rei-of     "Liability     ol     all reliability has been adopted In addition the d gre
the data must be approximately the same, in
, 
■ • j
or     practical     work     has     already     been     done     on     the     crops     considers indicate that with the techniques adopted, they are
,
satisfactory       yields.       Naturally,       the       possibility       of       marketing       the       harvest, has also been borne in mind.
discussions on ecologically possible crops, the results
After the above-----------------
of      the      single      crop      profitability      indicators      .’.nd      the      market      .ng
analysis,     the     following     crops     have     been     chosen     as     Candida     ted up possible cropping patterns for the Project Area:
Tobacco
Cotton
Maize
- Groundnuts
Vegetables
Results obtained so far indicate that tobacco will be the basic crop in the economy of the irrigation district over the coming years. From
the economic point of view, cotton comes immediately behind tobacco.
Other crops, such as maize and groundnuts, are destined to play some thing of a supporting role determined by the need to rotate the crops and the convenience of making available items for local consumption. They will also complete certain crop calendars and help ensure that
the best possible use is made of the technical means and manpower available. Vegetables have been included due to their high profitability, even though marketing uncertainties exist as to total saleable quantities . This implies that restrictions should be imposed on the total area to be put under vegetables. Green peppers and eggplants have been taken as representatives of a variety of vegetables; these do not include green jeans, which appear to have a slightly lower profitability and to have opportunities for cultivation in other areas in Ethiopia.
•or setting- 37 -
The proportion oi the
established as 1
ience, has been cl
^ThUb.'ror^oX-
the  rotation". Although in table 15
. hies i■ set immutably at 1 0% ol the eultl-
the area given over to -^’■•/X. oTe,eb notation, it should be vable    area    in    all    seasons
noted that:
in reality  vegetables
is excluded from the
uses;
have been allocated their own fixed area which succession of the other productive or cultural
since vegetables are destined for export (mainly to the European
market which requires produce roughly between November and May)
they must be considered as occupying the land from September to
May, various plots being planted out at 2-3 week intervals (1).
With respect to  the seasonal breakdown of the agricultural year adopt ed,  vegetables will essentially  be on the field from the second half of the first season to  the end of the second,  though effectively  the whole surface area  destined for vegetables is only  occupied by  one crop per year.
The prospect of cultivating citrus or other fruits has been shelved for the moment. In the case of ’’other fruits” this has been done because
it is felt that the internaL market cannot absorb more than is produced at present and that future growth in demand can be met by relatively small increases in the areas where these fruits are presently cultivat
ed; furthermore, no concrete possibilities of the production being placed on the export market are apparent. In the case of citrus - as shown by experience on the Awara Melka farm - the crop would be harvested be tween August and January and so there would be no possibility of export- ing the product over at least half of the period; moreover, for the time being the local market could not absorb the production. Experiments and tests should certainly be run to ascertain the best species, varieties and cultivation practices with a view to ensuring that at least 80% of the total output could be placed on the European market at the right time.
(l)
out after 45-50 days.
S f:edl
l: : *
g      OUld bC grOWn in a 8e
P arate nursery and planted- 38 -
However, unti! more i. known about these aspects it is not thought that large areas should be put under citrus.
The idea of growing fodder on the commercial farms to promote the raising of livestock has also been set aside for the moment. This> wtU
be taken up again when the results of local tests are known and other data arc available.
On the basis of the foregoing a number of alternative cropping patterns have been worked out which are deemed suitable for commercial farm ing (see Table 15).
Possible cropping patterns for the first ten years of the Project .ire discussed below:
Model Al is a bi-seasonal (annual) rotation and consists of cotton,
grown during the first season of the year overlapping into part
of the second, followed by fallow in the remaining part ot the second season. The usual proportion of land is kept for vegetables outside ro tation. Only 10% of the land is occupied in the second season of the year.
Model B 1 is an eight-season (four year) rotation for two years of which (not consecutive) tobacco is grown in. both seasons; one year with ground nuts in the first season and maize in the second, and one year with ground nuts in the first and fallow in the second. There is the usual area under vegetables outside rotation. 75.5% of the area is occupied in the second season.
Model C 1 is a twelve-year rotation with four years of tobacco in both seasons, three years of cotton followed by fallow, three years of ground nuts followed by maize and one year of groundnuts followed by fallow. The usual proportion of land outside rotation is assigned to vegetables and in the second season 62.5% of the land is occupied.
The main essential criteria considered in drawing up the above rotations are as follows:
Leaving  a  sufficient lapse of time between the end of the start of the subsequent one to  enable the nccessa tion works to be properly performed.
one crop and ry land prepara-«KVBCTKD CHOrRMG PATTCTW FOR rOWMttCiU. FARM#
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*M rahK.ta4.rM ..' .1 taai m»« M>^a4 W «XmM«O ”***”' *“’• «m irtl
H      y «Ml |.
• ■e]wa«v«l  M.tw«
y                4A
Nv«  nb«r aa4 M*r, Tta. «■»»> ■*
a(
------------------------ .... - ------------------------------------ „ ~any crop
Suboydinately. keeping cotton from immediately following tobacco.
providing    for    the    occupation    of    a second season of the year (I ).
reasonable part of the land in the
Ensuring that tobacco is produced in both seasons of the year so
as to extend the period in which the costly drying and curing plant
can be utilizcd.
While the cropping patterns described are considered the best ones on
the basis of present knowledge, it is quite possible that they may be
subject to variation in the not too distant future, due to.
Additional technical and experimental results which will permit a
wider range of possible crops to be considered and provide a more
thorough knowledge of the techniques to be used.
Improvements in the capacity of the local farmers and in the tech
niques adopted, which will ensure that the recommended practices
are more closely adhered to and that the means available are put
to better use.
Possible developments in the market conditions which may indicate
new crops to be grown.
As a result of these factors it is to be expected not only that the range
of possible crops will be increased, but also that the intensity of the
cropping patterns will increase likewise i.e. the proportion of land oc
cupied in the second season of the year.
It has been assumed that, by the end of the ten-year period the cropping
patterns may undergo considerable evolution, with an appreciable in
crease in the area on which more than one crop will be grown during
*
the same year, 
(1)     By    the    first    season    of    the    year    is    understood    in    this  context       the
six-month       period       June-November,       while       the       second December -May.
season is- 41
The following cropping patterns are consequently envisaged for the sec
ond period:
Model A2; this gives a six-season (threc-year) rotation having one year with tobacco in both seasons and two years with cotton, one followed by fallow and another followed by groundnuts (1). The proportion of vegeta bles outside rotation remains unchanged, and the proportion of the irri gated area occupied in the second season of the year will
Model B2: is a six-season (threc-year ) rotation consisting of two years with tobacco in both seasons and one year with groundnuts in the first and maize in the second season. Tobacco is repeated on the same land for four consecutive seasons. Unless the plants arc infected by pests which cannot easily be controlled this should be no drawback, especially since the tobacco will by then be suitably fertilized*
Since the rotation includes only short-cycle crops, it is considered that
in the meantime the organization and techniques used will have been suf-
(1) It Should be stressed that at present and for the first period it would not be possible to follow cotton with another crop in the second sea-- 42 -
(iciently modernized to enable the whole ot the cultivable area to be larm-
ed e^n during the second .eason o, the year. The u.ua! proport.on of
land outside the rotation is reserved for vegetables.
Model C2: is a six-year rotation with vegetables outside rotation, as in
all the other cases. It consists of three years with tobacco in both sea
sons. a year of cotton followed by maize, a year of cotton followed by
fallow and a year of groundnuts followed by maize. As with the BZ, in
this model too tobacco is grown during four successive seasons on the
same ground.
Compared with Model Cl, Model C2 essentially has a ^0% increase in the
amount*/ land under trbscco with a corresponding 50% reduction in that un
der groundnuts and that for fallow. There is also a 20% increase in the
area cultivated in the second season of the year because of the foregoing
variations, taken as a whole.
As mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs, in the areas shown by the
Soil Survey to be suitable for irrigated agriculture, the selected crops
will not come up against limitations that cannot be obviated by techniques
and crop care forming part of ordinary farming me thods, in the physical na-
ture of the soils (which in no case possess impervious characteristics
such as to condition the development of the respective species below the
level required to obtain the average yields considered). Nor will they be
limited by the presence and distribution of essential nutritive elements,
which appear to be distributed relatively uniformly in all the soil types
conside red.
1     he     conditioning     element     present,     is,     however,     the     saline     content     of some      soils,      as      already      mentioned.      This      content      appears      immediately excessive     for     any     satisfactory     development     of     at     least     two     and     some times three of the crops selected.
i
Summarizing    what    is    set    out    in    the    appendix    section    for    the    individual crops (see Appendix 1), it is seen that;
The Class 1 lands are suitable for all the crops considered with no limitation whatever.- 43
crops as Subclass 2 s. and for the same reason.
For Class 4 lands, which arc pedologically qualified as suitable
for     "truck     items",     i.     e.     non-specified     vegetables,     it     must     be     borne in mind that of the vegetables envisaged as of interest to the Proj-
ct, only a few have a relatively high salt tolerance, while pre-
those which are most interesting (green peppers
and eggplants) have a low tolerance limit. In such a situation it
seems that rather than reserve the lands of this class permanently
for a special destination, it is best to aim at recovery of them for a
more diversified use through a process to reduce the high salt con
tent, which is the factor causing these lands to be assigned to this
class. In this context it appears useful to have recourse to a leach
ing method adopted by the HVA farm at Mctehara, where lands with
characteristics very similar to those put in Class 4 in the Project
Area have been freed from their excess salt - and consequently
made suitable for the cultivation of sugar cane - following leaching
by applying a total of 30, 000 cu. m of water per ha administered in
successive quantities of 1,000 cu.m each time. Using this system,
a difficult salt concentration down to the controlled depth of 1. 80 m
has been cleared at Metehara, and it is suggested that thin system
be applied preliminarily to the Project's Class 4 lands, allowing one
year for the operation and thereafter putting the leached land under
cotton for two years.
Since     the     salts     in     soils     of     Subclasses     2s     and3s     are     removable,     these     soils can be recovered, and arc in fact so deemed after a number of
years under irrigation in an environment in which the drainage layout is made and maintained in such a way as to ensure the maximum effi- ciency of the lands concerned.44
that it is advisable, wherever lands are cultivated for the first ?“C,,Onf;rJbaeco o be preceded for a couple of years by another crop
Xk
ton.
and which in .he specific case could well be cot-
In     short,     with     respect     to     the     diverse     land     classes     defined     for     the     Project Area, initial cropping could be represented as per Tabl 1 6.
This means that access of the soUs in Classes 2 and 3 to an
ed choice among the three cropping patterns deemed possible for the first
period can occur only in the third year after the start of cropping, while
and in Class 4 this will be in the for the lands in Subclasses 2 s and 3 s *---------------------------- ----------- -
fourth year. Thus, L. 
the whole irrigated area will be freed from limita-
„
tions regarding the crops considered possible as from
onwards.
the fourth year
In considering the cropping patterns to be selected for the Settlement Scheme, two 4-season (biennial) rotation models have been examined. Tn the former (Model A in Table 17) the main cash crop is represented
by tobacco, occupying the soil for both seasons in the first year and followed the ensuing year by groundnuts and maize. In the latter (Mo
del B in Table 17) the main cash crop is represented by cotton, the sole crop in the first year, followed in the second year by maize and ground nuts. When the final choice is made it is nevertheless thought that tobac co should be excluded, since this crop (also on the basis of experience gained in Ethiopia) is judged unsuitable for organizations of this type
which - at least in the initial stages - cannot wield the requisite com petence and accuracy of care necessary to achieve satisfactory quality. Furthemore, there exist problems of family workforce limiting the choice (see Vol. 7). For the same reason it is also considered that vegetables
for export should be excluded from the Settlement Scheme, while the settlers could grow vegetables for their personal family use in their own farm
plots. The cropping pattern recommended for the Settlement is hence ° el B. The other basic assumptions, apart from those already ex-
press edjwhich have helped to define this, are:
The farm area and the
Afars and Highlanders.
cropping pattern shall be the same for bothINITIAL CROPPING OF THE IRRIGATED AREA WITH REFERENCE TO PRESENT LAND CLASSES
Cropping Patterns Admitted
J^anci Class
Area
(ha)
1 st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
1
Glass  1
Class  2
Class  3
Subclass 2s
Subclass 3s
Class   4
Total
931
3, 149
761
8, 338
3,603
411
17, 193
AlSt
St
Al
st
st
Al
st
Al
st
Al
. st
st
st
st
I
Al                      Al
st                   St      'st
A 1           Bl            Cl
. 
st                   st         .st Al            Bl            Cl
. 
. i st               , st              st
st             st
Bl             Cl
Al
st
Al
st
Al. 
Bl             Cl
st
Al
(x)
St St
Al
st
Al
A!
st
Al
St
Al
Al             Bl             Cl
st             St
st
Al              Bl            Cl
St             St              st Al             Bi             Cl
st              st             st Al             Bl            Cl
I
st
Al BlSt Cl
st
(x) Year reserved for leaching.- 46 -
Table 1 ?
SELECTED CROPPING
PATTERNS FOR SETTLEMENT FARMS
(in %)
A
B
Description
...
1
Sea son
2nd
Season
1 st
Season
2nd
Season
Outlay of Crop Rotation
1 st year:
Tobacco
Colton
- Fallow
2nd year:
Groundnuts
Maize
Proportion of Crop Occupation
I 00
-
-
100
-
-
100
-
-
100
100
-
100
1 00
100
-
by Season
Tobacco
- Cotton
- Groundnuts
- Maize
- Fallow
Proportion of Cropped Land in
5C
-
50
-
-
50
-
50
-
—
50
50
-
-
50
50
the Two Seasons
100
100
100
50
—While retaining the ba.ic meet the ma.e of foodneed. 
.           t-Vicpttlemcnt farms should se uler,. families, in view of
h
f„r
■r Xl"-« bl. been'foJr  iavLahie to exclu^ title crop 
d
from the production programs, substituting groundnuts, which are
more profitable.
The cropping pattern 1. valid for both the first and the second period.
The     dietary     needs     of     the     Afars     in     milk     will     be     met     avoiding     livestock and fodder crop production within the settlement.
It has to be pointed out that the farm units will not be in one block but will be divided into as many plots as there are years of rotation, while
the pkts will be grouped into uniform cropping blocks as an irrigation unit and that each settler family will possess, in addition to its farm, a plot
of 500 sq. m adjoining the dwelling, where the members of the family may in their spare time grow vegetables, fruit or whatever else they
want.
To enable the relatively small workforce of the settler families to cope with the work involved in the cropping patterns, it is assumed that the intensity of mechanization in the settlements is equal to that envisaged for the commercial farms. The following operations will therefore be carried out mechanically:
all tilling and surface preparation;
sowing;
weeding and earthing (except for tobacco);
uprooting and shaking the groundnuts at harvest time;
transport to the farm-yard or to the delivery points for bulky pro- uucts (maize in cars, groundnuts, tobacco).
all”.b??”8"’ ‘hat
“">“<«• -U1 not succeed in coping with- 48 -
.....UK. and
"■* bc ,he ’ime ”
those for the Commercial Farms.
Regaling .he pr»p.«. »t
'.he Xa.'.on T."'
Scheme    in    relation    to    the    cropping    pattern
as shown in Table
18.
Table IB
START-UP OF PRODUCTION IN THE IRRIGATED AREA RESERVED FOR THE SETTLEMENT SCHEME WITH REFERENCE
TO THE PRESENT LAND CLASSES
Crops Admitted (1)
Land Classes
I st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Subclass 2s
Subclass 3s
all
all
all
cotton
cotton
all
all
all
cot. maize cot.maize
all
all
all
cot. maize l cot.maize
all
all
all
all •
all
(1) Understood to include the three crops envisaged.
The lands in Classes 1. 2 and 3 can thus accommodate all three crops en-
VCry be8inninK- while ^ose in Sub-classes 2s and 3s
ondtXX °nl” ‘Tl the
 from the fourth year, i. e
¥ "r-
and
all th
d Ve   rB   and also
*  ’           groundnuts as
i" 'he see-
th . 
P h..::- ♦'» -
CTOCKBRSKOtNO IX HU WOW >S-^
T. I CNTROOUCTION
Fr-m an I’wamic point of vi*w
.emit breeding tn
»r«.*«
in tropic
d    and    eubt    eopic    *1    cuutdrie*    „    t»o»    generally    m,pe«ieiv-,
with
.,thrr type* i>( (arming. Vhi- »• • ••*nH«Hy b*« ■»’•<” '*«
f  fl
tl      th- huh capital mrrdmwt m Hved a^*e* (’»<•<* <»"’'’•• rtddhhvtis. equipment. Mdmt fat « *
and in hv-etiM h ””l mat binary tor (i-rage cilUvation.
n the huh ««’•» •♦» •hilled worker* who mud be employed i •» '
timt<m*ly.
H th* <r*.it«r amount of watrr < otminird o» *r<iwit>4 (<*l<laf;
4) rh«t iti'ifhctt pro <d milk »n<J dairy prc»du< »*. And <•< rtmat mainly <iict<it«'<l Uy tho prit •* wkml for commu<htl»* iMp«»Ct^<i
t<»H* tar
H<‘< )
»r pr»«lu« <id on tha hunio
• r«» much inor« tompoUtivo
und*r ondith»ti« who^o
\iiuthor li<t uiif igin^ factor i* that » now 4tm kur ndflhi^ enter •jt’i • 4*>nur»ll/ ha* hi *t»irt lrr»in local annual* whu h ii’o not v«i"y pfc»* <lu< Arhiln pr adorn* pnrtaming tc> prophvlaai* aro quita <^r*-
^•h     i    nd    lha    worker*    ivailablr    <irn    m»t    at    cuatimiad    to    raiain^i
-r. mi - nr *«uni
*tfi< k. h ufthnrrriora, thn whula of thn pat
'am   nt   farm   pm<tu<   turn   boc.mrin*   vnry   vi^bt   and   l   <a   thu«   not   Wy adaptable Ccj chan^in^ market » iiulihufu,
& r .rn the very beginning uf the •tudy. U appeared that thi. wa.
• Uo th« poaiCion m the Prn|«..t Area. H»r», In Utt. are f.» he
toun<i all the bu«tc require Me high-yield crop culriMaiuu. aUag With relatively low management cud. and .lUUciently rernwi<F»B.« pri-.ee, plug the possibility of modifying the cropping pattern. t.> fit in with market trends. The very Met that hmna-grawn m-at .»- 50 -
raising of meat animals in t e ir g 
Area will have
umbered that the people who come to settle in the Area
the possibility of obtaining meat from the groups <> I
living thereabouts. They will also be able to obtain a certain
amount of animal ghee and even milk, though perhaps not all they
might require. There would not appear to be any great incentive
to produce milk because of the limited demand deriving from the
high prices the producer would have to ask to cover costs which
would certainly be high; and if the producers are not going to re ceive a sufficiently remunerative price they will certainly turn
their attention to producing other commodities offering a better
return.
There are no experimental data on stockbreeding in the Area or
thereabouts (the little information collected on raising Barka cat
tle at the Mclka Warar Agricultural Research Station is of far too
preliminary a nature to be of use). Thus, any attempt to analyze
the advantages and disadvantages of stockbreeding in general or
of taking any line in particular would be based mainly on judg ment and good common sense.
Nevertheless, it has been considered worthwhile to check whether
the expected lack of compctitivity attaching to stockbreeding in
tropical irrigation districts also occurs in the Project Area. In
any case, it has been necessary to study certain basic hypotheses
in order to examine possible solutions to the. problem of providing
milk for the Afars who will be settled here.
There are some aspects which are very difficult to assess when
attempting to frame an acceptable scheme, such as: evaluation
oi the entrepreneurial and technical ability of the farmers; the
way the local stock will react to new feeding techniques and ge
netic improvement; the way imported stock will adapt; the inci-
dence of diseases, etc.
IroiecrAreX ^ ^  ^ *  °         ‘^raising scheme for the
3   1   15         P  8Sibl<!
scheme        „  e
J ct Area has a purely tentative and theoretical basis Th.,
whlch      d  sctibcd to A
, 
U.
of produci   6 milk mea( mnk and
„                        -Bow
the- 51
The results of the analysis appear to indicate that :
. the economic results which might be obtained from stockbreed
ing could be of considerable interest, but nonetheless thrs
activity would not be really competitive with other types of
farming;
it would be better to produce just milk rather than milk and
meat, or meat alone.
Though the assumptions which have been made have, of necessity,
been pitched on the cautious side, they nonetheless serve to obtain
a general picture of the stockbreeding problem in the Area, and
to provide a guideline for possible schemes. The experimental
work which should be done will provide the necessary indications
for correcting assumptions which may have been wrongly based.
The    collaboration    of    AVA    and    UNDP/FAO    personnel    with    A    VA    has    been of the greatest assistance during this Study.
7. 2 TECHNICAL ASPECTS
a) Climatic Conditions of the Area
Temperature, solar radiation, air humidity and winds in the Area are such that no serious problems arise for breeding stock of tropical and sub-tropical origin. In particular, the relation between temperature and absolute humidity of the air is never so high as to really affect, in these sLrains, the normal physiological functions - namely heat-regulating abili ty-on the milk and beef production.
There is however no doubt that certain practical arrangements, such as the building of shelters protecting the animals from solar radiation and the supply of feed at night, when the heat is less intense, will facilitate the heat-rcgdlating ability
and assimilation functions, and therefore have a positive effect on productions.52
The climatic conditions restrict to some extent th'
lion of livestock from temperate , area. A. >s known
a mean annual temperature of 21°C is genera ly accepted as being the dividing lino between European and trop.cal bree s. At Melka Warar, in the center of the Area, the mean annu temperature is above 25°C while from April to September especially, the averages are always above this figure. Dur
ing this period, there is about 10°C difference between day
and night temperatures though at night the relative humidity rises. Hence, it is not felt that the cattle would obtain much relief at night.
Despite all this, the possibility of introducing temperate-zone stock to the Area should not be excluded, especially since it could make such a valuable contribution to productivity. Hence, through suitable investigations it must be established whether livestock strains of temperate areas can be adapted to the
Area or whether it is preferable to introduce, in the tropical strains, some blood from breeds of the temperate zones, and in what proportions.
b)      Present Livestock
The livestock raised at present in the Area is the result of selection in a natural environment unsuitable to high pro ductivity, due mainly to the high percentage of fiber in the forage during many months of the year.
Cattle
These are of the Sanga type. All the evidence shows that they have good heat tolerance, and can recover their weight as soon a  vegetation growth i. resumed. Young
s
animals grow slowly and cows have a low milk production capacity: this is generally found to be about 400 liters in a 6 to 8 month lactation, though it is felt that if fed with
ighly nutritive forage, production of milk could easily reach 600 liters per lactation. Records from other cattle similar to the Sanga, confirm this assumption- 53 -
results.
Sheep
The breed raised has low milk production capacity. Aver
age production should reach 35 liters per lactation. Before
replacing the present sheep, tests must be conducted as
sheep cannot easily adapt to new environments.
Goats
The goats do not appear to have marked productive capa
cities for milk If milk-producing goats are to be bred in
the Area, new strains should be tested for the replacement
of the present stock.
- Camels
These      arc      usually      lightweight      animals,      used      for      transport ing moderate loads and for milk production.
In general, it would seem that between environment and ani mals there is an imbalance, to the detriment of the latter. However, there may be limiting factors, such as periodical and prolonged periods of drought, which may act as negative selective factors for genotypes having more marked produc tive capacities. It is also to be recalled that inbreeding
(which is probably high in herds and flocks) may have con tributed to the lowering of constitutional and productive char acteristics. The fact remains that the livestock at present raised in the Area is not suitable for stockbreeding based on the utilization of cultivated forage. Therefore, it can be re garded only as the basic material for stockraising to be set up in the irrigation Area. As selection of animals from the present stock would be a very slow process, their replace ment through importation of other breeds or by upgrading must be considered.- 54 -
c)      Forage Production
In view of the climatic and soil conditions and the
already obtained from experimentation, it ca
that there will be no obstacles to the widespread production various types of forage, such as alfalfa and bersim and forage
grasses such^as the different kinds and varieties of Sorghum, foxtail, millet, elephant grass, etc. This factor creates a technical basis favorable to every type of stockbreeding, even 1he most specialized.
d)     Health Problems
Protection against infectious diseases such as rinderpest, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, foot and mouth disease possible anthrax and black leg, etc. mainly constitutes a prob lem of organization of the veterinary service and of availabil ity of vaccines and should not pose overwhelming difficulties. The problem of protection against tick-borne diseases and parasites is more complex as it is necessary to know their present incidence in order to stipulate the required programs of direct and indirect prophylactic measures.
7. 3 POSSIBLE TYPE OF STOCKBREEDING
Many types of stockbreeding could be set up in the irrigated area in relation to the species and breeds, the various production trends, and the type of enterprise.
Big flocks of sheep and goats are very seldom kept on irrigated lands in the tropics, and this should be the case for the Project Area, but small sheep and goal breeding units can be very impor-
ant to small farmers, in view of the use of small amounts of ' °F by,-’’rOd“Ct*; ,hei!- P™ii.ab£lity doe. not, however,
benX T
henelus O( smaller s.oek hare not been ..ken in.,, consideration- the study can therefore be limited to cattle. 
and in thi. 5tudy the additional
*- 55 -
It  would be pointless to -troduc b f br th .t U never pay. to rex.e beef ett)., 
*
„ P
irrigation       area,       a.       .       does       to       ra.se       y       al5„'„n(irmed           by       the
be  used .ec.ndar.ly for
analysis set forth in Appendix 3.
Th» Uct^
basically consist of milk-producers. However, when pOS9lb^>
the breeding stock (especially the bulls) should come from herds
where milk production is associated with rapid growth of calves
so that meat production is assured indirectly.
The range of choice is wide. There are two possible concepts
worthy of consideration. The first is to introduce a European
breed with a high production capacity; the advantage would be that
immediate production results would be forthcoming, but the pur
chase cost of the animals would be high. Moreover, as mentioned
earlier, introducing temperate-zone breeds (Jerseys of Ereisians)
involves risks as to whether they would adapt to the environment
and stand up to tick-borne and other diseases. The introduction of
of Zebu breeds (milk producers) on the other hand involves no
environmental problem^ but health could still be an unknown since
although these animals stand up better to parasitic diseases, the
diseases are specific to the original environment.
This approach, especially the first, could be adopted by the more
highly skilled entrepreneurs, but even for them it would certain
ly be wise to start with local cattle for a certain period. These
would clear the field of parasites. M eanwhile,the degree of adapta
tion of a few foreign breeds could be tested, and personnel trained.
The    second    conception    is    to    start    with    local    cattle    and    then    upgrade ern ’ Here three fundamental solutions are possible:
a) to use bulls (I) of a definite Zebu breed (Red Sindhi, Sahiwal oran especially improved for milk production - as found in'
Kenya, etc. ) to replace local cattle;
(1) Or, preferably, artificial insemination.bred animals of these strains;
c) to use both bulls of Zebu and European origin to a certain ex tent so as to maintain in the productive animals a given pro portion of blood of the strains utilized.
Only experimentation will tell which is the more advisable solution. Certainly, the second approach offers the possibility of introducing changes as dictated by experience (1).
As far as the character of the stockbreeding enterprises is con cerned they should always be of the ’’industrial” type, therefore based on a strict organization of the different operations. The size should also be such so as to insure proper use of the labor force. This concept is valid for the large and medium size farms which are expected to be formed in the Area and could also be adapted, though a cooperative form, for the Settlement Scheme.- 57 -
8 . machine and implement work diagrams
For each alternative cropping pattern - including 'hat adopted for •' Settlement Scheme and which is more fully justifie . e ow an< ■ •
!Zch time period, it was found necessary to construct a diagram of the annual working hours of operation of the machines and implements con- sidered necessary.
The basic data for such diagrams arc those already commented on in previous sections of this volume. In addition, it was tound useful to
take into account the length of the working day appropriate to each oper ation, and the influence that rainy days have on the calendar of opera tions (see Table 19). It was also found useful to plot the schedules of
all operations - bofh mechanical and manual - on a monthly basis, so
as to fully check on the admissibility of the timetable of each cropping pattern (Figs. 1-9). The schedules are also an important tool for plot ting the machine and implement work diagrams. These are shown in Tables 20-2 3. Their result can be read in the last column, which gives the number of tractors and implements needed to cover monthly peak requirements. This result can also be used for estimating the cost of
the machine fleet required for the Project. Tables 20, 21 and 22 also show, separately, the operations of sowing, wceding, ridging and harvest ing (of groundnuts). These are operations on which a choice can be ef fected between manual and mechanized techniques: their addition to the schedule of works may determine an increase in the investment require ments for tractors and implements, which otherwise would be saved. With such data in hand, it is therefore possible to set up a comparison between mechanized and manual operations.
The result is shown in Table 24. The superiority of the mechanized method is such, for all operations subject to a choice, that there was no need to calculate rates of return. The table lists the assumptions us>e or the calculations. The time period corresponds to the life of the implement called for by each mechanized operation.WORKING DAYS PER MONTH (WITHOUT RAIN) AND MONTHLY HOURS AVAILABLE FOR EACH OPERATION (')
Description
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Working days Hours available:
- 20 hours
- 12 hours
27
540
324
22
440
264
19
380
228
19
380
228
24
480
288
22
440
264
16
320
192
13
260
156
18
360
216
25
500
300
25
500
300
29
580
348
(') Based on the following:
Operations
Ploughing Harrowing Sowing Furrowing Ditching Leveling Cultivation Ridging Pest Control Transport Harvesting
No. of Hours Utilised
in the Day
20
20
20
20
20
12
12
12
12
12
12
Table 19MONTHLY WORKING HOURS FUR Mtcnn
CIOPFIMC PATTI ■ V
,HOU«t
TRACT owe? 
L
so w
limit
TBAM< I
JSfkl__________
cm if ai oi
MO 011* •■AIIB
TQTRL       HQV«»       lJJ
iNiriid IMlHI
— --------------------
tractor <••-»• MP )
~--------
KMANIN6
nabBOViBO
a
195           UJ
•
I
1
lUlBOWiBC
?
B.VCMIMO
1
59
M
1—
0>
U
u
1
____ 1_ 1
1
>1
2
1
A1
10
9
m
52
11
L
4
(ITIIIBO
TiAAtPoar
30
122
lit
<)>
TOTAL ABOVI AOlVMIB MOVB| «H
10*11*0
97
122
122
ui
in
1U
201
27
Al
XU
VII 1110 AMO MOCIMO
it
u
11
B
>1
270
19
11
____12
u?            111
SO
111- _ J?9 <
__ I
2
2
52 .
Ill
III
nabviihm
TOTAL ADUIfll -OVBI 11 |
iHPLf MCNTB
AIOUGM
NABIOW
flHIBOWtB
II?
“m
in
iio
192
■ 1U .
111
92
,127
J2
—LU
11 |— 21-1
1 LI
59
111 ’
45
2Afi
T
9
>1
M9
0 IB
•»
IBS
•
Xlli
49
10
2U
105
92
•
___ L
________
_______
““
7
so
M
IT
- 1-
____ J
2
___ c
2
11
119
9. 11
o II
I
4
_____ L
llVKIB
IBAIll I
■ r, 4___ —L0
n          > 1A1
_ n
19
A
ST
__
11
10
10
11
Mill
10
:•
7>
J)
10-
III
. 050
11
CBtrrVAfOB
S
' II?
11
49
?
?
t        *“
J39
0 fil
0. 05
a <9
o 11
0 A?
OlOOfB- IMATIB
total moubi ill
T           ------------
»
2.050
.
3 14
CNAMACI fPTATfl
?
IM
?
IM
♦19
244
40
|20
144
U!
11
?
•
247
94
>4
i. 5?«
1 94
**Of IAMB OCC
AlL-ftlMilM.MUI
mi ri-.M---------------------------
CIOP
maun »■*!
mhiqht
gwiMiamii or iiAciet
%OI LAMB OCCUPATION IM »||iQt
1IAIOR ~]
CBOB
IIA5OM 1
i *T i '
11
r * j
TqOacca                           10    Id 1
C«t1OA
90 .  -
V«g«tAb|»A
L9 J
Ukm
Collor
V.pULlM
»’■. H | • 1
so |)UR5 FOR MECHAi
C aOPHMC PATTIBP pi a io c i imr in
J
P
M
A
M
TN ACTON < NB-TP NR I PtOuOMNO
JI
u
19
A01
_
"IIIOWIMG
14
1HI
11
*V»BQ Wl N|
BITCHING
II
i
10
I
«a vc ii no
raANirof r
19
149
l»?
19
12
I
2T4
TOTAL ANOVt 4PIVIUP ••OUPIP
T4
144
/!♦
JlA
<14
149
191
11
_
91
41
9
114
»2
lOW'NO
__
’
14V
__
Wlf PING 4ND BiDG'NG
41
4
MatVlITlNA
la
TOTAL AAlUillt NOU«1 1
171
2 JO
III
3H
149
14
IP
19
>99
0 91
IMTL | MINTS
PlQVt*
>9
14
11
2
♦2
ltT’J
Ul
0. 12
MAPPOW
iwaaowia
IIVIIIP
IBAHla
IB
101
7
□sd
u
19
_____I
12a
:m
PIICNIP
. in
ip
25 1.0)2
0 17
0, 0?
0 02
0. 09
0 T1
PBIII
CtMTlVAlOP
U
0. 07
41
14
101
9
1
410
l_Z
144
0 40
MGGIB - BMAAIP
n
0 12
TOTAL NOMA* (|l
lx Mi
BNAPMCa IMATIP
IIP
MO
149
*0
I JLfcOO
1 43
1. 44
TNtnAaCcTPtpNi
I P|QUGN»NG
MAiPQNiNC.
IWf OWING
MTCNINO
HPIONC
IAANIPO4T
TOTAL AOQVI Ajiyuia moua*_ii
_klL
plough
NABPOW
own
mcHti
iifiiia
laAtiia _
MlH
CK41 IT AT QA qiqoio-awAa I a TOTAL ' NOUf 111
0 24
0U
0 10
HOI IANO OCCUPATION
% 01 I ANN OCCUPATION J«f MJlQP______________
COOP
I Tobacco
CrwB4wt
u. ..
Coaon
Vagalabla*
11A »ON
1  'I
40     ' 40
10 ] -
-       4 13^
l’L*
L
n ■M’XC • O » P I R G
A > • ■ w v.
▼ OVAL
ANNUAL WONK NOUNS
f A >ClO»i'lU»ltMtllT
▼  ■ACTON
HOV&WO____
NAaaONlNQ
lWOWil>4
JH£CN|N6_
imimc _______________ _____
iaa«|4O(T________      _______ TOTAkAtOYI         WVI'lt         -SW         • IOWI— ____________ ________ WllOiWQ  —  A»AO»NU
■AWilliW
________
.TOTAL—Al »IH>' NQULLJ.
• MfUNIf NTX
PI QUON
II
0 
MAI IQB_______
iwiiomi
------
14
pucAia
IIVIIIN
(44414 p*m
cuiiivAioa
4I6&II-INUII
TOTAL -MOV«| (1)
■ ini’ii
2
la
T
41
ETT’
^lk.
▼>
IT
Ji _
li
___ S
*.
144 ; 24J
I
J 04
_____________________________
I
----
TA
It
II
4
It
N
111
10
■1
IM
144
U4
n
141
14
14
11
I
144           JU 144           HO
1
in           JM
M
1*
14
141
rriL
>*
TO TAI NOUSftll
114
±
4T
940
101
9
4J0
— •
uo
J
AWNIAONF 4IAONCSCUOPCACTIUOPANTION
NOTIf:
1J ADTU1TI0 HQUil or Tin
2LLAVMI 1
aflJJi <9 ACCOUW r PAHIOMT LIMIT IB QPjAAl 1QN1 (J I LfilBllAL NOTH MOV«j_a!LHA<LOL
•A OF IAN4 OCCUPATION
IM MaiOO
11A LON
TmLacco
1  CrouMfvMt n
i-r
MAI
1 Caitan
Y *t»Ufa»aa
- JO .
JO)URS          FOR          MKCHAN CaOPFiNfl FATTIIN
HIlOB I INITIAL IllUill
HA
P
M
A
M
total |NoO« tractors
LWMXWOUBl            AMO'MPllMt            MH A SIMFUMtMH TO CQytR FtAM
TRACTOR (H-IONPI
RIOUGNIND
NARROWING
furrowing
9HCMING
If BRUNt
IBANSBOBt
TOTAL AMOVE AP)V1IIO- «ouR1 f»
I
in
Ji
71
i
JH
SOWING
zj
WIPING AMR BIDQlNG
MARTflTING
TQTAL ACJUSTSP MOUBI I
IMPLE MINTS
BlOUGN
marrow
iubronir
ClICNII
9.
IK
?| 4
fl
__ SI
IL
SJ
nt
XIA
u T4_
2
IIVILIS
TBAHIB
MILL
CULTIVATOR
oiggir-tMAiia
TOTAL HOURS <H
IO»|A(I PHi|l
55              55
U
IIZ
ll
____ lit _
ui
m
TNACTOS                    IONF 1
PLOUGHING
HARROWING
IWRROWING
RlKNINO
LirillNS_____              _ ____ ___________ ______ _____ TG AMR PORT        ____       ___        _ _     _____ __ TOTAL ABOUT               *o»Ull|P wOytl III
LOWING
WltD NC AHO a-DOING
NABVltfMiG
TOTAL AOIUSTIO NOUAl bl
IMPLEMENTS
PLOUGH
MARROW
fURROwtR
—
~l
L r -
—
— —
-—
— -
~ — -- “ r--—
■J
:— ———
- - . —  —. - -
—
-
RUCNTB
ItVill*
TRAILS!
ORlLt
CIMTIVAIQR
piCOIR> SMAI1 a
TOTAL NOURI
rnimaO jmmii
---- -
-__ _
____  ___
____ ..
I
-
L
_______   | .
VwOF LAMO OCCUMIIQM
MASON
>1 ASiyMiR
tT 'gmt HI9_A£SSWLLX*lll0ftl C«lU®.fi£llAUQN1 1MI CIMUL-WQ't
% OF I AMO OCCUPATION
1M A |£tp0 -MS 1.1 >•£RIO
nrr.
Czqtna
MaIbr
5fl
5fl
jQrou~»A-rt
_ 5<
L_
MAI
__ _ ____ J- A> -
CHOICE BETWEEN MECHANIZED AND MANUAL OPERATIONS (In Eih JI
ccLnTATto* cboffinc pattern -a*
SOWING OIOPT4NC PATTERN '8'*
HARVESTING OF GROWNDNU TS CROPPING FA TTKRN *»“
cut rtVATKJW C4»c*p«c PA^r
MeCboMeed
Manaal
Mm ham ted
M.—al
Mat bam aod
Manual
*4—   MO ead
Total
Tatra
lartrtmadi
Aiutasl Cot'i
at      MarMaaa
l«4 Labor
Toha;
Ma—
feM?
tna-oetruante
A«Mal Cmta «rf Matblnat
•nd Labar
Total
Ta*al
Tatal
Years
tnraalmanla
Total
r.tal
Teora
InuoatawMee
Teate
tMUtf UM't
W Ma-rM — •
•—• L«a>M
1
1
>
4
0
0
4.010
•
a
Oil
4».TOO
40.TOO
40.TOO
40.700
40.700
40 TOO
04.211
40.700
40.700
40.TOO
40.700
SO. >01
70.400
70.OSO
70.000
70.OSO
70. OSO
70.000
1
2
1
4
0
1.440
*
•
•
•
0.241
0. 241
0.241
0.241
0.241
4. 041
0.241
0.241
0 241
0.241
10.0 12
10.414
10.012
10.014
io. on
1
2
1
4
0
0
0. 120
Mb
Anmaal Ceata uf Machmea
and Labor
10,017
10. 417
10. 41?
10.01?
10.017
10.017
10. 744
10.01?
10.017
10.01?
IO.0«7
II. Ml
IS.4T7
10 iff
1 0. 477
10.47?
IS. iff
»0. 47?
1
X
0
4
0
0
1.040
•
•
•
•
0 Hl
0
0. F»»
»>. »4»               »*. It*
t 1 e. »1 >
0 ov.
le.it*
• 4.1 s                       ♦ bRl                le. f»Jt
v 4*1
0 Hl
V Ml »• t.*
t. »»>
Jarkaat aod
MacMm OMte/ba Marhaao <aala/ba (J) Man baara/ba
Labar < Mia/ba (S|
lanual Oparetteaa Maa baara/ba
LaMr ceeia/ha (>)
lactaraa
> 41
12 04
1U 41
If 74
110
SO 44
I.MO
o 02
1 10
1 04
0 40
04 10
f 40
1.420
1. II
1 01
01 II
0 04
>04. 00
10 14
4 11
t 41
14 Oe
210 m>
40 11
*10
SA 44
i
!____________ iCROPPING     PATTERNS A’ ’B’ & and period
C
FIG 1
months             J ] J
» s o|n o j F M >                             M J
____ _____ -
monthly operations schedule in percent
BPERATIINS
1 • FLUSHING
2 * OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS 3 • TRANSPLANT
4 • FERTILIZING
S PEST CONTROL
1 WEEDING ANO RIDGING
7 IRRIGATION
1 WATCHMEN
3 HARVESTING ANO TRANSPORT
17
10
17
20
20
20
5
12
6
1
17
20
20
20
14
IS
11
12
17
20
20
20
11
15
17
12
10
17
20
20
20
IB
IS
20
13
IS
15
10
20
20
IB
IS
20
13
IS
I1
15
IS
14
13
15
10
13
9
13
IS
2
3
B
15
1
IS
LEGEND
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS                 harrowing
FURR0WIN6
DITCHING
FINISHING OF DITCHES
LEVELLING
No 27075
t I « t ' I < «> t( I »CROPPING PATTERN A'
MONTHLY OPERATIONS
SCHEDULE IN               PERCENT
OPERATIONS
1   PLOUGHING
2    OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS
3    SOWING ANO RESOWING
4    PEST CONTROL
5    WEEOING AND RIDGING
I THINNING
7 IRRIGATION
I     WATCHMEN
S HARVESTING AND TRANSPORT 10 RESIOUE REMOVAL
II     ORYING TO STORAGE
LEGEND
40
40
SO
35
2 • OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS
SO
GS
TO
33
33
12
13
25
34
34
12
12
25
33
33
25
13
25
15
HAUOWTNS
FQIIOW1NI
OITCH1NG
EINtSRINS OF 01T CAE 5
7
12
25
12
IS
15
13
80
12
25
25
25
13
30
37
15
GO
N.-77076CROPPING pattern a
FIG 3
MONTHLY OPERATIONS SCHEDULE
IN PERCENT
OPERATIONS
1 PLOUGHING
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS 3 SOWING OR TRANSPLANT
4 PEST CONTROL
5 WEEDING AND RIDGING
6 THINNING
1 IRRIGATION
8 WATCHMEN
9 HARVESTING AND TRANSPORT
10- STRIPPING
11 RESIDUE REMOVAL
12 CURING OPERATION
13 ORYING TO STORAGE
LEGEND
®
©
®
©
®
®
©©®
30
25
30
50
50
10
25
50
10
67
20
30
25
30
5D
50
20
25
50
10
67
@1®
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30
33
35
20
30
33
35
20
5
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5
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12
17
27
17
30
17
23
24
17
23
7
17
23
11
17
8
23
17
25
17
23
24
17
23
13
17
23
4
15
23
®
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®
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®
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®
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15
23
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30
23
60
10
8
30
23
GO
10
8
©
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23
23
23
23
23
23
©
1
©
® ©
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS : HARROWING
FURROWING
DITCHING
FINISHING OF DITCHES
No. 27077
LEVELLING
ITALCOMI LT '
©FIG 4
1 * PLOUGHING
2    OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS 3- S0WIN6 OR TRANSPLANT
4     PEST CONTROL
5    WEEDING AND RIDGING
6    IRRIGATION
7 WATCHMEN
8 HARVESTING ANO TRANSPORT 9 STRIPPING
11 RESIDUE REMOVAL 11 CURING OPERATIONS
20
30
25
30
50
50
20
25
50
ID
67
27
20
30
25
30
50
50
!«
]Joi) ®
[mJ
30
33
30
35
20
5
12
17
24
11
20
25
50
10
67
23
30     35
20
5
7
17
33
25 24
13
4
15
<*)
<D
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<D
Q
U[25|
1
l
{30)
,
U'
1
17     17
17
23
23
23
15
23
17
17
17      17
1
17
23
0
mi   ?31
23
•
8
l
30
23
60
10
23
23
23     8
23
23
30
23
60 10
23 8
LEGEND
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS :
HARROWING
FURR0WIN6
DITCHING
FINISHING OF DITCHES
LEVELLING
ITALCOSSU LT J
U 27078FIG. 5
CROPPING PATTERN 'B
MONTHLY OPERATIONS SCHEDULE IN PERCENT
OPERATIONS
1 • PLOUGHING
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS 3 SOWING OR TRANSPLANT
4 PEST CONTROL
5 WEEDING AND RIDGING
6 IRRIGATION
7 - WATCHMEN
8 HARVESTING ANO TRANSPORT
9 STRIPPING
10 RESIDUE REMOVAL
11 CURING OPERATIONS
20
30    30
30
30
20
®'4»
11
1
20
25
50
20
30
30
20
25
50
25
50
50
25
25
50
30
25
30
50
50
50
1
i i
[66] [M
]
50
50
10    30     35     20      5
10
67
30
35
20
5
20
25
50
10
30
33
35
20
5
20
25
50
10
35
20
5
67
27
33
33
'
<•>
67
27
67
30
33
12
30
24
17 15
11
17
23
25
24
13
4
I 0[215]
S3 ®
12
30
24
23
25
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17
17
17
17
23
17
17
15
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0
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17
7
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8
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4
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10
8
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10
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23
23
23
23
23
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23
23
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23
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23
10
8
30
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23
23
23
10
8
f
LEGEND
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS : HARROWING
FURROWING
DITCHING
FINISHING OF DITCHES
LEVELLING
27079CROPPING pattern c
FIG. 6
MONTHLY OPERATIONS SCHEDULE IN PERCENT
OPERATIONS
1 • PLOUGHING
2    OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS
3    SOWING OR TRANSPLANT
4    PEST CONTROL
5    WEEDIN6 AND RIDGING
6- THINNING
7    IRRIGATION
8 - WATCHMEN
9 - HARVESTING AND TRANSPORT
10    STRIPPING
11 RESIDUE REMOVAL
12 CURING OPERATIONS
13 DRYING TO STORAGE
LEGEND
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS : HARROWING
3Q
50
SO
10
50
50
10
67
30
50
50
20
25
50
10
67
go]
01
0
0
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1
30 30
20
30
25
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30
33
35
20
5
30
33
35
20
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40]
12
17
27
17
30
17
23
24
17
23
7
17
23
11
17
8
23
17
25
17
23
24
17
23
13
17
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4
15
23
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30
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60
10
30     60
10
B
0
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23
23
23
8
23
23
23
23
©
©
©
.27080
FURROWING
DITCHING
FINISHING OF DITCHES
LEVELLINGCROPPING PATTERN C'
FIG
monthly operations schedule iim
OPERATIONS
1   .PLOUGHING
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS
3    SOWING OR TRANSPLANT
4    PEST CONTROL
5    WEEDING AND RIOGING
6   IRRIGATION
7    WATCHMEN
8    HARVESTING ANO TRANSPORT
9    STRIPPING
10   RESIDUE REMOVAL
11   CURING OPERATIONS
20
50
50
25
50
10
67
27
17
30
25
30
50
50
20
25
1 ®l<3><y>
<3>
<5
0>
PERCENT
1 II
15
1 55
SO
' 30
40
50
20
30
25
30
50
50
@1 ®
30
33
30
17
35
20
5
50
i.
67
23
30
33
25
35
20
5
35
20
0
j
12
17
24
17
24
17
S a 0
0
12
50
10
67
27
17
5
0
20
25
50
10
67
23
17
35
20
5
11
13
4
CD
CD
CD
s
17
17
17
E
0
7
17
13
17
4
15
23      23
7
17
23
15
23
8
23
23
17 15
23 23
8
0
17
0
30
33
30
17
23
24
17
23
23
15
23
II
17
8
30
33
25
17
23
24
17
23
23
23
8
30
GO
10
30
23
60
23
10
8
11
-
s
0
30
60
23
23
23
23      8
23
23
23
23
23
23
10
8
30
23      23
23
60
23
10
1
LEGEND
2 OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS : HARROWING
FURROWING
OITCHING
FINISHING OF DITCHES
LEVELLING
No 27081
ITAI.CON5UICROPPING pattern c
FIG. 0
OPERATIONS
1 PLOUGHING
2 - OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS 3 - SOWING OR TRANSPLANT
4 FERTILIZING
5    PEST CONTROL
6    WEEDING AND RIDGING
7    THINNING
I IRRIGATION
9    WATCHMEN
10    HARVESTING ANO TRANSPORT
IT STRIPPING
12   RESIDUE REMOVAL
13   CURING OPERATION
14   DRYING TO STORAGE
LE6EN0
©
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0
0
15
20
30
30     20
l
1®©
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s
0
55
GO
25
50
25
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©
50
50
©
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0
0
35
20
5
10
67
30
33
35
20
5
© ®
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10 30
67 33
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0
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12 27
30
24
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0 S3
17     17     17
17
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7
17
23
15
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11
17
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13
17
4
T5
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2 OTHER LANO PREPARATION OPERATIONS : HARROWING
FURROWING
DITCHING
FINISHING   OF   DITCHES
Io. 27OS2
italconsuTt^
LEVELLINGcropping pattern for settlement scheme
FIG. 9
MONTHS
OPERATIONS
1    PLOUGHING
2    OTHER LAND PREPARATION OPERATIONS
3     SOWING OR TRANSPLANT
4     PEST CONTROL
5    WEEDING AND RIDGING
G THINNING
7    IRRIGATION
8     WATCHMEN
3 HARVESTING ANO TRANSPORT 10   STRIPPING
11    RESIOUE REMOVAL
12   DRYING TO STORAGE
©
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LEGENO
2 “,H R liN° whmiim OPIRM.ohs t
harrowing
FURROWING
ditching
finishing OF OITCHES
levelling
I
I
N. 27083- 64 -
rh e result is. of course, not surprising n
ty of mechanized operations - dcsnite tk’ , reas°n for the Rii J,heir "real" rates. without any 'n Ubor
ductivity) - rests on the /act that the onera/"' '° ,he
fc.l’T"0"’
, *’* hore
very       little       to       the       machine       fleet       in       „i,t„„„       'XT”'       diS'uss‘»       ad°‘
pointed oat - .a proportioned to th, monthly ” ;
not to a full-time utilization schedule. NauLV, "'I™ "'"••nt.  „
' “ °“Sht >» be
ad
rn.eh.mzed operation increases. „
‘«’lly. the adyan, „f
questton). 
Following this choice, < include those operations. TL- meat diagrams have also made hourly costs of machines and i
cost,      rise      w.th      time,      machine      costs      do      «      '      .V,'*'      “hil'      '’bur
(see Volume 6 on this
cultivation costs have been recalculated to The results of the machine and implc-
—*2 possible the final presentation of the implements (see Para. 4. 3).- 65 -
9. LABOR REQUIREMENTS
Labor requirements were calculated for cach alternaf tern assigned to commercial farms. A distil-
cro PPlnS Pat-
forcmen.          skilled          manpower          fe.          g.          drivers)          and          unsbet*een
Also, requirements were estimated for*hefir f in 
a
. ub,«qu,„t y
.»„ o  .he Project
f
Flgs. . 0-> 8 thT"
requirements arc expressed in man/days
 eouiv i» ♦ . 
ao
U bor
per day). The graphs indicate also the^mount f "
within     the     total     labor     force,     based     on     the
A comparison between the cropping patterns for unskilled labor shows clearly that cropping pattern B utilizes manpower with greater regulari ty during the year, than either cropping patterns A or C. Furthermore, cropping pattern A improves considerably its degree of manpower util ization after the first 10 years of the Project, mainly because some of the crops included in cropping pattern B will by then be grown also
under A.
manPO*er,
° 8 WOrkhours
The      calculation       of       permanent       and       seasonal      labor      requirements       permits also calculation of the housing facilities that will be needed on each farm.
Labor      requirements      under      the      cropping      pattern      adopted      for      the      Settle ment Scheme arc shown elsewhere in this report (see Vol. 7),CROPPING PATTERN A' LABOR REQUIREMENTS
(man/day Ha)
FOREMAN.
FIG.1O
........ X............... - MAR I APR.;
MAY- 4
D PERIOD
PERMANENT LABORERCROPPING PATTERN
LABOR REQUIREMENTS
i
(man/day per Ha)
SKILLED. LABORER
PERIOD
f
p 'Ip.
AUG]
5ECOND
PERIOfr
man/fa
PERMANENT LABORER
SEASONAL
LABORERCROPPING PATTERN
FIG. 12
UNSKILLED LABORER
t H-/I ’ j
first PER'00
>¥hY?i X
1
SECOND
'non/<fc7
P_E RM AMENT LABORER
SEASONAL LABORERCROPPING PATTERN B'
LABOR REQUIREMENTS
(man/day per Hajj
foreman
PERIOD
SECOND
/ncn/obyUNSKILLED LABORER
PERIOO-
>X.................... -
SECOND PERIOO
W'
Mr Ha
;
PERMANENT -LABORER SEASONAL LABORER
SHM r
270^9
rmLA B 0 R R EQUJR EME NTS.
( man/day per Ha)
SKILLED LABORER -
7r
PERMANENT SEASONAL LABORER
Hi:UNSKILLED
H hdUN2
SECOND-PERIOD
fMANEHT: LAHORE R ^EiSONAt LABORER- 66 -
I v .
pR QSPECT of using river loops by reforestation
-■
need to protect the irrigated area from the floods of the Awash T^lTes the construction of a dyke along the western border of the area *   part III). Between the western dyke and the river the remaining 
P
riter loops will cover a total of about 2, 700 ha.
Any  possible program for using  the river loops will,  first and  fore most have to  take into  consideration  the fact that Ethiopian  legislation provides that wild  vegetation  along  the river must be absolutely  re spected up to a distance of not less than 100 m from the river bank.
The rest of the river loops, net of this restricted area could be reserved 
for reforestation for the production of construction timber (in the form
of boards and joists) and firewood.
In this respect, the land nearest the river, which is still affected to a
certain extent by the humidity of the latter,could be usefully reserved 
for eucalyptus, whereas land which is further away could be reserved 
for other more drought-resistant trees.
It would therefore be advisable to envisage the following approximate
distances from the river for the various trees which are considered 
suited to the eco-pedological conditions of the river loops:
from the border of the restricted area to a width of 200 m from the
r *ver: Eucalyptus camaidulensis and E. globulus to be planted to
gether in equal proportions;
beyond      200      m      from      the      river:      Prosopus      juliflora,      Robinia      pseudo-
^£.ac* ,i
a
ar
J>
a nd Casuarina equisetifolia, planted alternately.
new trees the already existing tall trees must be left as they
Planting costs may be briefly calculated as follows (1):
) Data obtained and discussed with Ato Mulugheta - Technical Director Forestry - D p  A. Ababa, 16. 5. 1 969.
et- 67 -
, rus planted in 1 x 1 m spacings: fo r Eucalyptus P
Clearing
Cost of young
Digging holes
plants: 1 Eth. $ per 100 I Eth. $ per 50 holes
1 Eth. $ per 200 holes
Cleaning (once. after 4 months)
1 Eth. $ per 400 sq. m
Total cost of the Eucalyptus plantation
For the other trees considered, with 2 x 2 m spacings:
Clearing
Cost of young plants: 1 Eth. $ per 200
Digging holes I Eth. $ per 50
Cleaning 1 Eth. $ per 400 sq. m
Total cost of plantation
In the environmental conditions of the Project, the trees may about 8-10 years after planting and the expenses for foresters an necessary tree care can be estimated at 1 2 Eth. $ per ha per year.
20 Eth. S/ha 50 Eth. $ /ha
200 Eth. $/ha 50 Eth. $/ha 25 Eth. $/ha
345 Eth. $/ha
20 Eth. $/ha 12. 5 Eth.$/ha 50      Eth. S/ha 25      Eth. $/ha
107. 5 Eth. $/ha
Assuming      conservatively      that      the      trees      are      felled      in      their      t      y total costs at that time, net of interest charges amount
465 Eth. $ for Eucalyptus
227. 5 Eth. $ for the other trees considered.
Ruction 
can
Ucalyptua and
Conservatively Casv"‘
othe r
be     conservatively     estimated     at     1,     500     cu.     m/ha     for a t 1, 200 cu. m/ha for the other species.
, -.Uca,.g m lculatei mng tarheKe mt vaarkeluet va  01 lue of Eucalyptus and of
-
^rina at 4 Eth. $/ha per cu. m of standing timber, and that of r tr *es at 2 Eth. $ per cu.m in the same condition, the va u 
gross , 
for the other trees grown.I
Product in the tenth year would be Eth. $ 
' Eth- S 4. 800 per ha for Casuarina and Eth. S 2.400 per
Mk--- --
.. - (The cost of Eucalyptu 
___ ___ -
2,5  Eth. $ per cu.m.). 
This additional activity has no
000 Pe* a
t  A. Ababa 18 Project's costs
benefits analy
sis.
t been added to theAPPENDICESAPPENDIX 1
INFORMATION AND DATA ON THE CROPS ECOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE IN THE MELKA SADI-AMIBARA IRRIGATION AREAA]-I
A. CEREALS
maize
aize growing widespread in Ethiopia, where it occupies a sig-
^f^ant place among the typical cereal crops of the traditional
agriculture of extensive areas in the Highlands,
Local statistics indicate that 803,  000  ha were under this crop  in 1966  giving  an  overall production  of 756,  000  tons of grain,  This corresponds to an average unit production of 9.4 ql/ha.
The maize grown  in  the territory  is almost exclusively  on  dry- farmed  land; in  fact,  irrigation  applied  to  this crop  is still,  in fact, a relatively rare occurrence in Ethiopia*
The first experimental test on irrigated maize in the Middle Val
ley of the Awash on which data are known took place at Metehara
in 1961, Subsequent tests were made from 1966 onwards at the
Melka War ar Research Station of the Institute of Agricultural Re
search, where maize was one of the three main crops investigated.
Table 1  shows diagramrnatically  the unprocessed  grain  yields (l) that have emerged  from the main  experiments in  trials held  both a t Met char a. and in the Project Area.
view of the wide divergences in the characteristics of the
^vhich the results refer and the consequent jmpossi- Y to apply   single processing methodology to thcm  un-
a
(
ea sed yields, and not processed ones are given. Thus, q Qns^ deration of the relative validity of the figures in 
have^°ni
aBHumpticns and conclusions derived from them
4(1  essentially indicative value.Table I
e xrn>‘«E,,TS
ya riety
1970
22
KTiiorA                    1?7
160
CARRIED OUT ON MAIZE IN THE MIDDLE AWASH VALLEY (fi«nr*« oxpr<-S*i;<i in ql □£ gr.in per ha)
(I)
1961
1966/67(2)
1967/68
<968/69
Mean
6?. 55
58. 25
5*7
5. y
N. 7-
EC.
EC
it
XiUl*
Xi»l«
170
182
51 1
61 3A
632
63 C
HI AC
V-iOX
R. .
-
-
-
11 J(«)
37. 3
32. 4
-
25.2
-
1 k8
SlmlNtio
]70 White Regular
ETO 8F
Karurnani
A
B
C
D
E
F
j
N
-
32.6
-
-
35.5
■*
-
-
-
-
-
-
*
-
-
J7. 5
-
25. 0
-
-
-
-
33. i
-
-
N. v.
H
A
A
A
A
;qi
^oj?b
H
K*iqmaTii
Ihnrna
S.R.
*'«xi Com,
6HR
170
JOO
J 02
400
600
W
61 IB
VI
52
_,
-
?7.3(»)
36. 1
87. 4(xji) 90.5(«>m
£2/6
I. 1
73. 2
49. 7
71. 1
76 2
IL 7
74. 9
59.5
71- 7
28, 1
17. 6
40. 1
44.2
21.7
24.9
28. 1
36-5
-
»
*
-
-
-
-
-
-
9. 1
37. 5
35,4
42. X«hl'
< 1-
13.6
37.2
14- 1
-
-
-
•
^mbia
*hite Su
? -«i Co;,
l-oaile
r
■^aeat. CampoiTite
4r
QTnpoai^
«-7hi  C<j]
u
b’trjiu Cn^
lT T’-pc>»itc
i
n
A
E
-
_
*
-
_.
_
Petite
4  m posit*
posire
< lenuy )
_
*
A
A
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
37.9
41,9
30,6
37. 0
36.0
45. Km)
41.9
61. O(ltMJl)
b-4
45. «?[«)
2B. 7
26.2
33. 1
67. 65
58.25
77. 3
36. 3
63. 35
63- 90
44. 16
1. 1
41. 13
49,7
42.45
76. 2
31.7
46. 86
59.5
71.7
31.30
17.6
40. 1
44.2
21.7
24.9
28. 1
36.5
B. 1
37. 5
35.4
42. 3
41.6
33.6
37.2
14. 1
37.9
41. 9
30. 6
37.0
36.0
45. |
41.9
61.0
15.4
45. 9
28. 7
26. 2
33. 1
All th.
e
——-—--
-
-
-
,
-
_
*
■
r «purle
d in thia dommeni, relating both to thia ar.n
all the other crops cen»ider-.
fror Volu
^L
J 
Report un Survey of the Awash River Bealni Dae- FAQ/5
F; iO/Eth,,
54 [^   '.  Report £a>
n
Tej  B
„            a W*»r R«i(V ,hc
periCHj February
Ior th,
1966 to March 1968, of the Institute of Agricultural Researc
h*
^ fci R^rt for Stitl°n' f°r l’66/67 'nd m7/6*'
F- . rd,''4r^ Res °r '?*  perio<i March 1969  to  March 1969  of the Institute of Agricultural Reicarch,
, hSV*7lh
J1’
*l||» tw- Pr°duetiVe
r *h ^tion. £or t96a/6q.
* tCBl WAa mad- i„
m n°Q~repeated uni In solely obsprvaWB purpolet.
ra *ap3, and tk
lrtV Ql lhe T *
lt,r third witk * -
Wlth * ’ingle cross.
e  r haa hern r-arked with three crdilri, the second mail productiveAl-J
Table L i'ConL |
V*rte1y
Plantins Mimth
1966/^7
(I)
8967/69
(2)
1968/69
(»
Mua
Mean of All Varieties per
Planlins MotiiE
Corrp°’lfe
l7 n wN*« R*gQlar
4», fl
29. 0
35.0
34, 6
IB. 9
ZZ 4
_
_
A5. 1 2), 9
M. 1
75. 6
44. 6
10.9
47.7
94. 5
37. 1
7i,5
9. 1
57. 5
66. B
35.0
9. 6
39.2
61.5
44.2
48 &
£9* 0
35. 0
34. 6
il.9
22. 5
55. 1
23.9
54. L
65. W
44. 56 28. 63
47. 7
94-5
37.1
72.5
9, »
5*L 5
6J.4C
37, 70 25, 55
19.2
61. 5
44 2
67.2
35. 7
29.3
^6, 8
14, 3
21* 5
37. 3
20. 0
ID, I
ill
tv
V
VI
vn
vjti
IX
X
XI
75. 80
46.50
56. «0
53.41
2fl. 59
24. 65
43. 45
78, 0O
40. 65
t   On
VI
VII
VIH rx x
XI
ID
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
LX
X
XT
VI
vn vi n
VI
vu
VUI
VI
vu
vm
53. 7
46. 9
_
54,9
15.4
20. 1
-
..
Dent
60. 0
40. 4
41.. 5
N. Y. 1B£
_
K. 6J2
_
Jirtima S-U t|
_
67. 2
35. 7
29. J
56. a
14. 3
21.5
17.8
20. 0
10. 1
111 lT^i<Uon Interval 15 Jay*,
<2
kh!ervAi 20 day.. I’,r‘il*t|Dn
a pu.
p        d and wHtft r,quiTed
not at
period.Al -4
Table 1 (Goflt J
lT][er
¥=l
1966/67
1 967/68
1 960/69
(1)
Kirin
K<«in af *11 Varleden
per Irrigation Interval
ViirlHy
617
(dar*) 15
20 10 40 15 20 30 40 1 5 20 10 40 15 20 10 40 I5 20 30 40 I5 zo JO 40
I 5
n. *
34. 6 20. I 65. 13 40.9 60. 0 35. 5
40. fl 33 4 34.6 20, I
43. 90 37. 50 29. 14
56.6 &□, o 35 5
15
20
30
40
44 32
49. 92
24. 11
49. 52
i»Llt A
?fl White Rejoinr
54 9
43. D
56.6
22 . 0
20.1
3.54
&J2
i* t L R2
56. 8
35, 4
41. S
67, 2
50. 4
50. 2
56.9
35.4
41, 5
67.2
50.4
50.2
ll **« fci-ettw
20
30
40
37. 8
3 7. B
37. 6
37.6
39 B
39. «d         Fertilizer Experiment (1)
|         Nitrogen              |                   ON
IN
------------------------------------------- T ZN
Mean
Mean        .
1 Phosphorus
OP
IP
2P
OP
I p
2P
OP
IP
2P
op
IP 1       2P
K
1
Pota Esiuna
OK
IK
2K
JI. 1
22. 3
10. 5
22. fl
27.9
29.7
26. 3
30. fl
26. 1
26 9
21. 3
30. 1
26. 2 25.7
19. a 24. 7
i r. j 31. 2
26 I
24. 1
za. l
23. 7
Zfc. 4
Z5, 0
27. 1
36. 9
3L. Z
za. a
22. 6
29.7
24. 4
24. 7
29. 3
26 4
31. 5
29. 5
26. 5
26. 3
29. 5
•
1
Me*n, N*P 2B. 0
26. 8
27. 7
26 9
26. 4
27. 2
Z6. 1
25. 0
32.4
27. O
Zb. 1
29. 1
i        27- 4
Mean, N
27. 5
26. 0
27. ti
(1) Experiment limHed to 1960/69, variety lined 170White H-eguLar; dutc of sawing June; key; ON. IN. ZN = 0-40 and 80 kg/h* N aa ammonium sulphate
OP, IP. 2P = 0.40 and SO kg/'ha P O a« pipe r phosphate QK. IK. ZK =0.40 and 60 kg,/ha K^t> *■ poLiuluin sulphate
«
m
Table IjCont.Al-6
3n
being grown experimentally, for some years maize Apart rr°m Sed as an irrigated crop on various commercial
ha  be^  fiddle Valley of the Awash and, furthermore, it is
farms tTT                 the crops grown within the context of the AV A Settle- also or3d                   e  m h started its activities three years ago in the
wc
pHent
project Area.
sential data relating to the experience acquired, on the ^doiogY and on the chief problems connected with the effective
mC
nrOWing CH rria-t i
r T-riai/e which are considered applicable to the prevail-
ing conditions of the Project, are set out below.
Soils
Physically the soils in the Project Area in classes 1 to 3 arc not unsuitable for growing maize, although those characterized by lower degrees of permeability suggest the adoption of adequate drainage systems and a properly-coneeived use of irrigation.
Regarding fertility, all the soils examined possess sufficient elements to sustain productive levels made possible by other local circumstances as confirmed by the fertilization tests per formed (see further on). With regard to the pH. it can be stated that the arable lands in the irrigated area present no problems; however the lands in Subclasses Zs and 3s have salt concentra- tions which while not exceeding, at least come very close to. the tolerability limits for this crop. It is therefore advisable, on such Linds. Lo plant a more salt-tolerant irrigated crop than maize for a couple of years before planting the maize, so as to 
irninish the salt concentration in the arable layer.
1     he   Class   4   lands treatment.
cannot in any case be put under maize withoutAl -7
No experiments on the depth and on the methods of preparatory works on the soil were made, but jn performed the depth of ploughing was 25-30 rm r i> harrowing. The ground was then subject to one or
by  a mechanical grader, and then furrowed to a depth The same methods of tilling and Zand prenaratin,.  „
° tests
rri
experimental work were also adopted satisf ♦ followed »« the
(
merrial farms in the Middle Valley of h ?
t
C 2Z by the com-
under irrigation, so that the same scheme
the Project Area. 
Sowing Time
gr °Win8 ^ize hafl keen envisaged for
The available experimental data would indicate March and OJob" (see Table lb) as the best months to sow maize, but it s ou 
noted that for these months data are available for one year on y (1968/1969) which may have been influenced by a particular sea sonal trend. The information collected prior to the time experi mental data became available on the year 196fl/l 969, would in dicate, instead, that the best time for sowing maize was any month of the year except May and April. While awaiting further confirmation it has been thought advisable to maintain these in dications as valid, and to consider the best seeding period as those included between the middle of June and the middle of July or the beginning of November and that of December.
During the experiments made at
Warar the best resulatnsc 80-90 cm apart,    *
were     obtained     by     sowing     the     seed     in     r
In        t^c        commercial
with a set distance on the row of c farms the distance currently
*hich is considered advisable for t The basic distance recommended for with the possibility of variations acco the varieties used.
o ther hand, 90 x
T d 1*1 Lat develop^ varieties. 
proiect is x 13 development °
'Al-3
i the seed is sown by seed-drill, the seed being placed 
CUrft bottom of the furrows. The use of seed-drills is also en-
implementing the Project.
u antitieg_PjLS£^-           Used*
From 20 to 30 kg per ha.
Seed Treatments
No    treatment    is    given    to    the    seed    nor    at    the    moment    does    it    seem necessary to provide otherwise.
Varieties Used
The number of varieties tried is considerable, even if, for rea sons which it has not been possible to ascertain the use of only a few of these, not least those giving the best results, has been repeated for more than a single season (see Table la).
In  L966/1967  the highest N.  Y.  182.  in  1967/1968 Ilonga Composite.
production      was      reached      with      variety with variety A 302 and. in 1968/1969 with
The basic variety used for the expert
170 Whne Regular, whereas the most comm . 
t  at
Warar is
, used on the com- Kenya
meeel.l     [arm.     o[     .hr     Middle     Valley     ot     the     A«.h 
Hybrid,
V data available for more
Generally      speaking      all      the      varieties      wi      uehavior      from
year
than one year show a somewhat irregu that, since all thL year. This may be attributable to the
varieties concerned were formed in m
ternperatc con iAl -?
those prevailing in the Project Area, they find them- tions than ^environment referred to. in restricted ecological
gejves. in
con
dition9- a
have a tendencv therefore,to show marked varia-
relative variations in the seasonal conditions which
t,0ri’7rom on" year to another.
□ CCU1
IrrigtrtiP°
results of the experimental adoption of various irrigation in- ervala are inconsistent from one year to the next because of the
Obvious influence exerted on this type of teat by the seasonal rainfall pattern (see Table lc). It has therefore emerged that in the event of a dry climatic pattern the irrigation interval should not be more than 15 days and in any case should never be more than 20 days. The quantities of water used for each single applica tion range in practice from 800 to I . 000 cu, m/ha. The larger quantities are reserved for the more permeable soils and they 
are applied with less frequency. The smaller quantities apply to less permeable soils and applications are made with relatively greater frequency. The experiments made have shown the parti cular productive response to the waterings applied during the period when the male flowers are formed and during the forma tion of the grain.
_/ rtfrom exceptional cases, resowing is not practised. On the weeejin ' ul 4 weeks from the sowing, at the time of the second dl? 3ired d Plants are well thinned out until they are at the
there i qi*tctnce the row and special care is taken to see that * Only one plant in each place.
Weedin
^echanical011^ tllTee weedings are carried out - is performed by 
:
the
s              118 between the rows and is finished by hand along r ^w  the^^
*nd  r
in
g
his o ^selves. The last weeding is associated with ridging 
by hand rat^°n is P^formed by mechanical means with finish-Al -10
e  operations have so far been made without any experi-
Cr°P cU,^.eSti
g tions, but the scheme outlined is followed re-
a
rnCOtal both at Welka Warar and on the commercial farms. Until
gular > detaiis, if any, become available, this scheme is also re-
Pc at Control
Although the occasional presence of insect pests which damage the cuLms and cobs has been notified, so far the scale of their attacks haB not been such as to recommend specific control meas ures
per till z ati o n
The results of the first and for the moment only fertilization 
test on irrigated maize carried out in the Middle Valley of the Awash have revealed that this crop does not respond to the appli cation of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash (see Table Id). Even 
the current practice on the local commercial farms does not in clude at present any application of fertilizer to this crop. In the Project the assumption has been made that for 6 years the pro duction of maize will not be aided by any fertilization, but that some application of fertilizers may be advisable from the 7th 
year onwards. It should be noted that such an assumption has
only been made because of the need to make projections for the economic life of the Project, whereas any actual measure in this respect will have to be suitably compared with the facts which will
merge from the experiments and from the observations which will made in the near future.
Thi
e
tabs
deration is
for the moment carried out wholly by hand, plants being removed and later carted to
the
Qf  the
ripeAl ■ 1 t
centers for drying tn be completed and, finally, for thresh- to be done mechanically. At present there are no combines
^Ethiopia for 1116 mechanical harvesting of maize in the field >n  aLthough the operation of these machines is fairly simple, aD | ir adoption is not envisaged for the near future.
gr oduc t i o  _
n
In the environmental conditions of the Middle Awash Valley, pro
duction of maize seems to be subject to quite marked variations
from year to year, thus stressing the fact that the seasonal cli
matic conditions represent in this respect one of the main limit
ing factors.
Apparently the upper part of the Middle Valley, where at present
unit yields are of the order of 40 ql/ha, is more favorable to 
this crop than the Project Area, where average yields are about
30 ql/ha. In any case the ensemble of data gathered and the ob
servations made, lead to accepting the assumption that, with a
standard of crop-care techniques of the type outlined, the pro
duction of maize on the future commercial farms of the Project can, 
for the first ten years, range between 25 and 35 ql/ha.
After this period,  thanks to  the improvement of production  tech niques,  but especially  on  account of the possibility  to  use varie ties raised  for climatic conditions more in  line with  the ecologic conditions of the zone in  question,  there are reasons to  consider that current production could rise to an .average of 40 ql/ha.
RICE
T hi s
U P to °P doeB not properly belong to Ethiopian agriculture, nor
r
terisiv^^ ^aS Produc^c>ri ever been attempted over fairly cx-
rne
nts  areas* de3pite the moderate outcome of repeated expert-
in
various parts of the territory from 1936Al -12
In the Awa
3 h Valley the irrigated rice crop has in the recent
wit ), varying results in an area of a few hectares
past been g               herea8 during the last few years it has been re
al Me:'-1-'* ’
r
for eXperimentaL purposes at Tendaho (under the
P eatedi^ J TPSC) where during the 1968/1969 season it wag final
care of t
ly assign 
pe^ng^ P^ucti°  °
overall area of about 60 ha, from which at the experts concerned declared they were ex-
n
f ab °Ut 30 ql/ha‘
progress Report for the period February 1966 to March In ?ge of [he Melka Warar Research Station, rice is hardly men-
96  cd among the miscellaneous cropB, it being at the same time
■Seated that the AGA MI, ARABI and NAHDA varieties would be tested However,the sole comment reported is: "Not sufficiently tested0.
A fairly thorough experimentation on rice was, on the contrary , made at the same Station during the year 1968/1969, with the comparison of seven varieties which gave the following yields:
Vari ety 
ql/ha
Da a on
Nato
Blue Bonnet Belle Patna Saturn
IR - 5 IR - 8
During the same year experiments on
on fertilization were also made. 
irrigation at intervals of 1 to 3 days app«a
5  days. The application of nitrogen up to A Pfr ha did not produce a significant response.
29. 3
23. 5
23, 0
16. 7
34. 0
68. 8
80. 5
ency of irrigation and better than that °
of g0 kg
 of NAl -13
The
 test-
ade on soil described as black cotton soil, with sowing ust  was very promising having, inter alia, shown
in        juiy     a        d“.c     limatic     conditions     of     the     Middle     Awash     Valley     rice
that m
is abl -
e
apart
a  first cutting, also to produce ratoons. However, S mall area affected by this first experiment, it is
tJ]ege, will have to be repeated for other seasons be-
□bviou^^ rc3tlits can be considered valid for practical pur-
pQS £ B•
Among tiie la'*
fax-arable factors with regard to a possible future local
interest111
. .ue rice crop the following may be mentioned:
The relatively high productivity;
The probability of also effecting a harvest of ratoons.
The crop’s high tolerance to salinity, which in certain parts
of the Area shows a tendency to reach fairly strong concentra
tions;
The existence of a certain demand on the local market, which 
shows, moreover, a gradual tendency to expand.
On    the    other    hand    the    following    unfavorable    factors    must    be    con sidered:
The high, water requirement of these crops, which need from 1 5 to 18, qqq cu.m of water per ha and per cycle;
The large proportion of damage inflicted by birds, involving today regular and costly custody of the fields, and which 
^ould suggest that an appropriate study be made in the future °f the seasonal movements of migratory species with the aim
, making the ripening of the caryopses coincide with the pe riod when the most harmful predators arc absent from the area.
Th us         tice
futu ^ inte
can certainly be included among the crops of possible
rest and among those worthy of deeper investigation.sorghum
is v ■
erv widespread in Ethiopia. With its numerous
-
 i j. .
,
.
finial! and its distribution is suitable.
of r
— -  i -fro + t «t « renor t that for 1966 a total of L 421.000 ha
The Melka Warar Research Station started in the year 1967/1968 the observation of I 5 varieties of this crop grown parallel under irrigated and dry farming conditions, and in 1 968/1 969 the numb* of varieties under observation rose to 22.
Apart from the technical interest of the data acquired, it must nevertheless be stressed that sorghum is not a suitable crop to profitably support the costs of irrigated cultivation, so that
its future cultivation in the context of the Project in question has no reason to be considered, in the same way as it does not at present form part of the crops considered by the commercial farms already in operation in the Awash Middle Valley, WHEAT
1ft 1 
° LAL Q. IL LUVCTCU rtfl d AC <1 <JA "XJi-j W V W Ha
v           WUh an Overa11 production of 3, t 50. 000 ql(or slight- l  mr. 
7 Ore th^ 7 ql/ha).Al -15
T he                 varieties were al9o U8ed , trials of seeding at monthly intervals J. ' 
969 {°r non-reo^y .
»• 
iMerval, 
,hr
,  ™‘-
ar
for
, 
u9Cd. From these indicative tests it would month for sowing wheat is October but tt
Were
„nnot. in any 
e» ..d„e
nd
that  best
« Ar obt.,intd
is at present grown over quite large areas in a number of t ed farms in the upper part of the Middle Awash Valley, 
^here regular average yields around 35 ql/ha are obtained and. even if the experiments so far conducted in the Project Area do not appear encouraging, it la deemed advisable for the investiga tions to go further, directing their attention in particular towards hard varieties coming from environments similar to that of the area in question.Al -16
fl, FI^ER CROPS
COTTON
5-
real situation, since irrigated cotton growing alone at that time exceeded this amount and the area under irrigated cotton check-
area or j, —
- ’ -- 1. _ --------------------------------------------------  ____________________  ,
ed for 1968 exceeded 20. 000 ha, while that of dry-farmed cotton
was over 30, 000 ha.
Cotton,     as     a     dry-farmed     crop,     has     been     grown     from     time     imme morial by Ethiopian farmers using a number of very hardy varie^
of Gossypium herbaceurn, while at least two species of wild cotton grow on the cistern slopes of the territory.
In Eritrea the growing of cotton under irrigation was first tackled 
at the beginning of the century and a widespread introduction of a large number of choice-fiber varieties was subsequently made in many regions of Ethiopia from 1936 to I 940, a period during which zones with favorable characteristics for the development of the crop were identified, setting up what were then called "Cotton growing districts". One of these "districts" indeed coincides
with the Middle Awash Valley. But the fundamental prospects of cottun-growing |  this area referred to the time of dry-farmed 
n
production, so that the lower limits of the area of supposed in-
c testg determined hv tbp wrtliimo rif »■ a » rtf 3 11 uinr* r- nn s i rl 4» t r*-d tn
Ua
ve
or  a commercial type downstream oi waicncniti
of cotton under --wuwaa represented and stiu represents withoutAl-17
:r op Co which fr°m the beginning most attention has been doubt the Meika Warar Research Station, where for more than 
given by 
two years now .
FAO cotton expert has been working,
utlines    the    gross    yields    of    the    main    trials    carried    out    on Table     2     ou        puddle     Awash     Valley     for     which     data     were     available, cotton tn tne
4 969 the area under cotton in the commercial farms of
^Middle Awash Valley amounted to about 4, 500 ha, all of which , irrigation, including the area assigned for cotton with-
■u/crC under i .x .&
in  rhe context of the AVA Settlement Scheme.
T he essential indications relating to the technical methods
tnd to the problems connected with cotton production which emerged from the experiments carried out and from practical experience
may be essentially resumed as follows.
Soils
The physical nature of the arable lands in the area do not militate against cotton, although, as in the case of maize, special attention must be paid to the lands with very slow drainage conditions, in order to prevent excessive humidity concentrations.
With regard to fertility, also, the remarks made for maize may repeated, namely that the arable lands have enough essential
prQd* ^^ cements not to constitute a limitation to the maximum
-  Active potential permitted by the situation of the other en- con ^it'Ons- The salinity conditions of the soils in 
1
vr
nutg and S aUd
are  inhibiting for tobacco and ground-
Product
r   at l east the higher values, to some extent limit the
3 ider d ° legibilities of maize, should not however be con-
e
certain t 6
thoBe selj^63 veSeta
the possibilities of cotton which, apart from bles, j  the most salt-tolerant crop among 
8
Appears ad\^
development of the Project. It therefore
e
Q f the a_bovelSa^^  ^Or cot^°n to be used as an initial crop on lands
n          SU^c^asses« in order to reduce the present salt con- ce htratiu  *■
ln  such soils by 2-3 years of irrigated cultivation.Al -18
T4bleJL
EN rfeA*weDOVT*
~ rT_ nN COTTON IN THE MIDDLE AWASH VALLEY Sa q' ofBMdcOttoa p-r h»)
utr.1 wp
1967/68
(1)
t******
AC?*3
As*1
Ccier
fC^ct
rpl-jpl*
St?**"
Sir**
□t-JUpi13*
C
0
Afp^xn GrCLup;
AS»r
RdH
•Fwiwh"
HAP.
A
3JA
PuiaLlnl Group:
L
0-lTC
4 42
1 (?0
1 (JOA
45
277
34<?
519'
IJ05
S.L.
ISA
45A
201  AD
413-6?
72. 60
65. DO-
65. U
70. 7
B J. •(■»«>
70. 5
Bl.
6R. 4
69.7
77. 5
19.4
l?.5
31. 9
37, 8
JI. o
-
63?
R5D
44-2
133-57
592
1 1
AC                               134
tu
1*9
-\U”2ari Group:
KK
KK
141L
S
1517
Ki
U|
147
5
F
F
1 08J
1 543
4727
F
F
F
2421
67. 7
55. fl
n, 7
41.4
32. 6
£3.B
bl- 5
79- 2
fl?. 5
67. 0
69. 9
73. 5
67.2
63. 3
Bi.i
67. 1
BO. 5W
55. 7
20, 3
15. 9
IS. 1
a 3(w]
18 3
18. 9
20.5
-
IA. 1
-
1
40, 6(juucj| 38. $(*)
-
38.4
-
-
21. 9 W
-
-
19.2
-
18. 7
-
-
3?.. 1(xxb)
37- 1
3*, B( —) ,
■
]5, 9
29. 0
28. 7
26. 7
30.4
29.7
1
^iftU
X
Plrk
^Iny,
12
. 1730
S 1{M.  w,  |
S| (NCbo)
65. 2
_
-
-
13,3
-
42. 40 39. 26 JJ.7 29. 85 35.50 20. BO
4^ JO
59. 5G
69,5 51.45
4  j.  it 51. 10 67.1 16. ’0 81.1 JB. 1 ] 55. IG 55. 7 32. 1
62. 36 63, 5 67, fi JI. 25
A,
60.6
63. 5
67. fl
49. 2
22. 5
-
' 1>1>1 wk,«
P'odu
““  '
' atrled ou‘ “ non-.cpeanor  tedl. unit, pur.:? for ob..r««i™ purpo.r-.
CUI
h “ ' -“ked with three cto...., lb. —nd mo.« produ.tiv. dur.n. *nd with single cron the third.Ai -M
Table. 2 (Ceci, )
Plantini;
Month
1966/67
(l)
1967/M
(2)
1166/69
(3)
-----  -
.Mein
P
Me>n of All Varieties per
l® fi1l.9n Mon! It
in
IV
V
VI
VII
vm
IX
HI
IV
V
VI
VLf
vin
IX
VI
vu
vm
VI
vn
vin
vi.
vu
vm
VI
vn
vui.
-
-
-
62. 1
Z7, 5
15. B
-
-
-
35. 1
29. 5
27. 1
-
Ill
TV
V
VI
VI]
vm
DC
26, 75
10,45
17.15
3 7.12 26. 0 6 20. ID
k2tj
-
-
-
-
5J, 9
24, 4
7, 4
-
M. 9
25.. 7
17. 9
IB. 4
26, 0
12. 6
-
-
-
-
■
-
-
*
AlMr 637
-
sa. 7
34, 8
12 J
Rflbi n~nn
-
21. 2
19.4
1 6, 6
24. 3
9. 3
L 5. 4
6. I
30. 7
1«6 5
3 7.7
27. I
9.4
5 6.5
4, 1
■
-
-
-
-
15-17 
c
-
-
31. 1
40. 2
27. 5
24. 3
32. 1
23. 7
-
-
-
-
!'
-
L
23. 2
10, 4
16. 6
41. 56
21, 41
19.
6. 1
10, t
10. 5
17. 7
4 0. 60
1 6.41>
U. 9-
4. 1
4 b. id JG. 25 25, 10
33.4
£6. 0
u, a
31. 1
30, 2
27, 4
24. 1
12,. 1
23. 7
__________
fc|
H) . ’a'y
inl«
rv>  v
;
■nLQTVAl.
tr  or ding to requirements , without fixed periods.Al-20
Table 2 (Core.)
40
rrrigX ®
Inter**1
) 966/6 7
1967/68
19 68/61
Mean
Mean of All Varieties
per Irrigation Interval
1U'4
*4b 15 IT C
^jlat s. L.
64 9
84. 5
51. 9
104. 1
62. 3
128. 1
-
38. 4
65. 9
•
•
-
-
-
•
27. 8
IB 9
23. 2
-
•
•
-
38. 1
28. 5
27.1
-
-
31.1
27. 5
16. 8
24. 3
22. 7
12.2
21.5
20.2
19 4
-
•
-
•
64 9
27. 8
51.7
23.2
53 9
•
104.3
62. 3
IB. 1
78.4
27. 1
38 4
65.9
21.5
25.65
23 45
16 a
24.3
22. 7
12.2
15
20
10
40
1
48.20
28.96
57 76
20.45
Q. ^‘.r<Ulet0 .owlng u Jun.rf • f~erUh««|r Experiment (1)
■
/             Nitrofon.
ON
IN
ZN
M Balft
1
M*an     i
/
i
Phoiphcrui OP
| 3 P
1  ZP
OR
IP
2P
OP
1 P
ZP
OP               IP
K
-------------
1
1
I
Fofixium
OK
IK
2K
1
ip                I
3«u 6 20, 7       | 21 , 7
24. 9
22. 3
21.0
22. 5
15. Z
J a. 4
17. 2
21. 8
1 7. 
20.6
17.5
16. 4
26. B
1 9. 6
17. 3
22. 5
25, 0
19. 5
1 4. 3
17. 9
20. 4
18. 9
Lb. a
16.2
1 9. 5
22. 7
19. 5
19. 9
19.2
19, 2
1
22. 7
17, 4
17. 3
20, 7
'    19.7
I B. 6
Mean N x p
20. J
22. 7
L B. 7
IB, 6
IB. 2
21, 2
22. 1
17. 5
! 7. J
r
1 20. 7 19. 4
1 9, 1
19. 7
Mean N
20. 6
19 4
19. 1
•d
(!) Experiment limited to 1968/1969. variety used Atila 15-17 C; eowinu June, key:
r*
N
Z
ON. IN, 2N □. 40 and HO kj/ha, N uh Arhmaiuum auilphale
or. Ip, 2P « 0.40 and 80 kg/ha. P;O^ »■ ■ujrtrphoi phatc OK. iKi ZK - Ou 40 and BO kg/ha, 
n
d
>
A-
pQitviium aulphate.Al *22
The pr®P  ' 
a
1 f 1 vat J t-31n “A
rltory works and those of laying out the land uard for co tton are the same as those outlined for maize,
the      J*      thc         suitability      of      these      practices      to      the      requirements      of
j^Uhoug 
the cr°P _
i n t hi s c a s «                    *—**• Jr
ever  , j the observations made appear sufficient. Uined and tne
specific environment of the Project has not been , 3He experimentally ascertained, the results ob-
Sowing Time
The available data (see Table Zb) would indicate, in order of pre ference, the best months for sowing as June, March and July* However, experience relating to sowing in March refers to one year only (1968/1969), whereas sowing during the June-/Xugufit period has now been observed for three years. It must also be borne in mind that there is a serious danger of the crop being ruined by attacks of bacterial blight which affect crops grown from seed sown appreciably in advance of the rainy seasons. It
is thus thought advisable to recommend that cotton should 
be sown broadly within the limits of June and July and, where possible, should be contained within the optimum of from mid- June to mid-July^
Distance
Ex pc ’
indiffe1^^8       rnade       in       1       968/1     969     at     Melka     Warar     have     shown     the
f°T
P QrP<>5e of final unit yields, of a density of
of   pref
a
e
thousand plants per ha. and on the contrary
of 80 or toGriCe
an  ^er_rC,w spacing of 90 cm, rather than
s pe ct tend ctn“ effect the information acquired in this re- Cu -rently S T° con^*rm the suitability of the sowing distances
Bista of r. adopte
d    most of the commercial farms, which con- s paci ng Of go x 25 cm+
inAl -23
furrows, and thia is also the sV3fPT^
of .he Project. 
Method of Seeding
This is currently carried  out
nJi ' at the bottom , .
by         g<?ed
T  the future
Z‘"m
"
Used
From 15 to 20 kg/ha.
Treatment of the Seed
Seed assigned to the seed drill is delinted, so as to facilitate distribution by the mechanical parts of the seed-drill and - even if in practice this precaution is not at present always respected it ia advisable that it should undergo treatment with a mercury- based fungicide in order to control possible attacks by bacteria on the future crop. It is reputed to be useless to treat the seeds with heat, since in Ethiopia Platiedra gogsypiella is not present in the hibernating larva stage in the seeds.
Experiments have been  made on 
varieties of various species and 
omitting, ho number of
the local suitability of numerous genetic groups of the cotton grown, 
the
Warar the jnthe fir lhe  third
we ver, even in this case, to repeat the test with a ari eties shown to be the most productive (see Table 2a)*
^Ihree years of experimentation concluded at Melka
year- r , 1    Aik 
, 
J  ^lba  637.
r _u     1      ril‘ty    which    has    been    recorded    as    the    most    productive
aS      keen    Acala    4-42*    in    the    second    S    2421    and    in 
rAl-24
, cotton finds in the environment under examination very 0 bviouS * conditions, even if the very high yields registered for
s»tisfaC °of varieties, especially for the years 1961 and 1966/196?
a numbc^
rise tQ some doubts and - at least with regard to the
d !A%M966/l967 - account must be taken of the fact that the figures data ° , obtained from unrepeated tests on Limited quantities. 
have been
>n“ ti q § La no4
variety adopted for the basic testa at Melka Warar
\caU 15-17  * which is the same variety adopted in practice
c
3  the bulk of the commercial farms some of which, moreover, although on a minor scale, also grow Acala 4-42.
The practical trend towards varieties of the American group is based on their high productivity and on the type of fiber required by the local cotton industry, to which at the moment and for some time in the future practically the whole of the production will be allocated. It seems therefore worth noting the high productivity shown both by the experiments of 1961 and by the indicative trials held in 1966/1967. also by the variety of the "Barbadense" strain, whose fiber, of choicer quality and of greater value than that of
the varieties of the ^Hirsutum" strain to which the so-called American cottons belong, will probably arouse new interest
when once the requirements of the local industry have been satis fied.
Acala 15-17 C has. as has been said, responded well to the charac teristics of the local environment, but it is hoped that it will he
eplaced by a variety which, although having the same technolagic- * and productive characteristics, would have greater resistance
-Jinthprn o na s malv ac ear urn and a shorter cycle.
ih terv^sTijrieUtS COnducte<i on the advantages of various irrigation 
Table a R htlve so far given apparently contrasting results (see
the
^ r°hably on account of the diversity of rainfall during
a ging Ou-US_5 when the experiments were made. The aver- °f the unprocessed figures of the available data would,Al -25
dicate that the highest yields coincide with the adoptjon in f»ct' XnQ^ intervals of 30 days, and the emergency of a second 
of irrigSliaalthough less than the first - coinciding with irrigation 
o ptimvini
[c of U '
&
 days. Apart from what has been said and the
interva
the -f
*
------ -----
^..hts arising ir
ac
doub
,s a  p,.<ve. with irrigation intervals of 30 days, given yields arid therefore the most reliable - indicate that the most
f that in 1 966/1 967 two varieties are
_______
Stable       irrigation       ^
rec uenc
l     y*       where       there       are       no       rainfalls,       is
between 15 and 20 days. This frequency is already adopted by
the better run commercial farms.
In the climatic conditions prevailing during the year 1968/1969 no additional effect has emerged from irrigation prolonged to over
the 120th day of the crop's age, but in practice the current in dication is that the last watering must be given immediately after completion of the first picking of the cotton seed, which corresponds normally to 130-135 days from the sowing of the plants.
Crop Care
in the experimental tests and in actual practice the cotton is
n
er
v <ilid   &  ^mentally whether the fact confirmed at Tendaho is
°r not
~
not  for the Project Area.
tr,a iz<ji t^e o^th period of the cotton crop is longer than that of
T  Ormer generally requires one weeding more than the
S t 8  ULn * ts ^_T__________________
ts Wirn chemical weedkillers on cotton so far made
1
a
_ _        _ a,
. .         ...     _ —. jf.-l w Wk -i PAl-26
ractice used in cotton growing by a number of com-
A fiPeC13f.. ^
i
mS  in the area is ratooning. This consists in a
rr|erC!aof the plants when the picking is over, in order
cUBDi— 
dra*bac 8
-.1 aepXaii*- ■
ifairnu, -   mi  ---- ---------  .
at least dangers involved, has never received gener has  .t been widel adopted. In the Abadir (l)
Metehara, it is reported to have been adopted over an 
area of more than 300 ha in the year 1967/1968, the yield ob
_ __ a , _ w
_ 
.»       ■ » * *
tained being quantitatively and qualitatively superior to that of contemporaneous crops from first planting. This notwithstand ing, mainly because of the danger of pests, especially vegetative ones, it is not deemed advisable to recommend this practice in the Project Area.
Pest Control Treatments
The cotton crop cannot be economically conceived in Ethiopia, as elsewhere, without the aid of a thoroughly programmed and methodically implemented plan of pest control aimed at contain- ln g within tolerable limits damage inflicted by pests in general
and by insert' =
y Insect pests in nartirnl^r Dn-rincr a fiAriftS nf tests coil-
___ *_• 
<
__ -r
flie^6 Pr°->ect Area. which is about 30 km away aS the crow the elevation ia about 950 m a. a. 1.Al -27
treatments are applied from the 25th to the 11 Oth- At the rrios’- croptg growth and the type or types of insecticides
H 5th day °must be established in relation to the species of parasite to be uSed^gOretically, whether treatment is wortwhile should 
present. 
f rom a check of the size of the parasite population
be ascerta' tirne present in the field, but in view of the difficulty 
from tirne ,
lied if  cdiry* ^
rr1
,-ine out such a system at the level of skill usually 
1
imp‘l
P rocCS
the
 f  mers, it is proposed rather to adopt systematic
ar
oer
am       of       methodic       treatments       envisaging       an       integrated       use
aUy  t*ious chemical products whose horizon of activity covers all
the parasiu^-
vaf
qD ecies known to be present and harmful in the zone,
These parasites include: Heliothis armigera, Earias insulana, Dinar ohis castanea, Disdercus spp. , Oxycarenus spp. Nezara spp. . Ernhoasca lybica. Aphis gossypy, Tetranichus spp. . and others of less importance and inflicting less damage.
Pest control treatments can be made on the ground or from the air; but where the tree cover and the lay of the land permit, and the extension makes it worthwhile, treatment by aircraft must be considered the most advisable owing to the better simultaneity as well as the methodic cover obtained.
Fertilization
On the basis of the data obtained, it seems that the first fertiliza tion test made on cotton in the Middle Valley of the Awash was ’ conducted in 1961 at Metehara. in the context of other ex-
test, ---------
8e P*rat  and
c
60 kg/ha of 120  kg/ha
50 kgAa of
relating to the year in question. On this occasion a times, was carried out on Acala 15-17 with the
combined application of: N, as ammonium sulphate
of
K4O, as potassium sulphate P 2O , as
5                       superphosphateb
IAl -28
giving the following yields:
Non fertilized control plot
N
K
NP
NPK
showing,     that     is,     a     clear     lack these fertilizers to the crop.
60. 50 ql/ha 60. 60 ql/ha 58. 57 ql/ha 60. 62 ql/ha 60. 72 ql/ha
response to the application of
A more comprehensive teat, with the application of the same macronutritive elements, was conducted in 1968/1969 at Melka Warar (see Table 2d). This also evidenced the fact that the new lands devoted to the crop in the Middle Valley of the Awash are so rich in essential nutritive elements that, as already seen for maize, even cotton does not react to their application.
Although it is a question of an experiment somewhat far from the
ton, to be stressed that one test, identical to t at con 
Melka Warar. made in the same season at Tendaho. a g showing no consistent effect to the application of phosp or potassium, gave, on the other hand, a marked response application of a nitrogen. With respect to an untreated con plot which gave a yield of 24. 8 ql/ha, 40 kg of N produce an increase in the product of 7. 6 ql/ha. and a further 40 kg a further additional increase of 2. 5 ql.
These results, obtained on land viously had not - as is now the ca
Melka
„ tests made pre-
 Warar '
but  on 
*e
any       response       to       the       application       cotton          was       grown          don          that, 
seven consecutive years irriga
d to  the a8SUmp 
t^e
application     of     fertiliser     of     any     n        *     loment3     to     the     P°/n        r
although originally rich in nutritive
r «p. S,o 
.bowed no 
fertilizers, the nutritive content o Their content of intact to be clo.ely »«c>>ed 
dements tends, at least with regard to
tbe  application of oI  the
to  dimtw" ‘Al-2?
..ears a
»r ■*” ot
. 
the extent that it will represent at the end of a few ther environmental conditions.
cO tton is entirely picked by hand, nor is it considered
first ripening of the bolls coincides with the coming of the Novemb
er rains, but the circumstance has not, as far as experience acquir
cd up to now is concerned, produced any significant damage at
least in the Project Area.
On the commercial type farms, once the picking is complete, the
plants arc uprooted and burned, or the land is ploughed and the
plants are gathered and destroyed from the tilled soil. At the Ex
perimental Station the destruction of the used crop is accomplish
ed by the passage of a collecting implement which cuts up all the
above-ground part of the used plants into tiny pieces leaving to
the     subsequent     ploughing     the     job     of     earthing     and     the     residual     roots* Since it is possible for this second svstem to foster the spreading
still      incomplete      knowledge      of      the      local      environmental      situa- this respect, it is recommended to follow for the time
1  system for the disposal of the cotton crop residues which 
the final destruction of these by fire.
C X" Q
*
In fact the possibility of growing a second cropAl-30
. not to be excluded in the near future, but the con fer cOtt°" \egpccted in this regard are:
dition5 to
Sowing by the first half of June;
Adopti°n
of an earlier variety than Acala 15-17 C;
sible renunciation of the fourth pass during picking, which brides does not represent on average more than 5 to 7% of
the total product.
production.
In the experiments made at the Melka Warar Station, the average production of the cotton crop grown in the appropriate season (June-July) was shown to vary widely from one year to another, with evident reflection of the greater or lesser suitability of the seasonal climatic trends. Relevant data taken from staggered seeding tests show in fact the following figures for average pro duction obtained from crops planted in the two months referred to above:
33.   24   ql/ha   for   1966/1967
31.05 ql/ha for
17. 57 ql/ha for
1967/1968
1968/1969
fa ° ln case the cotton crops grown on the commercial
e ^count°^ Awash Valley a similar productive trend has been howev .ered ^th variations from one year to the next, keeping, 
out o
lr
r   exceP  f°  the presence of obvious defects of soil lay-
a ^°ut 17 ^an^ement» the general average, over the years,of
The technol
the varietai°giCal qualities of the product are, with reference to 9Uailtat' C^aracteristics, generally very good or good, but
fTlOst part lVC fading of the seed cotton on picking is for the e * rciaecj .Satisfactory on account of the lack of selectivity 
e
ln r hi 9 respect by the local market.A[-31
Various aspects and essential problems f
growing in the P
j
ro ecl A„., certiln ‘"'""•t to pro«pec(l
of investigation and clarification, but a fk m^nd further
tian of the results obtained by exneri™ ' ° ° E  critical
ruh
e *» f°rt®
.. objBrtiv. appraa.a! of thc .XX" a,re’d>' 
„.s.ing enabU, .be guideline, Z'°‘ ""
provide well-grounded  reasons fOT tho *°rk
farm. 1 "J”
laid               d^snd
ductive improvements that can be oht^ P tare, in hi. „
t           3pect, th. 
CQnsieu>nt „ d in a r.Utivrt
production will reach 22 
ql ha
/   ■
hdt  ^thin t
en y
4 / ha is acceptable, V 5 ave
^ge
fu '
KENAF
Endeavors to introduce Hybiscus cannabinus into Ethiopia have been made on many occasions and in many localities from 1937 onwards. Indeed in 1938 a special company was formed in the territory. This company, called "Compagnia per la juta e fibre similari di Ftiopia.", which grew a number of trial crops both of H. cannabinus and H  sabdariffa tall var. did not. however, ever
t
attain true and proper industrial cultivation of these species, which were in every case grown under dry farming conditions.
The
growing of Kenaf under irrigation in Ethiopia was probably 
VaU ^
r
rnenta^^ tested for the first time precisely in the Awash 
Or j ^ lrBt at Wonji and then at Metehara, where, moreover, 
Six^ya**^^ Pl°ts were used to provide indicative information. 1968/] 96^eS were SOWT1 at Melka Warar over small areas in 
Cached ' 
we
re      re
the height of the plants were observed; this
*  maximiim for vart ECR 308  of 3.  08  m.  No  tests
there ar^€alC^ lor
^>cal
re
• 
species in the following years, so that
ln ^act»  no  data likely  to  supply  a guide on  the tech-
^ 0Bsible      e      rerncnl8,         otl         the      productive      possibilities,      and      on      the ° « prevC°inQniiC advanta8e of raising Kenaf under the condi-
Un
f
Qr
*  Project Area, even though it is known
n
dQ8t*y.       the^i       reqUiremGnta           of           the           Iocal           sack           manufacturing       in-
r ^Llct. 
°cal market shows a certain demand for this pro-Al -32
jUTE
o  repeated attempts have been made to introduce the for jute' ’ ia although it has never attained an industrial stage, 
crop to ’ trjals have been made on the crop at Wbnji, but it has
In th  P
e
33  solely for observation purposes, been sown in the
never, Are-t sO that no data are available to assess its possible
project
economic interest for the future development of the
tCC n Cion area under study, although it is known, in the same way lTr ;f was known for Kenaf, that the product would enjoy a certain demand on the local market.
jl ramie
This crop has been experimented for a certain time at Wonji, where there still exist some plots growing four varieties which show good development. The crop has never been experimented within the Project Area, so that no data are available to form
an opinion on its possible profitability.
9 ' SISAL
AB-
the exP  *
er
ment' ha of this crop were planted at Metehara. 
HVA farm (l)  The crop shows very 
+
expcrj Ve^°^rnent’ ku* & part from the fact that the agro-technical Qnciej. 1118 an<^ those of productive control of this test are still
P ice  for* 
r
5
Te tur n On
Predicted that, at least at present market ^er. it has no possibility of providing a sufficient
e  high cost of irrigated cultivation.
ak 
ktetehay-, 
f
b °Ut
fa rm of
krr,
the    HVA:    situated    in    the    Middle    Awash    Valley tream of the Project Area; elevation about
950 Hl a. 3 1 UPBAl-33
c. fodder CROPS
. . i  a crop that has been grown since the beginning of the
s
^cntury in Eritrea and subsequently in the other provinces of Ethiopia, where it is at present grown both as a dry and as an irrigated crop on various commercial farms engaged in live stock breeding directed towards dairy products.
Alfalfa has been grown in the Middle Awash Valley for a dozen or so years on small areas of the Awara Melka Farm (1), where it is used for the feeding of pigs. In the Project Area, 
the Melka Warar Station started in June 1966 a comparative observation test on 18 varieties. The test, carried out in non repeated plots each with an area of I 5 sq. m, on flat land, irri gated approximately every 14 days, produced a crop with an av erage production of 1, 340 ql of fresh alfalfa per ha and per year equivalent to 3. 66 ql per day; with a minimum of 960 ql (var.Mcapa and Rhizoma) and a maximum of 1,640 ql (var. Ca liente), and with the harvest distributed over a total of 10 cuts per year at minimum intervals of 24 and maximum intervals
of 47 days.
Frcm observations made it appears that the hot-dry season is sfc Sb favorable for the growing of alfalfa than the cool damp cutH«  ^at, for the purpose of yields per cut, the time of
Clltli • 
n
---«•***- fu* puac ui yicius jjc; uui,
Planted                ®reater importance than the time the crop was
. .          to correspond approximately in experimental work: i. e. alialfa pr
1.000 to 1,200 ql of green matter per over 10-12 cuttings.
approximately
the  observations tra 1
per  year sprca
1
it lic  q
Cr ow fHpStrearn of the Project about 15 km away as the e8 ‘ elevation about 850 m a. s. 1,
the Awa^   Melka Farm: situated in the Medium Valley of
s     S Wherc the tributary Kessem flows into this river;Al-34
Alfalfa thus appears as a crop which aid d 
g
a ion, is capable of very good adapt^** ^opriate
t
irri
which it i« able to give excellent yields the pr°ject Area in  fact, give rise to any particular nroh’, CT°P ^elf doe' ** active character, but the advantage in i'™
seen in relation to the proapects * Hs
 P^sible cult X .
iv
r  n   a„ xxixt'
s.n  ^ .
* '^nico-pr/*' 8e >srnent.
H              bERSEEM
Four    varieties    of    Berseem    were    sown    at    the    Melka    War    ar    Station in August 1966 for the purpose of making comparative observations.
The highest yield was obtained from the Genest variety, which gave an overaLl production of 256 ql/ha of green material spread over 6 cuttings (the last of which, however, yielded only 1.7%
of the total product) at approximately 1 -month intervals, with 
an overall duration of seven and a half months.
The adaptation of Berseem to the environmental conditions of the Project Area is on the whole satisfactory and this crop, whose tolerance to salt is well known, could especially be used in the first cropping of the Area’s lands, whose initial use with other vegetal
8 pecies must be considered hampered by the immediate presence °f excessive salt concentrations. However, the decisive factor
8  to whether the crop is worthwhile is represented by the pos- ILity of profitable utilization of the forage.
ELEp»ANT GRASS
This grass is part of a collection ’g6
or pasture which were planted in . vations have
Melka Warar
ts f°r CUtti^S
but cd. of which no data or particular o s
rAl -35
of a number of tufts of Elephant grass, observed
]3f
SpeCi<!although assumptions regarding possible yields cannot be put forward.
 SUDAN GRASS
Twenty varieties of this species were examined during the year 1966/67 at Melka Warar for the purpose of comparative observa tions, obtaining, in a total of 6 cuttings, an average overall
production of 1,700 ql of green matter, with a minimum of 920 ql (var. Black Menvesotan) and a maximum of 2, 570 ql(var. Piper). Production decreased gradually from the first to the seventh cut and 89% of the production was gathered in the first four cuttings performed from September to December,
In >967/1968. 8 seedings were made with Sudan grass at intervalsAL-36
D . . fruit TREES
aV
ocado pears
14.
A numbeher rof of 6- 6-7 ye 7 yearar old Avocado plants, reproduced fromseed, 
A nUrn
exisi.
 the Awara Melka Farm, where they show a regular and 
-
eCxcX1Se lllleent nt ve  vegegettaattiiveve a and pr     nd produc   oducttiiveve de  devevellopm opmeent nt.. In view of the
relative nearness and notable similarity between the two environ
*~V,~ -i—il
ments there are grounds to consider that the species could be grown and produce just as well in the Project Area also. How ever. there is a lack of data to enable an opinion to be expres sed on the productive possibilities of the Avocado pear in the area, apart from what may be the marketing prospects for the product.
15.    BANANAS
The     Melka     Warar     Experimental     Station     has     available     a     number small plots of Bananas set at a distance of 3 x m an
June    1967,    in    which    a    number    of    varieties,    named    as    e represented:
Chinese dwarf Sukare
Dukas Hybrid Keren Asmara
Robi selection Kenya.
However, the actual specific co 
U  not known apart from the "Chine
dv ,arf”
rxeapondenceof^/X^-Al-37
could data of this kind have been considered as ac-
j-G-l 11*!
Of the plants are already ten years old.
The variety grown is the "M. Cavendish11 dwarf which, as has al
ready been said, was introduced from Eritrea, where, in its turn, 
it was introduced in 1 937 from Somalia, a country in which it was
known under the local name of "Giuba'\
The crop is planted at distances of 3 x 3 m in a 50-cm deep 
trench. The suckers arc treated with a solution of "Nemapaz11, 
which is subsequently used in the open field for a regular treatment
each year. As a fertilizer 2 ql of urea are applied 3 times a
year, apart from two ql of compound (15, 15. 15) once a year. 
Suckers are not removed and I 0-12 irrigations are carried out
per   year   with   an   average   volume   of   about   I   ,   000   cu,   m   of   water per application and per ha.
peak of 500 ql.
- - neq. if between the
tl>3 and with^^antS X
Estimated that, with a mure suitable distance
a rational removal of the suck-
s ^°Uld ari aPPropriate treatment of the soil, no difficulties
^ruis- _   i*
e
th
1 o btaininu an 
nrn^iHifln of 400-4 50 qlAl-38
v
The asscSSrncnt on 1116 a«* i»ability of an extension of bans™
LV.i.n in the are. of the future
Irrigation Distric, 
P--
pven in relation to the existing local possibilities but more
anything else in view of the marketing prospects. The folio 
points should be borne in mind in relation to this problem- 8
ent the whole of the banana production from the Middle
1)
2)
At  ashVaLley is, with the exception of a relatively small
s    nt    to    Gibuti,    disposed    of    on    the    Addis    Ababa    market; amount
The area at present under bananas in the Awash Valley already saturates the Addis Ababa market completely, so that, at least
in some seasons, part of the product remains on the trees-
3) lhe Ethiopian province of Eritrea has been producing bananas for many years. The crop grown along the rivers Barca and Gash, was for the most part exoorted to Italy while the Suez Canal was open; since the Suez Canal has been closed , the crop has been exported to the Middle East thanks to the opera tions of a single exporter (Mr.Denadai) who dominates this market, to which he sends also citrus and salad crops. The exporter also owns the ships necessary for the transport of these products.
4) Ab far as the production of bananas is concerned, Eritrean production already saturates the Middle East market, except for a Bhort period - from December to April - during which the market receives (at present) also a small supply from Somalia (also negotiated through Mr. Denadai);
5)
t On
j        1       ^r°m    the    fact    that    the    future    Irrigation    Distric    in    ques- pleted VCn when the Addis Ababa- Assab road has been com-
this
Canal ha^^' ** ** 
from this port (that is a limit distance to  foresee that, once the Suez
cesg to h keen reopened, Ethiopian bananas can obtain ac- ° ne hand b EuroP  n market, dominated as this is, on the
ea
typical b th** ^een competitiveness of production from the
ca, and u>nana ~g
row   n
* £ countries of Central and South Ameri-
th« 
° wk*cht °n the other, the countries associated with can enter under privileged terms.Al-39
n
Should, in the future. ba anas be tion  would have to be exported to
«-■ market the Kritrekn o
a market. 
utpul
the Area .1,
P  ’Whlch *ould thcn Tf. CpUc‘«g on            “*** withoul <"C E”>- rem. 
16.    CITRUS
Citrus crops have been cultivated for several decades in Ethio pia in general and in the Awash Valley in particular. Urso and Hercr, with their flourishing plantations, mainly of oranges and mandarines, and located on two right-hand tributaries of the Awash, have been typical citrus areas for more than half a cen tury.
The experimental station at Melka Warar has conducted since February 1967, regular tests on the principal species of citrus crops including:
3 varieties of grapefruits 3 varieties of lemons
1 variety of limes
6 varieties of oranges
*1 varieties of mandarines
wil h the altemaf at °ck. The te lVG °  ^
r
ara ^e^ use °f different types of
°ktain
ec
be a              * *** being co*<**cted with skill and care, but j with   ^°arS ^e^Ore useful information can be
tio
ns On tjle gard to the influence of local seasonal condi-
re
^^h cover a total ^°rrnation °* Ae fruit. Up to now the tests, 
* lv<! dcveloprriCnta area of 3 hectares, have shown that vegeta-
g *   where Ftqs/? ,
ea
gencra^y very satisfactory, except for one
of leaf mot 1 ^ ^
s
On  lemon on Troyer Citrange show evident
p^nced, £n tAJV^ e’ This is al5O the case, although less pro
of ^alei*cia, °lS °f ^arent Washington Navel orange and 
eaves and soil** °n & ro°tstock of Troyer Citrange. Samples
ta ken from trees affected by leaf mottle wereAl -40
n
pr,a,c ’“chin8'
“;r»p p"
w   bat where there are also 90 hectares of citrus trC es gro -
Valencia type) and to a few equally undefined varieties of manda rines. grapefruits. lemons and limes. The trees, which have
6x6m to 8x8 m spacings, generally show very satisfactory development and the fruit formed is uniform in size and is abun dant in quantity. Crop care, according to the age of the trees, 
is summarized as follows:
Ploughing
5-6; cross ploughing to a depth of I 2 - 15 cm; Irrigation
cu
- m ca-ch time,
fixture fr e first three years; 6()0 gr of urea and 300 gr. of
fro, n th  • ■! to 6 years; 1 kg of urea and I/l kg of mixture
e
e '>enth year onwards.Al -41
The     trees     produce     from     the     fifth     year     onwards, mentioned spacings, the average yield jg-
10 kg per tree from 5-g years
50 kg per tree from 9 years onwards.
From the observation of older trees in the area it is believed . citrus crops have an economic life of about 50 years and that tk average yield obtainable from trees j  their I 3th m tn.k 
and for the afore-
estimated at 100 kg. 
n
F ith tO 50th
i3
The greatest production  is obtained  from August to  January  and the whole product goes to  the market of Addis Ababa,  which,  it is said, is at present saturated during this period.
From the bulk of information acquired it can be concluded that there are sufficient elements to assume that, except for the ap propriate consideration of the specific conditions of the land and a  possible exclusion of the use of the Troyer Citrange as rootstock, the Project Area should, on the whole, be suitable for the possi-
j
fi
C
export ly- jli - be mai
a ^ C’ cl°Pment of the citrus crops. But since the local market read} saturated, the new production should be intended for
this
*
contexl should be noted that, since export will European market, the production utilizable for
while thc°Se should ripen by the beginning of October at the latest, hn x^eSt ~ eslmaated at almost Z/3 of the total production -
to place.
° Vet the yea  p
citrUa
rs    tK-
‘ htopia has developed a certain flow of export of
west ^Toni Eritrea, whose slopes - both in the east and in va riatiOn - tietV climatic conditions, thus giving rise
the
t 'ie  Productive period which can be directed lo-
r
-. 
most ; i, 
r
. 
resting months in different markets . Thisisthe
r
S   e^n
Se  of tb
e
he
1  Erit.
z
Dtnadai
1  groves of Elaberet and Ghinda.
rus  Pr°duction, which before the closure of the
towards Italy, now - still in the context
T S nization - is directed towards the Middle East.
aAl -42
s
that citrus production in the Middle Awash Valley, eanS  jncler the Denadai organization, could, in the future
Thi  m
a nd corm0? " laced on the markets of the Middle East. But, a- probably ’ h  fact that the information coming from ordinary 
te
part from sufficient to warrant realistic estimates for fu-
sO
urceS lS^nd vcgetables requirements in those territories, the
tu
re
organiz- h
o f markets themselves is such that profitable t   crn is considered difficult, unless it is done through 
aCCG8S anized groups which are already reasonably established 
well or
on the
g 
'
in  the case mentioned. In short, it can be
aid that for citrus crops, as for many others, the future develop- ment of the Project has a considerable potential interest, but before setting up an important citrus production it is deemed es sential to ascertain and evaluate the technological characteristics of the product and the periods of production that will be obtained from the extension of the tests which are at present conducted at Melka Warar.
17.       CUSTARD -APPLES
A plantation of 7 hectares is to be found near the Awara Melka Farm, and other trees or groups of trees grow on various farms oringaidens of the Middle or Lower Awash Valley. There is rea son t° believe that this tree would grow well in the Project Area, 
rnar^®t for this fruit - and present production al /Cady saturated it - which means that the possible expan
sion of frhi c
r
crop would not be worthwhile.
DATES
lh *r  are s
b ^r fruit
r
e
V Taldate *alms on the Awara Melka Farm which 
Vcrv good re8ularly, even though the product obtained is not of
*° teU wheth*1^7- However- the lack of data makes it difficult
sufficient technical and economic advantages wouldAl-43
3cC
rue
the expansion of the crop. Appropriate tests might palms could make use of certain marginal water re-
s how that e those represented by the hot salt springs common sources. » .*'
1     an<| Lower Awash Valley where at present character in the Mi ns of fjum palms (Iphaene nodularia) are encountered, istic planta
grapes
There are 13 hectares of grape vines (of which 3 are in produc tion) on the Awara Melka Farm. With the necessary care vines can develop and produce satisfactorily, with two harvests per year amounting to an average total of 80 ql per hectare. It is consider ed that vines could also be cultivated in the Project Area, both for dessert grapes and for the production of wine. But in view
of the expansion of this crop at present and that forecast for the future according to existing programs for other areas in the Awash Valley, it would not be advisable to extend it to the irri gated area in question, for obvious market difficulties.
-3- GUAVA
Th
C oncH IS I hectare °n the Awara Melka Farm. Since this is a se- ar V fruit, what has been said in the case of custard-apples
^’□appUes here. Ma NGOEs
Of tr
e
e8 fro  lka Farm has 3 hectares of this crop, and consists
(leveloptTlen^ 1° yearS a^e
with 10x1 0 m spacing. The
it i8 a v and production of this fruit appear to be satisfactory quality po°T Quality product, since it belongs to a very 
ab °ut custard arietV reProd,Jced from seed. What has been said 
a Pples also applies to the prospects for mango- c p roject Area.Al -44
ll-
pA pAYAS
'S common almost throughout Ethiopia, and is grown This frui^tnercjal and family farms and in gardens. It has been,
both on o 
, observed at the Melka Warar Research Sta -
and C no information on the matter is available or at least is ti ° * to* published at present. The Awara Melka Farm has 6
n
not ^ rCS under Papayas and the product is marketed at Addis
Ababa.
This fruit could certainly  grow and produce well in the Project Area  but it could not be widely  cultivated because of the diffi culty  of handling  and transporting  the product and because de mand on the local market is practically covered.
23. PASSION FRUITS
These are not common in Ethiopia and do not appear to be grown in the Awash Valley, but because of their ecologic and pedologic requirements they should lend to satisfactory growth and produc tion in the Project Area. Apart from the fact that their actual
^ehavior is unknown, there would be practically no market for product, since the possibilities of consumption in Ethiopia
re httle
than negligible.
pineapples
There is
Awash Vail QeW9 exPeriments in cultivating pineapples in the
i*tjCl the^" ^^^ough the ecological and climatic character-
cut*£Va 4 d*fticulty 
Area are favorable, it must be considered in  this environment would come up against the
^lcali^e *°   ^ Pt 1° unsuitable soils, which are all
ac   a
W’hereas pineapples like acid soils.Al-45
’5-
sP oNDlAS
These 8 °*
r
and produce well at Awara Melka where they cover of  land There is reason to believe that this species
abou1 1 °e in the game manner in the Project Area. However,
would be ci
of  great interest and what hag been said in the
tHiS Pnf°custard-apples also applies here.
c
ase
01Al -4t>
E. OILSEEDS
castor beans
two wild varieties of castor beans are extremely wide-
At  fad in Ethiopia and several attempts have been made at culti-
4pr  ^.s crop. In 1961 a fertilization test was conducted between
th^Hasera variety No. 4 and N, P and K at Metehara. Fertilization se did not give meaningful results, but the average production
of all the plots was more than 1 7 ql/ha, which is considered good.
In 1966/1967. five varieties were sowed at the Melka War ar Experi mental Station for a test involving comparative observation of the varieties, which gave an average production of 54.58 ql/ha, with a minimum of 20.9 ql (M. T. V. 2 variety) and a maximum of 94 ql/ha (Hybrid variety, Hazera No.l). These figures are ex ceptional and, although the lack of repetition and the smallness
of the testing area lessens their significance, they nevertheless indicate the utility of further thorough investigations. Without these it is not possible to recommend an extension of this crop.
groundnuts
ecJ  8tatisties for 1966 indicate that in Ethiopia groundnuts cover- duct * °°° hcctares in that year and that 1 80, 000 ql of dried pro-
Cre Stained with an average yield of 5.1 ql*per hectare, where ** Wc^”^nown and widespread throughout the country
Was introduced many ycarB ago from the Sudan.
In Xw i
in
8 rouri^nuts have been repeatedly dry-farmed
atld still 8 °Calitics’ whereas in the Middle Valley it has been
w ith maiz an *rrig ted crop on commercial farms. Together
a
^° ough
r
c °tt°n, groundnuts are the threefold basis for the
a
C   er‘rrien^a investigations carried out at the Melka ^ rar ^ ^Al -47
Tai’1' 3 g
>nnt tests cun
- -
‘«
a  summary of the gross data obtained from the most conducted on groundnuts, both at Melka Warar
.  ‘.ofc!) and at Metehara.
.^nd »> Metehara.
( 3s »« 190 '
1 indications concerning the technical methodology The Prin^^  pertaining to the production of groundnuts stem-
g
and PrO e {c9ta anc] acquired through practical experience
11,1108 ^summarized as follows.
can be
Soijl
The physical nature of the soils in the Project Area is not adverse
in itself to groundnuts, because, as opposed to what was once
thought, this crop is today grown successfully in many typical
black cotton soils. However, given its accentuated sensitivity
to retained humidity in the soil, the more markedly clayey soils
with slower drainage must be worked and drained with particular
care, and special attention paid to how the irrigation applications
are administered.
Regarding    fertility,    the    remarks    made    in    the    case    of    maize    and cotton hold good also for groundnuts.
Concerning soil reaction, groundnuts prefer neutral or slightly soils, but they are also sufficiently tolerant for the relativc-
Area°^er lte ^eve^  alkalinity of the majority of soils in the
s
re8  However, groundnuts do not tolerate salinity, and in this in Zui * should be noted that they are unsuitable for planting
soils in
thC specific EC is higher than 4 /4mhos. i. e.
eve n suchU^C^aS5eS an^
Nevertheless it is considered that
y°*rs    or    S°^8      Could    be    made    suitable    for    groundnuts    after    two ° of irrigated cultivation of a salt-tolerant species.
- ..el bed be earetaU,
unde composed vegetable matter. *ble conditions, the following opera
tion9 arc sufficlAL 4S
noirn OUT ON GROUNDNUTS IN THE MEDDLE A WASH VALLEY ijpNTS GARRLt-tr
!OAlH E*Pf:nl J'
(expr^w-rd In qL pe* hecUrte of dry puls<i|
1HV TrLBl^ _—----------
mi
JTM/67
(1)
J967/M
r—■—
Mean
55 *7
r
1 2^c,'d
K «*o [UP’1
A-m**1
A(U°
ak 1-11
[Xirrd *
lirarL
n.?5
Ma
JR S0(«->
24. 74
23. 75
29.
52 !#-(**■)
25. DO
ViTllal* Httnch
N-C. 2
PK
SbUcJJ-1-!
M.N. 1AJ
P. J. IZIQTO
BirhatcMi
ASHFORD
5.7
11. 1
36. 1
36. 1
10.«
4T. ife
5J
4b. 71,mJ 22. 1
10,2
•
-
55. 57
IT 2                 21 72
21.2                 IT 91
n 7                  24. 8? «- *(■»)           U. 71 25.4                J6. 32 11. 2               10.5C 25. J               41. 93 M.7UJ            J9.2C 17.5                IT 10 40.                  34.25 21, 4               21.4 24. 3              25. 8 i«.l                  IB. 2 12.2                22-2 24.9        I      24. 0
In J“?bt ti 7 the tj-4.4] was conducted for obirrvatiOfi purpOipB onJy *rw1 w* ■ not repeated,
«l l, 3
- -‘ pr&d.HefciV'B viririy fc* B been, market with Lnree »(■*■«•' the ikdmL hMJ«t p-rad.Ski-’II.rf* dun 31
l
Test «ilh Iwo
*nd wjih > fliagi,r cron the third.Tabla J fGofit. >
planting
Month
1166/67
<1J
1147/68
1 969/69
(2)
Maa a
Me*n of All Verbal id p®? Flan.tifig Men th
CaEigO
til
rv
v
vi
VII
VIII
DC
in
IV
V
VT
VII
vm
IX
vi
VII vm
vi
vu
_
-
4 8. 4
19. 9
42. 1
-
46, J
sb. a
18. 4
44. 65
29.20
4 5. 2D
23. 8
44. 3
28, 5
4.6
E Z. 9
9, «
16.7
17.9
47.5
55. 7
ni rv
V
V| vu
vm
IX
41. 80 41,45 41.4%
II.
14 25 H. U
2Q 35
-
46 3
5ft. a
18. *
40. 9
IB. 5
4 fl. 1
2k 0
4k J
Zfl, 5
4. 6
12. 9
9. a
! 6. 7
17. 9
______
-
-
-
-
-
’ r|ltmu bunch
-
4 7, 5
55. 7
3J 4
41. 9
42. 2
42. 0
-
-
-
-
-
-
41.9
42.2
42 0 ------ ------- ■
Q)
U ’ll
■'■dung io,
n(jB fpknwLni. a fbced P*tteirn.Al.50
Table 3 (Cont.)
Mean
Mean of All Varieties
p«r Irrigation Interval
8
ep* **
Irrlg*«*on Inter**1
(day*)
15
20
JO
15
20
JO
15
20
JO
1966/67
1947/68
1968/69
(2)
47 5
47. 5
-
39. 2
48.4
•
35.5
41.9
-
-
39.2
48. 4
15
20
30
42. 55
15.0
33.38
uJ
-
•
-
-
-
ItQ't
-
-
39. 0
-
-
-
20.5
15.0
11.6
-
35.5
31.20
15.0
25.45
during Ju„.
**»<■ between th
” !k|^i^eettTely * •'•cceiaivc irrigation! during that year were of 2. 1 and 4AUil
0N„ IN, 2N = Or 40 and BO kg/ha N a» aTTwnatiium »uLph*te OP. IP, 2P ~ 0. 4 0 and 80 Kg/ha P 0^ * • «upe rphQBpJiate OK. IK, ’K * Or 40 and BO kfi/ha KO al puUMiiim aulphat*.A I-52
ploughing to a depth of 25 cm (to be performed once) Harrowing (once)
Leveling with * grader.
Sowing Time
Groundnuts may be planted during either of the two rainy seasons ind local experts indicate as being the respective optimal periods for sowing from mid-June to mid-July and from November 1 to December 1. Monthly sowing tests conducted at Melka Warar Station (see table ) indicate that the beBt productive results were obtained, in order of importance, from seeds sowed in March, April, June, August and July. Nevertheless, it is worth noting
that tests carried out on crops sowed outside the June and August periods have only been practised for the past year. On the whole, however, it can be Baid that sowing may take place fairly success fully in any month of the year, except in January and February.
Sowing Patterns
At Melka Warar Station patterns varying between 0. 65 x 0. 15 m a nd 0. 50 x 0. 25 m have been used. The second type of spacing appears to prevail on commercial farms. Experiments on the yields in relation to the sowing pattern used have not been per-
, jTrtled' but experiments conducted elsewhere would advise the °Ption of patterns with denser rows.
S Lj \H.r|         .
Lt
altho k Practised on flat land, and is hand broadcast in the tests
con *mercial farms practise it with a seed-drill.Al -53
e eds arc used, and according to the variety and sowing SheUed Adopted. 80-100 kg per hectare may be required. Before pattern * °geeds arE not sorted and at present there do not appear so^  8   * _  f r suggesting that this kind of operation should
tobeanyreas
in    c
fl   o
bc  carried out.
At Melka Warar a total of 15 different varieties have been tested (see Table 3a) among which the best production has been obtained respectively from the Diredawa variety in 1966/1967, from the Virginia Bunch variety in 1967/1968 and from the Senegal variety
in 1968/1969.
When the results of the test carried cut in l$6l at Metehara arc excluded, the best total average results have been obtained with the Virginia Bunch variety (tested for 2 years), followed by the NC 2 variety (2 years) and the Diredawa variety (tested for 3 years). The typical variety adopted in basic experiments performed at Melka Warar is the Virginia Bunch variety, which is that used most com- m only on commercial farms, and by the Red Valencia variety.
i
i
The eyrw.
a                             riTnenta
how    th              ^    data    collected    at    Melka    Warar    (see    Table    3c)
a Pplic'tproduction results are obtained when irrigation llOns take place every 15 days.
[he  data alfin L
Uona     w
Ou  d
j
lndxcate       thal       an        interval     of     30     days     between     irriga-
Cqntradlct pTeftrable to that of 20 days. This :s of course
I 96? 
v  3 U l/t g wK ~ . V. •
an<^ it is assumed that it is only warranted by the
ich coincide with an exceptional rainy season.AI-54
ler nents obtained from practical experience alao show that ThC * op requires fairly frequent irrigation turna when there is no thiS Severy 15 da^s U Preferencc to everF days) and the volume
rll d for each turn is rather small (750-800 cu. m/ha).
veTl irrigation must be suspended once the first fruits have H°we* ..Led otherwise their seeds will germinate,
been lormw
Cultural operations must be performed with great care since
groundnuts are extremely sensitive to any injury or trauma caused
by pest attacks. For this crop, hoeing must be practised two ar
three times, and may only be performed mechanically between the
rows, the rest being done along the rows by hand. There must be
no earthing up.
Pest Control Treatment
At present there is no  treatment in the case of groundnuts,  but in the event of leaf spot attacks it would be advisable to  apply  sulfur once o  twice.
r
fertilizin
Like
test mai3ie artd cotton, groundnuts did not react to the fertilizing conducted at Melka Warar Station in 1968/1 969 (see Table 3d).
Thi  i
n           m£Omed entirely by hand, both at the experimental sta-
tio  «iri
°f the tji °n CornrrierciaL farms, but it is assumed that the remova from the ground, and. freeing them from the soil th--
8sAl -55
thern and placing them in windrowa for drying,which pre- C °rr5lhe picking off of the fruits, will be performed Tnechani
Cdl y
l
difficulty on future commercial farms, by the single pda, a  tractor fitted with diggers, a shaker and wir.drowers
sa ge Ol * “
The operations of stacking the groundnuts and picking off the dry
. eS are at present performed by hand, but in the near future it wdi b  advisable to consider in detail the advantages of using
e
^oundnut pickers and thresher a.
Aller separating them from the plantfl in the field, the groundnut pulses must be put to dry completely before storing them  On
+
commercial farms this takes place on the threshing floors,
as is also forecast on future commercial farms in the Project. Shelling the pulses, which is sometimes performed at the place of production when the product is intended for export, in order to economize on transport costs, has not been considered in the present case.
The Prn
ac _ r gress Report of March 1969 from the Melka Warar Re- tween ^talr^on reports that on-field production figures range be-
the 25^
b* co 
dr Y pulses per ha, deducing from this that can be obtained from commercial farms must not
e<J       both     h>ered       aS       excessive-     Thia     conclusion     can     in     fact     be     reach- from               considering the average production figures obtained
the infor Var^OLia tests of which the results are indicated, and by rriefcia,l ^nat^on on average production figures realized on com-
growing th^^8 C^O3e
Area and which have already been
elements CroP in t^Le past (Awara Melka). Although these
25 ^an be considered reliable in forecasting a production P rt‘sent st bec^a.re  the economic calculations referring to the
t
91 of
ihCr^ se
L     drJ o
v,'ill be conservatively estimated at an average of
r  Pulses       por       he^tare     for     the     first     10     years,     and     may     be ° ql during the following decade.Al -56
iB  well-known as the typical oilseed of Ethiopia. The knowl-
T " of its ecological requirements leads to the assumption that
ed8 ould Erow and Pratlllce satisfactorily in the Project Area. The
Melka Warar Progress Report of March 1968 indicates that when
Meug was sowed in September 196 7 it gave rise to a harvest of
2 j ql of seed per hectare, whereas the Report of March
points out that the best period for sowing Neug locally is in
October and November, and that the greatest harvest recorded
in November was 3.6 ql per hectare; that of October was 2. 5 ql
per hectare and during the other months production reached hard
ly 1 ql per hectare.
This species is in fact extremely hardy and is not on the whole
very productive. It cannot be expected pay for the great
irrigation costs it would entail.
29. RAPE SEED
Ibis crop is common and is dry-farmed in the Ethiopian plateau, bat locally  in the past it had never been considered as a  possible irrigated crop. Sowing was carried out at six monthly intervals
March to July ig&8 at Melka Warar Station and g<’ive a maxi- e  um production of 0. 6 ql per hectare, obtained in April. How
I
to be'
during the year in question.this crop cannot be said suited to the environmental conditions of the Project Area.
X Saff LOwer
In dry ..fa
a Pte ad rrning in Ethiopia thia plant is well-known and wide- c             16 ^ °gress Report for the period February 1?66 to
tiona th 6S °f the Melka Warar Research Station briefly men-
^r h in;'
r
act  that two varieties of this species (one indicated aAl-57
production of 6. 8 and 10. 1 q! per h
 no further mention of Safflower in
Iocal   and   the   other   as   Debra   Zeit)   9tJWed     .   „
ln  March I?67
was
“ to Station, and thereto. there is to     enable     considering     thisnol
There
crop     in     th     3ufflcient     inforni,,.
meats of the Project. 
P
of
IL
SESAME
This oil-yielding plant is also locally widespread covering - ac cording to official Ethiopian statistics (or 1966 - a total area of 82, 900 ha with a production of 330, 000 ql (an average of 4 ql/ha)+ The March 1968 report from Melka Warar Station refers to 1.73
ql/ha as the maximum production obtained from a seed belonging to a Nigerian variety planted in September 1967, against 10.4ql/ha obtained from an unspecified variety (but probably local) planted in June of the same year. The March 1979 report from the same Institute gives the results of a test involving comparative observa tion of the varieties and of monthly sowing tests carried out in
1968/1969.
n  test involving comparative observation of the varieties,
z^ich uere repeated four times, 1 O'Nigerian varieties, 7 Venc-
la  an an^ Setit Humera varieties were used. After a cycle
wag qr an average of 98 days an average production of 5.9 ql/ha with a maximum of 3 ql/ha for the Venezuelan va-
ft 147’ Acara<lua aQd 8. 6 ql/ha for the Nigerian Selection 76/48 mo^thl y- i he sowing pattern, represented by seedings at
ag  p ^interval  from March to November, resulted in an aver-
e
5
“* 5--> ■"/ha. «itb a minimum of 0. 8 ql/ha for r and a maximum of 15.8 fo  March.
T
The
p , Vant&gg □£ 
s
v
could                esame crops in the possible development of the
te
^    ive cyd
etat
^° nd in the particular brevity of its
u
^ nd when it
a
P    ^^ty, therefore of utilizing
OSs
w ould otherwise remain without use.Al-58
cr  the quantities produced up to now are too low to be ^Wtory- and it would be necessary to conduct wore thorough satlF mental investigations for this crop before advising on its
SOJA BEANS
These arc a summer crop grown in countries where the summer season is characterized by long days and cannot easily be adapted to equatorial climates. At Melka Warar, three varieties sowed on small areas (and not repeated) in late June 1966 produced, after about 5 1 /2 months, an average of 23. 26 ql/ha, with a minimum of 18. 86 ql/ha and a maximum of 25. 26 ql/ha. In 1968. 9 month ly sowing operations practised and repealed 4 times on small plots resulted in an average production of 10. 72 ql/ha, with a minimum of 5. 9 ql/ha for October and a maximum of 16 ql/ha for June. These figures are low. but naturally this crop should
be observed over a longer period before it is possible to obtain reliable information.
J3 - SUNFLOWER
T hi
lB w^Cspr«ad in Ethiopia where, according to official local
£t was 8 «>vm on an area of 56.000 ha in 1966. producing
r
0 ' 000 ql =i 5
Ir  June
at     k,     D’     7        varieties     of     sunflower     were     sown     in     single     rows vdth ext                         Warar Station. Their production averaged 26. 9 ql/h.t
39,    9      Qi/?1*}*8      °f     16     7      ^/ha    (for    the    Black    striped    variety)    and
„d  (
S   averagc 5 ,1/ta).
. 
.      .    . 
.
in °nlv in* 
' 1 03 daysT
Comet variety), of dwarf growth and ripening
ln 1%8- at
o e8t Was carried out at this same Station, repeated 4 Inonlhly sowings of Comet variety sunflower. The
conducted between March and November.
- a ir
A l-5?
Th* avera 
a  production obtained was 22. 8 ql/ha, with extremes
i g, and 40. 3 for September sowing. The
t BOW n
of  7.4  for    '  ,*  4    5  ql/ha),  the  October  sowing  (34.  2  ql/ha)  and
JuneM »oarch - 80 B
vn
the
(25. 5 ql/ha) also proved good.
h   at   the   moment   the   data   available   on   local   possibilities Althoug             af<! in8llffi.cient to pass final judgment, the preli-
f °r C 3 results quoted point to sunflower being one of the crops
eater possible future interest, provided further and more
°h rough tests confirm the positive elements which have so far
emerged.
To    date    sunflower    has    not    been    grown    on    commercial    farms    al ready operating in the Middle Awash Valley.Al-60
E, PULSES
j4
beans
Various species of beans are traditionally grown in the vari
ous ecological zones of Ethiopia where, according to local
Btatistics, they covered an area of 90, 000 ha in 1966, total production amounting to 650, 000 ql (average production 7.2
ql/ha).
Below are the principal data  on the basic tests carried out on beans at Metehara  (1961) and at Melka  Warar,  where it was possible to obtain information.
Beans are also presently grown in a number of farms in the Middle Awash Valley, where production aims both at seed for the local market and at fresh legumes for export.
The main conditions and techniques which may be assumed aH  valid for the growing of beans in the environmental circum- stances of the Project may be summarized as follows.Ta U
{AIN EXPerI,VI^NTS CARRIED OUT ON BEANS IN THE middle awash valley
(figures expressed in ql of dry seeds per hi)
a r Variety TrUl
1
Variety
1961
(1)
1966/67
(2)
1967/68
(3)
1968/69
Average
Big local Small local Tap crop
18. 28
18. 69
-
-
-
-
-
-
Brittle W
ax
-
*icoi
Broati fcan. 1  ^„ J
-
23. 7
7* 8
8. 2
-
7. 4
2. 3
_
_
-
3. 0
18. 28
18.69
15. 55
5.05
8. 2
3. 0
s
(*}
in    ^Ugust
une
Wlth
 i _     i
0   day   rrigation illterva s
ln
^ly, era j
i,
P damaged by severe insect infestation.Al-W 'L*Mej (Cent. j
p»te_Tri±L> , pjarfjEM—“
Variety
Planting
Mg nth
1966/67
(1)
(Z)
k«*n of An
* Brittle > ijhhj-
PUirt in, Mumth
lr*p C*op
Brittle
B»*n.
in
IV
V
VI
VII
vra
IX
X
XI
ni
IV
V
VI
VH
vm
IX
X
X!
Ill
IV
V
Vt
VI!
vm
IX
X
XI
XII
VI
vn
vm
-
-
-
ZJ. 7
IS. ft
15* I
-
-
-
-
-
-
7. S
6, 9
1. 9
ft. 2
•4. 7
z.a
0. 2
0. o
0. 0
a. o
7.4
E7
ft. 0
0.7
0. 5
D. 1
0.0
0.0
0.0
2. 3
0. ;
0. 0
0. J
0. 1
0. 0
o. a
0.0
0.4
5.0
2. 3
9. 5
E5
4. 3
3. i
-
-
-
0.2
0.0
0,0
11.65
12.7
B, 5
0. o
a. 7
a. 5
0. 1
0. D |
0,0
1. 9
46
l.o
0.0
o. 1
0. 1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.4
LU
IV
V
VI
vn
vra
IX
x
xi
XU
0.1
0.0
0.0
6.5)
6. 20
k 65
Z. 50 1. 61
it
I. J
9.5
6.5
4. 1
3.1
6.2
4,7
2,8Al-63
(Cord,)
Trial
Variety
Irrigation
Interval
(days)
1966/67
(1)
Mean   of   All   Varieties per Irrigation Inter val
Top Crop
Brittle Wax
Haricot
10
20
10
20
10
20
______
23. 7
19.2
7. S
5,8
8. 2
2 8
10             14.20 20             9.30
,15 So^ing in Juned - Fertilizer Experiment (i)
Formula
FT
N
K
NK
NPK
M ean
I------------------------ --------------- Production
13. 50
14. 99
13. 24
14. 57
14.10
14. 04
(1) Experiment conducted in ] 961 at Metchara, with var. Big local, sown at end-July, repeated 4 times. Fertilization key:
O - no fertilizer
N -        60 kg/ha a si N
K = 1 20 kg/ha as K O
Z
P 60 kg/ha, as P ^5
z
Table 4(Cont. )Al-65
Of the experiments carried out in Melka Warar in this context (see Table 4b), those of 1968/1969 cannot be accepted as val id since all the plots to be tested were severely damaged, and 
nO t a few were absolutely destroyed by insect attacks. Of the tests carried out in I 966 1 967, the most convenient of the three monthly sowings tested proved to be that of June, followed by July and August. Practical experience at the Awara Melka
ph rm also indicates the whole of June and November to be the optimum period, while July and December are shown to be pas sable periods.
Sowing Pattern
Approximately the same as pointed out for groundnuts, i.e, fluctuating between. 60 x 20 cm and 70 X 15 cm.
Sowing Method and Seed Used
Sowing is currently done by machine. placing the seed st the
S££<L T yeatment
acc °rdinR to a Set program. Naturally all -heAl-U
tics were vertical growth, and among these, on the basis of the few elements obtained, the most promising would seem to^e MTop Crop”,
The only irrigation rate test carried out (see Table 4c) abdi
cates a watering interval of 10 days as definitively more fa
vorable than one of 20 days. Beans are in fact very sensitive
to both drought and excessive wetness, so that single irriga
tion applications should be frequent but at the same time is
small as possible (600-700 cu.m each).
Cultural Practices
As     for     groundnuts,     with     the     difference     that     the     final     weeding of the beans should be associated with slight earthing.
Pg8t_T teatmenta
t^orrrially these are not applied, but it may occasionally turn 
out to be advisable to make 1 or 2 applications against aphids ar.d hite flies* Such treatments are the rule whan the pulses are
Produced for export.
Th 
any               carriec* out at Metehara (see Table 4d) did not show
Q f^ COft°Wic response of this crop  to  the application  a: any 
C( J Le ^ree nutritive elements administered. Also in prac-
ti
UOt Ht the Prcsent tiTne given fertiliser apphAl-f>7
I
H ^ve£UnK_arKLProduction
Harvesting     is     entirely     by     hand     and,     for     Ssed     production,     takes place 90 to HO Ha-ys after sowing,
Generally  the whole plant is picked,  then  dried  in  the field and  finally  hand  or machine threshed  at the farm center or in temporary threshing spaces.
The product obtained in the only year of testing at Mete Kara
was satisfactory. The only tests carried out at Melka Warar
which proved of a certain interest were those of 1966/1967, 
when the Top Crop variety sown in June and irrigated at 10-
day intervals, led to the production of 21. 7 ql ha. At Awara
Melka the average production stated for this crop is 19 ql/ha
but the substantial uncertainty as to reliability of yields ac
tually obtainable following the extension of this crop to large-
scale practical growing, has led to its temporary exclusion, 
until such time as more reliable data arc available, from the
Project programs, at least with respect to seed production.
Not until end“l9f>8 did one of the large-scale commercial
farms in the Middle Awash grow beans for the production of
fresh legumes for export. This was the Nura Era farm where, 
using a crop technique of the type already mentioned, a total
of 180 ha of var. Carmellino was sown from mid-October to 
the start of February, with fortnightly sowings, A total av
erage    of    about    40    ql    of    green    beans    of    exportable    quality    was Stained per ha, (1)Al-63
]5
 CHICK PEAS
This is a very widespread dryfarmed crop on the Ethiopian Highlands. In 1968/1969 a monthly sowing test was made be tween March and September, at the Melka Warar Station.
All these tests proved a failure, however, except that in August and that in November, which led to yields of 5. 5 and 
11,3 ql/ha of seed respectively. In 1967, a sowing made in August at the same Station produced 5, 9 ql/ha. The possi bility of assessing the interest of this crop in relation to fu ture developments of the Project therefore requires further tests to be carried out. in order to provide more extensive data.
36. LENTILS
This is another typical pulse of traditional Ethiopian agricul ture. It is limited to the Highlands and is essentially dry- f^rmed. At the Melka Warar Station, a series of tests (8 sowings spaced monthly, from March to October) was per formed, and a maximum production of 3. 1 ql/ha obtained 
rom September sowing). It would therefore appear not
Ve rY suitable species for irrigated production in the Proj-
conditions, although no final judgment can be made with- having further reliable data available.
p EAs
Thig
£thi
Q Cr° P 1S a^So very widespread in local agriculture on the
U9inQpian Highlands. A seeding test in September performed to * local variety in 1967 at the Melka Warar Station led 
test
e Producti
f             cm af 17.5 ql of seed per ha. In 1968/1969 a
0  Seedings spaced at monthly intervals between March
icenIber gave an average production of 3. 72 ql/ha. with 
d DeCeg of (for the March and April sowings} and 
an
extrcm                    Although the first results do not appear encour-
*              it is necessary for this crop too to acquire further
^^^before      being      able      to      pass      final      judgment      on      its      interest the future development of the Project.Al-70
p. SUGAR AND STIMULANTS
sugar cane
The growing of sugar cane in Ethiopia as a cash crop dates only 
from 1939 and it5 effective industrial utilization only since the
en d of the last war, despite the fact that sugar cane, in the form
of occasional, isolated bushes, has been present in family gar
dens, especially in the west of the country, since very remote
times.
At present the industrial growing of cane in the territory is lim
ited to the Middle Awash Valley, and specifically to Wonji and 
Metehara, where sugar refineries owned and operated by the
HVA are in service or approaching completion.
Especially in Metehara, which is the refinery nearer to the Pro
ject Area and has similar conditions, a careful examination has
been made of sugar cane cultivation, and on the basis of this it
has been ascertained that, suitably tended, it is able to ensure
extremely interesting technical and economic results.
p e ea^y*  although  no  direct testing  of sugar cane has ever been 
data i
8 ^cces LngB re
in  th6 area of the future irrigation zone, all available that its cultivation could reliably look forward to
faCt iS' however, that on the basis of understand-
tion of                    with the Ethiopian Government prior to the construe s *S8e  ttrst sugar refinery in Wonji the HVA presently pos -
s
“ while
rn  n
° °poly of sugar production in the country, and that
market ^^Uct^Ve potential ensures that the demand of the local
into bp j
C
e par ed   ^
l 1 lje rnet at least until 1978 with the imminent coming 
fc  On of the Metehara refinery - the HVA does not seem
a fter 197^° consider the construction of further refineries, even
V ll anc^ hence to extend the cultivation of sugar cane in th< *  Y- It follows that, while the Project Area is eco-
eAL - 71
ally and pedologically suitable for growing and producing e  this crop is excluded from the programs, 
sugar c
TOB^cG°
Tobacco in Ethiopia is a State Monopoly and all questions re ferring to its production, technological preparation and market ing fall to the local Tobacco Monopoly, which has to date also taken upon itself all agronomic experimentation of this crop. Therefore tobacco has so far been purposely left out of all pro grams of the Institute of Agricultural Research and, in particular of the Mclka Warar Research Station.
The type of tobacco which is concerned ia Virginia Bright, the cultivation of which - although without any very thorough ex perimental investigation - was started in 1966 and has achieved apparently reasonable success on two commercial farms in the Middle Awash Valley (l), where the crop at present accounts for about 100 ha. The technical and production data set out be low have therefore been derived from the experience gained an these two farms and in particular from Awara Melka, which is c limatically much more similar to the conditions in the Project A ^ea than Nura Era.
n t -*1 Physical standpoint, the arable soils in this area are
o
withatlVeTSe V° tobacco, provided special attention is paid co lands Very slow drainage, as pointed out already for other crops.
The
Era farm and the farm at Awara Melka.Al -72
the  standpoint of fertility, although no specific tests have Frt>rn carried out, it is possible to claim, from the observations bce !\ d f om consideration of practical results in similar soil
r
de ^ ionB in farms near the Study Area, that the soils newly 
t
C °ed for agriculture contain an excess of nutritive elementB. 
Xd of nitrate in particular, thereby producing technologically 
^oarse crops which belong to lower quality grades. The practic
al experience acquired in these areas has shown that, to obtain 
a  qualitatively satisfactory product, virgin soils should first be
put under a demanding crop for a few years - such as a cereal
or cotton: For the Project Area too, it is recommended there
fore that, before being planted with tobacco, the virgin lands
be put under cotton uninterruptedly for a two-three year period.
Tobacco is fairly tolerant with regard to soil reaction and does
not suffer from any adversity from the pH characteristics of
some of the arable lands in the Area. But because of both bio- logicaL intolerance and technological adversity, tobacco could not be grown immediately on lands in Subclasses 2 s and 3s, where crop development would be primarily hindered by excessive sa linity and in the second place the combustibility of the leaves would be negatively influenced by the high proportion of chlorides in the moisture. These lands must therefore be cropped under irrigation for a certain period, using a crop that is more salt tolerant, prior to being put under tobacco. This task may well
performed by cotton this being in consonance with the 'honing 
O. W-ri."
1
* i
_ 
t the excess initial fertility.
T oba
cco r
Ior  cotton
et )uires the same preparatory works as mentioner]
growing, including the final layout in furrows;Al -73
hacco requires to be sown in seedbeds where the plantlets ?main for about 5 0 days prior to transplanting. The prepa-
ation of the seedbeds goes on practically throughout the
ar  but the most favorable periods are April, May and October, obtaining subsequent transplanting in June, July and December respectively.
Transplanting Pattern
Transplanting takes place by hand, the plantlets being spaced out al 90 x 60 cm distances. In actual fact no planting out test have been made, but the spacing adopted seems to be a good one.
Seed Used
I he seed, initially provided by the Monopoly, is subsequently obtained directly from the best plants in the crop. Thirty 
s q* m of seedbed, to plant which some Id gr of seed are re quired, are considered sufficient to cater for 1 ha of the crop.
Th
variety of Virginia Bright tobacco, distributed lo- a  V by the Monopoly, is Hicks.
Wh ’ 1
ed  J L> *rri8alion of tobacco in the seedbed stage is perform-
vh
‘ nd and could, if the system were extended sufficiently,
lAl-74
effected using small sprinkler plants, irrigation of the
fE
 Id crop is  Y
b     the §ravity method; fairly high individual
.  ^.cations are advisable (750-800 cu. m/ha), distributed 
1
a^ntervals which, in the absence of rainfall, should not exceed 15 days. Irrigation ends, at th? close of the period so me I  days before the end of the harvest, i. e. about <?0-
5
100 days after transplanting.
Cultural Practices
These     consist     in     three     weedings,     the     last     one     associated     with fairly energetic banking.
F c rt il i z a ti on
The     Monopoly     is     very     rigorous     in     forbidding     any     applica tion of fertilisers to tobacco.
E s ■* i
specially in the winter-spring period, the crop is subject
constant mildew attacks. Consequently it is considered
Ppropriate to effect 3-4 fungicide applications (with Cara-
^h^t At sarne time, to ward off attacks by aphids and 
e  flies a couple of applications of insecticides (with
Eoror similar products) are indicated.
^-^Xestin
Th
? tVestirig period starts about 60 days after transplanting
indiv?8 °n UntU the end of the c^cle- K itlvolveS Picking the
o  u*■--tL l  m eea d w ves w i the wn they are ripe, and is materially pe.-
f
n  successive sweeps every 6-7 days.Al-75
At  each sweep only 2-3 leaves are collected, and the average number of sweeps required is 8. The green leaf as picked 
is  taken daily to the drier where the leaves are selected and then tied into small bundles. These bundles are next dried 
in kilns and then placed for a time in conditioning chambers until they possess the correct degree of humidity. Lastly 
they are subjected to further grading according to quality, and then made up into bales.
The yield from the green leaf to the dried product is about
6 to 1, and the average production achieved by the farms con sidered varies between 13 and 18 ql of dried leaves per ha.
The Monopoly purchases the baled dried product, classifying it on the basis of six classes of quality assessed at the follow ing prices:
Class
Price in Eth. S
1
220 per ql
2
1 90 peT ql
3
160 per ql
4
100 per ql
5
50 per ql
6 (drops)
30 per ql
With re p    to 
S   ect
scale of qualitative assessment, the
Production of the farms considered, in 1966, involving just hectares, achieved an average price of 140 Eth. $/ql. 
e  1967 harvest, grown on a few tens of ha, achieved an ^ erafiC' Price of 130 Eth, $/qL In 1968 for the production 
twined at Nura Era, where large parts of the area to be a Lltxc^e^ tobacco were practically virgin lands, the average
USSrnent Was 1Z0 Eth
-
while for the production of
j
Or
ta        Melba,     on     lands     which     had     borne     crops     continuously 
a                    ^ast a decade, although no precise assessment data 3iJ\.aV*lla-bLe’ U ia learned that the average quality has been 
Uted to much higher.Al-76
Given the prevailing importance of quality, tobacco i. a calling for great care, both in cultivation operations and ? harvesting, drying and the final packing of the product to h delivered to the Monopoly. 
in the light of the production results obtained on the far aider ed, the assumption that an average yield of 15 J C°?' leaves per ha may be obtained in the first ten years of - H tion in the Project Area, is borne out. This mm... ProdUc‘ Monopoly price of 130 Eth. $/ql. After this period^on th ° \ hand, it is considered that a yield of 1 7 ql of J,ied
could be obtained, at an average Monopoly price of 190 Eth U i- considered that the expected quanhtahve increase,  ouH
t0 be
°' h"
c
come mainly from obtaining a reduction ol failures and from a greater degree of uniformity in plant growth i
(
to be desired today) while the
.houfd Stem mainly from a
* ng much
/«i^r g X op. Md i’hr o
n
V    e       1        a        bOh
‘ hththOUeh
application of
l«r more or fessAl -77
G vegetables and spices
BAMIA
This is a vegetable quite commonly grown in family gardens in various regions of Ethiopia, and relatively modest areas
are under it in various commercial farms in the Middle Awash Valley, for the consumption of workers or to supply the local market. There is reason to believe that it would develop and would undoubtedly produce well in the Project Area, but there is such a limited market for it that no prospects would seem to exist for increasing its cultivation to any extent.
41. CABBAGES
This crop is very common in the family holdings of the rural population in Ethiopia, and modest areas of it are also culti vated on a number of commercial farms in the Middle /Awash Valley, jt is likely that certain varieties could develop and produce well in the Project Area, but just a few hectares are sufficient to produce enough to saturate the market's capacity oI  absorption.
Carrots
remarks made referring to cabbages may also be applied to  carrots.A1-76
CUCUMBERS
Cucunibers and other gourds have been repeatedly and still are being produced, on an area of a few ha, on the Awara Melka Farrr. and, more recently., on the farm at Nura Era. Some of these products have already been observed in the ProjectArea. where they would probably grow satisfactorily in open field conditions. The local market's capacity to absorb cucumbers is fairly limited, but at some future time the production of these vegetables in the winter months could be of interest for the purposes of export.
The most suitable seasons for planting cucumbers in A war a Melka are February-March and July-August (provided produc tion takes place outside of the rainy periods), and the produc tion obtained will be in the region of 60 ql/ha.
44.
eggplants
Eggplants are a crop known and widespread in many family holdings in Ethiopia. They are also grown on a few ha at Awara Melka and at Nura Era, to meet local market demand.
F T’ 1L
,
.. . plant is one of the types of vegetables exported from is^3™ tO ^UTQP > while in the Middle Awash Valley export
e
due°r
time being confined to only green beans - this in actual fact on ly to the present organization and to the lack of corre
spondents.
be6fltirif’ ta^ B place in seedbeds and the seasons that have proved 
e
thia are April and August. Transplanting takes place
Period °ne a half mcmths- and can bfi 5Pread OVer 0:6
July° fT°,n June to December, with optimum periods in June-
th/' 
September-October. The unit yields obtained are in
d Uct/gl°n o£ 350-400 ql/ha, and one hectare in continuous pro- Abah/ 1S at Present sufficient to satisfy the demand of the Addis
a  Market,Al-79
garden BEETS
The points mentioned for cabbages may be repeated for this crop, except that this species is not so common in Ethiopia.
green BEANS
The details set out for beans (see No. 34) include this type.
47. GREEN PEAS
The pea is relatively little cultivated for the fresh product, although in the future this could foreseeably take on a certain interest for export, already shelled and packeted.
Nevertheless, knowledge of the technical and economic possi bilities of this crop at productive level in the Project Area is too scanty at present to be able to formulate any assumptions m this respect.
LETTUCES
So
^ Cttuces of various types are at present grown at Awara
i
s   and Nura Era on areas of a few thousand sq. an^
th.e'p*16^
their production could satisfactorily be effected
thia C Pr°ject Area. However, the possibilities of absorbing Cr __ . are so scanty as to discourage any trend toward in-
Sln 8 Production.Al -0Q
s/£LONS
However, it is considered that prospects in this respect could change quite substantially if suitable varieties were taken ar.d production were concentrated in the winter-spring months. Pre sent production at Awara Melka is in the region of 130-150 ql'ha
50. ONIONS
These are widely cultivated in Ethiopia, both on family holdings and on the commercial farms. At Nura Era and Awara Melka
a few hectares are planted with onions annually to satisfy local market needs which, in view of the considerable private produc-
C ‘HSEn peppersAl-81
cV
er. 
taches
an appreciably greater interest from the export angle at- ree n peppers, which are already exported on a mas- j rorn Eritrea and which, especially when the Assab
SiVC has been opened, could also be exported from the Awash 
ro ad a Green peppers are the only vegetable so far regularly 
V3 tilized in the Awash Valley, although no tests have been ducted to ascertain whether this application of fertilizers has
C  beneficial effect or not (1). The yields achieved at Awara Melka are in the region of 350 ql/ha.
53. POTATOES
These arc occasionally produced at Awara Melka and at Nura Era, with moderate productive results, but due to the lack of market openings - the market being abundantly supplied by pro duction in other areas - it is not thought that potatoes can be looked upon as an interesting crop for the future development of the Project.
*4.
PUMPKINS
These are currently grown at
\Aelka and at Nura Era, Ababa market. Given
limited      to      meet      the      needs      of      the      Addis      aince         the      markets
the modest prospects of marketing t c , 
are in  practice already  supplied  Pre j
not considered an interesting propositi Project.
or
, it
the future of the
(11 t , „ ? al of compound 
In a total of 3 fertilizer applications. Z q
15) and 2 ql of urea per ha are appAl -8Z
SWEET POTATOES
These are grown and develop very well at
Era, and it is considered they would dev^iA Project Area However, .he po.slbiUty ’
*** and Nur*
»•« in the
limited,    so    that    it    is    not    deemed    to    be    an    '    acin8    them    is    very the Standpoint of the future development^fThJ Prtj8 fr°m
tomatoes
Together with eggplants and gTeen peppers, tomatoes represent the group of vegetable Solanaceae considered to be most inter esting from the point of view of export prospects by sea, when the Assab road has been opened. As the other vegetable crops, tomatoes have not been the subject of special experimental in vestigation, but for some time they have been cultivated at Awara Melka and Nura Era on a number of hectares, to satisfy the needs of the Addis Ababa market. The cultivation practices required are the same as those for eggplants and green peppers, d nd the unit yields obtainable are similar.
Wa TEr melons
These develop and produce very ,’ ^
a
eagon t0 beUe*C
ilv at both A*&ra
S The capacity  ofJhe
mar-
Melka     and     Nura
Era, could do likewise in th® Proj®
and     ther     _ ?L7a.
e
ket to absorb them is however a r foreseeable production.
;\dv covered bY ?rese “■APPENDIX 2
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE PROGRAMS OF FUTURE ACTIVITY
TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE MELKA WARAR
RESEARCH STATIONAZ-1
I. GENERAL
Taking into account the short time it has existed and th(, 
lack of means and especially of skilled personnel available the SU tion has carried out some excellent work, and the program’of ac tivity implicit in the internal publication entitled "Plot Plans and Standard Practices for the Experimental Program 1968-1969” is extremely detailed and wide-ranging. However, it 13 not intended here to express any appreciation as to what has been done, what' has been started or what may have been programmed, Rather there will be a very summarized reference to certain investigations to be considered as supplementary to those under way and which the in vestigations forming part of this study have indicated as advisable to carry out, not only to foster the future evolution of the Project but also tor the benefit of other irrigation areas which might be set up m the Middle Awash Valley in the future2 AGRICULTURE
cereals
maize
Given  that the essential Limiting  factor affecting  the productivity of this crop  in  the Area seems to  be the seasonal climatic condi tions,  it would  appear useful to  use varieties formed  in  environ ments more similar to that of the specific area.
RICE
Even if this crop's high irrigation requirement would seem to indicate that it will not be grown over any considerable part of the Awash Valley, the results of the tests made show the extreme interest attaching to the furtherance of the investigations already started. In view of the common occurrence of lands wit s degree of salinity in the Awash Valley, the advantage o usi g rice could be occasionally accentuated, and it is const ere a visible to look into the possibility of making the rict ripen at .1 period when migratory grain-eating birds arc absent rom
Ar ea.
^HEAt
It will be of interest to experimen from areas having similar environmc the Project Area*
* locally certain varieties
cOn
ditionB to those inA2-3
COTTON
T he essential, new problems to be tackled for this crop are:
. Research on one or more new varieties of -G hirsutum" which, while retaining the characteristics of gooL pX tivity and good quality of fiber p03BCS8ed byAcala 15q?
can ensure earlier ripening (growth cycle
covering not ove r
'
5 months) and effective resistance to bacterial attack.
Research on one or more varieties of NG. barbadense" suita ble to produce good yields in the Middle Awash Valley en vironment, in order to ensure, at the right moment, that the necessary material for switching from die production of me dium-long American-type fiber to long, Egyptian-type fiber is available.
The availability of lines resistant to bacteria will be of growing importance as the cotton crop is gradually extended and its culti vation intensified in the Awash Valley.
The importance of having varieUe* 
compared with present ones should b. 
interest of achieving the possibility ol a secon
year    as    the    cotton    crop,    at    least    on    some    ] cotton, in the first season.
i^reltlion to the same
Regarding the interest of invesUg 1
.. •_ ^
more concretely than 
afieties of the Barba-
hitherto       the       local       productive       prospects       o*       increattein       Ethiopia
dense stock, reference is made to the r
of dry-farmed  or flood-type cotton  pro  “c ' 
an(i the com-
bined prospect of the as yet not fully
.     q{       locai     industry 
(1)
Consider in particular the prospects of the Humeri, Mctem- rria and Assaita areas.medium length and quality fiber being satisfied by production £ ° these places in the not too distant future. In this case irrigated 
otton production would - as opposed to the situation at present - L stimulated toward the types and qualities having the highest quotations on the world market.
KENAF
Given the fairly high demand on the local market for sacking fiber, it is considered worth continuing the investigations to ascertain the productive possibilities of this crop under irriga tion in the Project Area,
FODDER CROPS
ALFALFA
Although at present insufficient data are available to assess the interest attaching to the development of alfalfa aa an irrigated crop in the Awash Valley, it nevertheless seems advisable - precisely to acquire such data - to continue and to perfect these
^vestigations. One of the aims in this should be to pinpoint suit able technical methods to guarantee sufficiently dense and uni- form stands of alfalfa.
SU °AN GRASS
Together with alfalfa, this would appear to b<= the most interest - to8 “PeCieS of fodder, and it is therefore considered advisable
'Hr nVeat*8 te it furhter with reaped to its technical require-
a
ntB  and productive possibilities in local conditions.AZ-5
ELEPHANT GRASS
It        is        considered     appropriate     to     introduce     this     and     study     it     from the teChnical and productive standpoint.
fruit trees
CITRUS
When the characteristics of the crop calendar of the various species and varieties under experiment have been ascertained, it is considered interesting to study the possibility of adopting special techniques and methods Liabte to bring forward the harvesting season to some extent, in order to increase the pro portion of the produce available for export to Europe compared with that for Local use.
13.
OIJ^SREJJS
CASTOR beans
°me ot the productive results achieved seem of great interest merit further investigation into the possibilities of grow-
this crop in the Project Area, with special emphasis on
e ■J* i
j
“
y- eveloping dwarf varieties.
-’ROUNDNUT S
r
to the various basic experiments a
abt erria important to continue investigations c v ^rietie . The ones termed the Asmara
1 ready conducted to find more suit- and the Diredawa
B
IA2-b
e
varl e
•  ties are in reality gopulationa which, in view of their pro-
. c productive successes, could well be subjected to thorough 
i»-
selection. SUNFno«ER
This, too tention to the
is a species worth  greater study,  paying  special at-
•  .  really  productive varieties having  a high  oil con-
tent,
as developed by the Russians.
13.        beans
It is thought advisable to experiment an the introduction of i number of varieties of high yield and high protein content, se lected in various subtropical and tropical zones.
STIMULANTS
H.
TOBACCO
No thorough expetimentsi V alloy exist and so, given 
■ the Middle Aw*ah
fW  X‘e “°P ’T >«>P  „
e  MlmenWl •"«”“» 
(
in         th.         Area,         it         is         suggested         ths:         apos,itaht..«         °<
tion be carried out to determine■
varieties such  as Virginia Brig  \
from the only
n qLi
.   es       to 
pnrsued          * 
so far used, and on particular «c
lY to attain better quality P^^.^tain the extent o’
this letter respec
WQuld appear particularly  "
u
quality 1b affected by the salt c j any 'inhihi
e U oQCBntration in ceTt^r °ondition 
r
t10
an d the presence and exten in g thresholds" due to this factor.caEEN PEPPERS
IS.
e this vegetable is already produced and exported on a large SinCLe (although not for the moment from the Awash Valley), and 
SC
□G it 1  P
 ■ = nlantied to extend it considerably in the near future, it
SL
>  s advisable to carry out experimental investigations into 
.            ..
ar
aP ^  jscertain whether the varieties currently grown and the
o
techniques at present used are the best ones.A2-8
3. LIVESTOCK
a!
t  CATTLE
The first studies to be performed regard the results attainable
by raising pure-bred strains of tropical and ternnerate origin and their crosses, in order to identify which type of cattIe (
bred or crossed) proves most adaptable to local conditions The initial program considers the formation of a herd with animals of the following breeds:
Boran (selected for milk) Red Sindhi
Freisian Jersey Sanga
.
A reproduction scheme should oe drawn up ting tests of various combinations.
Each animal should be controlled iOr 1
Mr these cattle, permit-
. dissipatjon capacity>
{irftt heat
 at first ar. 
rate of development, vital statistics . Uat calving, calving interval, etc.) a‘ *nd milk. 
The studies should also deal with the
4n d quality d m.e
u
and
 cai
f feeding technique of othe Product9’
cu ati
i
on of the fodder convexjnals should be raised to bring out the comparison with the other breeds.
POULTRY
A poultry-breeding program should be promptly initiated, also for the purpose of distributing hatching eggs and chicks to the farmers in the irrigated area.
FODDER STUDIES
These studies, already under way, should make it possible to 
identify the fodder plants which, under the specific conditions, 
supply the highest volume of digestible nutritive matter (with the
maximum possible protein content) at the lowest cost.
The     technical     and     economic     problems     of     fodder     conservation     should al °° bu studied.A2-1D
4, SOILS
ossification studies have shown that the soils of the Metka the lat7 Lon can on the whole be considered fairly representative of
5  f soils in the Project Area.
(he body
d ly there
rc no clsiss 1 or cIbbs 4 lands in the Station are^j
Adrflitte eaS the class 1 lands by definition do not have any special prob-
bu t *be^,ehence present better productive conditions than,  those of the
left's    an 
ses .    the      c
lass    4    lands    are    too    scantily    represented    to    merit
c
the  c « 
r
* gtudy. Thus, while it does not seem necessary for the
any p
aJ,t;1                      experimental tests in other zones of the Project Area
Station               locality, it would stiLl be useful for it to keep various spe-
than    1      s
w
hich    might    arise    in    the    Area    under    proper    control;    This
cial             the salinity and the fertility of the soils (response of the crops grown to fertilizer applications).
l , it is recommended that the problem of parasites in the Area be
ugt y
considered and observed at least periodically by an expert entomologist and a phytopatologist. Special attention should also be given to the prot>~ lem of combating infesting pLants, in an attempt to finalize an effective method to tackle satisfactorily this very difficult and presently important question.APPENDIX 3
THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF A CATTLERAISING SCHEME FOR THE 
IRRIGATED PROJECT OF MELKA SADI-AMIBARAT he
., t_ gi jq Ti ft III • 
. analysis being conducted is based, as already mention- text of thia Volume (see para, 7), on the most caution*
r
ed in “
as gunupt‘^
gra ding lt ll?
£  U those considered, i. e. starting with local cattle and
a
Zebu breed
Aaaumptiong ()
a.) It is envisaged that cattle raising will start with the par chair erf heifers or young cows of the local Sanga type, ready to calve, and of bulls of a Zebu breed with good milk-producing capacity (pos sibly Boran of Kenya origin, especially selected (or milk produc tion, due to the greater ease of obtaining reproducers of tris creed 
□ r of obtaining semen for artificial insemination] to upgrade the Sang a cattle.
b) Reproduction and production parameters:
Age of cows at first calving: 48 months
Calving interval: 14 months (86^ of cows calvins C- e Age of cows at last calving: 8 years and 8 months Milk production (2):
5’inga CDwi
VB BWftn
6Q0 kj per lactalio-ra;
900  kj  per  lac  Uli  oa:
1» ZOO kg per lAcUtiOQ:
L 500 kg par LacUlioo;
IWUClU.
TT4   per   jear;   Z3   ciE,
I, QU p«* year; IMtocalt
1,29Q prr year; ISOtacdt
*24 at it.
|53 ct&«.
U)
Th.
tJ1"' Comm‘K«
”«•«»»« mttk yield, ol
tMt
frrf
lmlv r,tl"o (arjmQicrihu.bHntod.rwiN^*-''
" Ulr"W requirement. «»d (<‘)
W)     T
p«v
He '
Wa
'    in      exl      •*“«    *1U      *«    «*«“■    ThT      7
‘'"'“'‘•’’t veterinary ..rvieei-ereaed-
“M.
inere*»e» among the v«»»«
*‘*e=< *'a<
r.m « gearrat**’ **
Tr ’OT* lev *to prerum^d ihal »hc produces* *?V' xy<
'■* th£uT-j1* •rMpid iMi°“13
n *U-br»ed
h|
end between lh» !■«*' rtd IM J «r
A-5-1
eight of animals: Sanga cows
1 / 2 Boran cows
3/ + Boran cowb
7/8 Boran cows
Boran bulls
Steers (36 months of age) Steers (24 months of age)
30ft kg 320 kg 340 kg 360 kg 600 kg
400 kg 300 kg
Male calves (12 months ofage) 175 kg
Heifers (48 months of age)
Heifers (36 months of age)
360 kg
310 kg
Heifers (24 months of age)
225 kg
Female cakes (12 months
of age)
135 kg
The annual mortality of growing cattle has been calculated at
4%. on average. For cow8 a death rate of 2% has been calcu
(
lated (animals not used for slaughter) during the up-grading 
period.
hen    a    ratio    of    7/8    Boran    bloodstock    has    been    reached,    annual ^stocking of cows has been fixed on average at 20%.
ogition of Herd
The bass ■>
. C COrnPDsition of a herd - based on units of 100 cows - is a      Table AS/). In the case outlined, al! calves are
1 '^3e i \T 
c
The c^  ^ales to the age of 36 months, the female* to 48 months. ^ 6,-cerita] ai"  Progressively replaced by animals with increasing 
dc hi ev rigeS of Boran blood. Grading-up may be considered as
bl °od Or 1-0111 the 19th year, when all the cows will have 7/8 Boran r  ^iorp
6
eA3-3
I
j- ed
o  quir£2E?-!2lS
e
e quirements have been calculated on the basil of the e      lflg (jnit) system (1). Table A3/3 shows the average re-
f ,U. ^Cetg over the various periods, according to the level of quirerncnt9attained. The requirements of young animals are oroductJ°uC^   manner ae to guarantee the maximum possible
a
fixed i°
ca ives of 0 to 1 year, it is envisaged that only 150kg
a
ro*th-                      will he given, and that weaning to dry feed will be
of
fostered as
c °wf!  n
a  s soon as possible ( ).
2
In calculating the rations, on the basis of the fodder avails, 
has been estimated whether the digestible
Pro e
t in - aUable- 11
were satisfied. Likewise an examination hL been rX^fT1 ’
dry matter content in the rations, ft jB estimate in 
that under prevailing conditions the cattle cannot utihzTa ration^ with a higher dry matter content than 2. 6-2.8?a o{ theiy *°n
For cows of the weight envisaged, it i, therefore considered that when they exceed an output of about 5 kg of milk, it ia neceLrv 
to have recourse to concentrates to reduce the volume of the ra-
Table A3/3 shows, for the various periods, the conversion coef ficients for the various categories of animal a into Animal Units
(1 A. U. =1 cow), calculated on the basis of the feeding requirements*
A method of assessing the food energy value expressed in 
net energyi> preferred to a method assessing energy that vaf mEtabolized ’ (1 F.U =0.70 kg of 5.E. (Starch fqui-
a  “ F, 625 Therms). These arc the units now being
e  by AVA advisers and which have been used in the UNSF ®ur ey  f 0^ Awash Valley. The Steering Committee had 
Vo
, 8B*sted the adoption of units which are in use at present in  Ethiopia
U)
This can be achieved by 
rumen, supplying nutritive fod er Part of alfalfa hay) and possibly a a ®tituting natural milk.
of the ia^be*" (the foliar
ration of meal suA 3-4
, g-^groducts of Crops - Feed Values apd Costs of P p.
r
Alfalfa *"
Sudan grass are the only types of fodder considered. already shown that it can achieve excellent production 
4lfal£a haSthe speCific environment of the Project Area. Most like- reS ult s in other legume which can give constantly an equal mass ly thpre lS .th a high protein content. If other forage legumes should 
0 ( fodder w
r0 tational needs (Berseem, Hedysarum coronarium,
be      produce    iutr      jtive      values    do    not    basically    vary    from    those    of    al-
falfa. Nor do tne r .
e tc.)- thcir 1
F  u costs of the various legumes vary greatly,
Sudan grass has also been considered, since it has already been tested with good results. It provides an excellent fodder Uether consumed fresh or as hay, or as ensilage. Experimentation c0!lid mdicate whether other forage grasses could provide larger yields than Sudan grass. 
Regarding crop by-products, groundnuts hay and the residual i parts of maize will at times be available. They could certainly be used - especially groundnut hay - for their feed value. However, it is preferred not to consider them in the ration, because the by-prod ucts uill not always be reliably available. They must be considered 
6 a surplus that will contribute toward lowering feeding costs.
7
In
a
ca »e, it has been considered that natural rangeland will be
.   (°  the Alledeghi Plains) to raise young stock for a period 
an
f about 6 months a year.
each 
th  F
e
show8 the outputs and the feeding values assumed tor ° f fodder' well as the relative costs of production of
• * including mowing, transport and possible storage.A 3-5
scheme is based on the supply of-
Su dan grass, of which 2/3 fresh and 1/3 hay.
2/      3       Alfaifa,    of    which    2/3    fresh    and    1/3    hay. 
b 3
• - plan enables the feeding requirements of the various cate-
eS  of animals to be met. Concentrates are to be used when the
e °ws exceed a daily output of 5 kg of milk, to reduce the dry matter
C °ntent of the ration, even if digestible protein requirements are
met by fodder.
The  average  market  cost  of  the  F,  U,  (l  968)  is  Ethr    $  0,  0274;  for the real cost, it is Eth. $ 0. 0255,
Labor and Health Costs
Labor   costs   have   been   fixed   assuming   that   every   group   of   IOO   cows and relative young stock will require;
1)        one head cattle-man;
2)          cue  cattle  hand  every  10  cows  and  one  hand  every  71  head  of young stock.
The   veterinary   costs   have   beer,   fixed   at   Eth.   $   3   per   head   per   an- num.
and Maintenance Costs
cor t0
111      ltlVestment9       are    kept    down    to    a    minimum.    The    *rjn^s       £aVe in  which they can move about freely, sheds u « * e •
s
0                   shelter froJthc sun and rain, feeding troughs; a r^ed
dri^     as        to     ensure     the     simple     distribution     of     fodder,     and * lhE bowls.Aj-fc
s  are supplemented by a hay-ioft where the best
ge
 s trUCtUJ”^ an office and a store £or the concentrates and 
•     gior  ’     piking room (l), by a sickbay for sick an-
hc              ed
i9                  b a
iftl ais and
equipItienti dipPin& bath for anti'?arasite -'■ealments. 
Th e   dung   is   PL -.ngunitisava
aced in a dung heap covered by an awning, A hous-
ilable for the head stockman and for each workman
t he young stock to be to the Alledcghi Plains, a corral will bc F udt in which the animals can overnight. A watering device is Pranged with the corral.
Watchmen are provided with adequate premises.
The heifers ready to calve and destined to enter the .herd are purchased in the zone,
A cost of some Eth. $ 2, 000 per bull is envisaged. Table A 3/5 shows the cost of initial investments. These are subdivided on the basis of the annual maintenance cost, Restocking of cows will be internal. For bulls, the purchase of one per year has been envis aged after the 4th year of setting up the unit. Starting the I 9th year the bulls for restocking are produced within the herd. The
t?l blc shows two alternatives lor basic investments on the basis of two different herd plans.
Productive Trends and FconomicJLS
plans have been considered m °f meat production associated wit
'
■ ri.r
(I)
I t in case me
This room must have a milk tn ilk cannot be sold directly cr
processing center.
-
JA 3-7
The    first     plan     (milk     and     rr.eat       Drn. which all the young stock is
i‘'” ‘ ''‘
c,
neahnd when pos.ible
br whe enodtng-stock: stoer , 
used
‘
PrOvld
° V. ,t tt.
"<er ‘ he-«»-, ,A
a
1  * 36
-and.. Old and then soW
• 
Afl     (milk   and,   to   a   lesser   extent,   meat   production)
:h e    sccO'|d     pt^e      male    calves    being    sold    when    they    reich    the    age
prides for
/ i year» a
°,p. -P “> tha' 18 milking-
a3pects remaining unchanged. Calves are
as cows require the presence of the calf during
The price of milk is fixed at Eth. $ 0. 37 per kg, do the assumption that the milk produced is all consumed in the Project Area (see Volume 5). Prices of liveweight meal have been taken as
Etli $• 0. 40 per kg for bulls, Eth, $ 0. 35 for cows, and Eth,$ 0,50 for young stocks of the various categories. The price of heifers
- possibly for sale as breeding stock - equals that of animals for slaughter. The value of manure is fixed on the basis of the con tent of fertilizing matter.
On the basis of these da La and assumptions, it is possible to ex- amine costs and returns, of the tuo plans. Tables A3/6 and A3/7 illustrate the Animal Units present in total and to be fed on the farm, the feeding requirements expressed in Feed Units» and the average current annual costs for feeding and veterinary care :or
vai "ious periods. Tables A3/8 and Al/9 give an indication oi physical outputs and respective returns. Table A3 JO g^e-
the
U
total
results of the investments, the returns, the costs
- ----------  ~
UlLl^ AUY <_ _,
w
--------------------------------
p nefits for bath plans.
8
The "milk and meat productionproducts P * the "milk and, to a lesser exte- . 
he rate of return in the lirs xS 20. &*’ Nation). In the second case t
. less pr°tilAbf'haI1 fi .eS c*-A3-e
It would therefore appear best to
for      the      production      of:      milk      rather      ^“',’CtOr«      ’liable
level
-      * • . 
1 of these rates appears high, but appearance >
- The ab$ol
. The rate applies all benefit. to ,he
,
- £’
(
Uc
ceptive
vestme
gation,
these considered, 1C%.
„t alone, and does not take into account atl lh ip" land development and on-farm inve.tment, Were
the rate would fall to somewhere below
For the 2nd plan, on the basis of an average requirement
of 282, 000 F. U, i with an average production per ha of
I 6 400 F. U. (fresh product and hay) and with the average
presence of 22 9 Anima! Units to be fed on the Farm, about
17 ha are required for fodder production. The load per ha
is therefore about 13 Animal Units.
The economic results obtainable by cattle raising ir. Che
Area are of considerable interest.
The basic assumptions have been  fairly  cautious.  Yields could  probably  be improved.  With  the increase in  yields, costs would  also  increase but not in  the same proportion. All this Bhould emerge from experimentation.
The interest of cattle raising appears limited, however, when compared with the economic results of other pro tlve processes.TABLESHERD COMPOSITION;
Ofi/GINA L STOCK OF SA NG A TYPE - UP-GRADING
* WITH BULLS OF BORAN MILK SELECTED BREED
i/4 Borin
7/8 Boran
15/16 Boran
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
■----------- n
19
20
4
100
4
100
4
100
4
1 00
4
100
4
LOO
4
100
4 100
4
100
4
100
4
1  JOO
3a
39
41
37
39
41
37
40
41
39
39
41
30
39
41
JS
39
41
37
39
40
37
38
41
37
30
41
36
19
4 1
37
39
41
43
43
43
4 J
43
43
43
43
4 J
43
39
41
41
19
41
43
39
41
43
39
41
43
39
41
43
3 9
41
43
39
41
43
39
41
43
39
41
43
39
41
43
39
41
43rEqUI RE M ENTS OF THE VARIOUS GATECORHS OF
Table A5/1
ANIMALS EXPRESSED IN F.U (It
m^l13
1974-J 978
F, U.
F.U.
HU-IW
F U.
1W-J191
F. U.
F, U.
Go**
SC
l-i yearn of *Ke
. 1 -2 year* of >ffc
CaIvbji (females)
. 0-1 year of *fi*
Steers
_ 2-3 year® of *|S*
- 1-2 year" of -±gc
Calves (malrw)
- 0- 1 yea r of a gc
3^4 years of  E
2, HO
1,250
1.270
I, 130
8B0
£20
1.390
1. 170
730
J
2, MO
1, 300
1.270
1/130
880
620
I, 390
1,170
730
2.220
1.520
1.270
1.1)0
900
2,220
bfog
L27D
1, 110
S«0
2,220
L740
I.27O
1,130
B«0
620
6£0
£20
l.no
i. no
730
1.390
1.170
7)0
1.390
1,170
730
(!) F. U. - Feed Unit. .
TahleAl/l
COEFFICIENTS OF CON VERSION OF THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES Or ANIMALS INTO AN! MA — UNITS (l'„ IN THE VARIOUS PERIODS
__ _AuTjj mil ■
------------ “I
1974-1978
1979-I9B2
5 913 - im
I9B7-I991
i 992-*
C&wii
Heifc rB
1. 78
i. no
ii
1_i y*ar» Of aE,
°’1 *•«* or
1-4 *«*»■ Of iRe
' ' r^r, oI 1BC
J. 02
0. 90
0. 70
L6l
1, M
0. ?2
0. 92
a. M
1. 46 1.32
1. oo ]. 00
0. 84 0.76
0. 74 0.6?
0. 53 0.52
1.26
L 00
0. 50
0.45
0.41
G. 17
0. 72
0 64
0, 5D
0. 35
y  *'r. of
3
'* ¥'fcr* of   .
ig
1. H
0. 94
drr --
0. 58
1. 01
0. B5
0.53
C. Si              0. 33 0.77              0.7 0
0- 4R              a.
0. 79
0. 66
0. 41
A..
'                  ------------------- L—---------------Table A3/4
fodder
■ PRODUCTION P£R ha - feeding values, costsof.ru.)
Crops
Produc
tion 
per ha
(ql)
Feeding Value per   ql (F.U.)
Feeding
Value per  ha (KU.)
Market Coat per
F. Q. (1968) Eth_ $
1
Rea 1 Gobi per
F. IL. 
(1968)
Eth. 5
Alfalfa
- fresh
- hay
Sudan grass
- fresh
- hay
Concentrates
(Average values)
I , 000
250
15.6
45.7
15. SOO
11.425
0.0248
0. 0370
0. 0230
0.0350
1,400
350
13.6
40.8
19, 040
14, 280
0. 0239
0.0325
0.0220
0. 0304
IDO
-
0. 007
0. 007INITIAL INVESTMENTS (L973}
Description
A (1) (Eth. S)
B(2J
(£th. J)
with annual maintenance
Corrals
Sheds
Feeding troughs
Hay-loft
K 131
22, BBO
2.155
Z.COO
18.030
1.755
1.690
Manure pit
688
528
Infermery
Dairy
Miscellaneous
Office and Store
538
413
900
9DG
1.211
Corml - Alledeghi
Waler supply - Alledeghi
149
591
309
351
083
643
33.406
26,76 b
Structures with annual rnainleTianct_
costs of 1 %
Drinking bowls
Dipping bath
778
301
1,079
539
Structures       with       maintenance
coitg.
borne by personnel
Houaing unit for head stock
m*n
Hunsing for workman
791
4.086
78 8
711
3.766
468
Housing - Alledeghi
5.665
4.945
16,COO
iilX «lock
e
i
4B.550
Total
16.000
56.150
__— -
d   r‘i,,n*
une ,«* pr«^ -
UA
- Herd composed of <    ‘
bul Sl
O|1
the «*«••
.
„le of c‘^ *
e
of steers end heifers f<"'6 ,nun
the b’y*r * 
” the
'
U > B-. Herd composed of 4 
‘
(males) at age of l y»*r< tM,,nSTask A)/6
MILK AND MEAT PRODUCTION
animal units, feeding keqwrements. cumxr COSTS
' period oi y«» ’
r
lQ71-I978
1979-1982
)983-19fi$
1
r-------
19874^91
1952-19'
1999-2003
IT ““”
272
21)
264. 000
511
230
J17, OQO
294
220
334,400
276
207
268
205
r(td Unit. Rcquire^eM
. luUrktL
tedder concentrate ft
- Biil
fodder concentrates
Gp«t of Labor
- Market
• n«*i
ItkrimirY Costs
148, OCC     387, OCD
269 20 J
157.CCD
7, M2
*
7, 102
-
9,605
10,596
11.345
-                      9C0
e,&u
-
9.552
-
Id,Joo
4 30
12, ZftJ
2,230
11,067
1,250
U.lJfi 2.250
11,745 2.250
7. 057
5,092
960
a. 720
6. JOI
1, 146
9.822
11, OM
7.107               7, «2
1,154             1,164
21,574            24,409
12.321
M*8
1. 164
13.79B 9,973 1.164
r & ri it Cants
‘ Merkel
' Real
15,699
15.154
19,471
U,26Q             17,821
20, Jli
28,018
23,359
3<L Z5.IJ<Table
milk AND to lesser EXTENT MEAT PRODUCTION
animal units, feeding requirements. current costs
(in Elk $)
period of year*
r?74-i?7«
1
1979-1982
------------ T
198).I486 IW.IWll 1992-1998 1999-200)
Animal Unit* (Total) Animal (/rut* (fed on the farm)
Feed Unit® Requirement
foil of Reding
•  M*LkV
. fodder
« concentrates
2i2
181
lib. ooc
239
194
264,000
229
186
2S3.000
215
177
297. 000
210
174
306,000
210
174
106.000
6. 577
a. nr
8,971
9,682     10.526
900
- BejJ
b, 07?
7,478
8,094
•    fodder
•    concentrates
^SlLaLLabor
•   Market
- Real
Vflcrinary Costs Xfijal Current C^ost
• Market
' Rea)
8,791
900
2,250
9,486
2.250
11.26:
2.250
IC. 067
2.250
6,5M
4,807
783
uw (
IL 669 i
7,945
5.7)0
8.9)2
6.451
I0.C02
7,217
924
11.203
8,084
924
12.547
<», 05 J
924
17,038
14,HO
18.827
15,469
21.508
24.90)
17.8)2          20, 744
26,982
22.294MILK AND MEAT Volume and value of output
Y« i r ■
J 974                  1975-1976
1r
J
n
1977-197fl
1979-1982
1983-1986      ’ 1987-1991
1992
1993-1998
11
1999-2003
Dea crip don
_______________
Meat
- No. of head
. bulla
. cawi
. heifer* (4 yutra ul ako)
. Heer* (3 y«ari of *)[■)
- tn Eth$
a bull*
eow*
. halfera. (4year* of age)
■ (ear* (3 y««r* q! **■)
Milk
- Ln ql
- in £<M
Manure
- in F-tM-
Total (Eth$)
-
-
-
-
-
_
-
-
-
-
-
-
351
14.9B7
1, 600
351
12.997
I, 600
1
•
22
43
240
-
3. 960
8. 6ti0
351
12. 9H7
1.600
1
12
-
38
240
3. 360
-
7. 600
508
18,796
1 . GOO
1
36
8
39
240
4. OJZ
1.440
7,800
7 77
28. 749
1.600
1
36
5
39
240
4. 284
900
7. 800
1.011
37.40?
1,600
1
20
15
39
Z40
2, 520
3, 700
7. eon
140
42.180
I, 600
11
20                                20
17                                17
39                               39
240                            240
2. 520                       2,520
3. 060                       1. 060
7. 800                       7,800
J.140  I 1.140  |
42,180              1       42, ISO 1.600 J                    1,600
14,58?
14. 587
27, 387
31.596
43. 861
52.231
57, 040                    57. 400                         5 7. 400
et
a.MILK AND TO LESSER EXTENT MEAT
Volume and value of output
Yeari
1974
1975-1976
1977-1978
1979-1902
1983-1986
1987-1991
1992
1993-199H        , 1999-2003 I
Description
Meat
- No. □! lifted
. bulla
, tcrwl
'          . heller# (4 year# crl age)
, caivoB (males)
. reive# { female#)
- In E<h$
. bull*
. LOW!
+  heblnT# ^4 year# uf a^r)
« cal veal main a anil f emtio#)
Milk
- In ql
- in Eih$
Manure
- In ElhS
Total (EthS)
-
-
-
-
-
-
44
24
1
-
-
40
-
1
32
-
41
-
1
36
0
41
-
1
36
5
41
-
1
20
15
41
-
1
20
IT
41
_
1
20
17
41
240
5,470
151
12,987
1.600
3, 500
151
12,987
1, 600
240
3, 160
3. 500
508
18,796
1.600
240
4. 012
1. 440
3,587
777
28.749
1.600
240
4. 204
900
3, 587
1.011
37,407
1,600
240
2. 520
2, 700
], 587
1. 140
42, 180
1.600
240
2. 520
3. 06o
3. 587
151
12,987
1,600
1. 140
42.180
1.600
2 10
2. 520
3. 060
J, 587
1. 140
42,180
1. 600
14,587
20.057
IB, 327
27.496
39,64b
48,018
5 2. 827
53.187
53, 187

< <

Summery

Melka Sadi-Amibara Irrigation Project Summary

Melka Sadi-Amibara Irrigation Project Feasibility Study

Document Overview

Title: Melka Sadi-Amibara Proposed Irrigation Project - Feasibility Study

Volume: Part II - Studies and Surveys, Vol. 5 (Agriculture and Livestock)

Prepared by: Italconsult for the Imperial Ethiopian Government's Awash Valley Authority

Date: July 1969

1. Project Background

The study examines agricultural potential for a proposed irrigation project in Ethiopia's Awash Valley, focusing on:

Ecologically suitable crops
Production conditions and expected yields
Cropping patterns and cultivation costs
Livestock potential
Labor and machinery requirements

2. Key Findings

2.1 Ecologically Possible Crops

The study identifies numerous crops suitable for the region, categorized by technical feasibility and market demand:

Category	Description	Example Crops
Well-tested, good results	Crops with sufficient test work showing practical possibilities	Maize, cotton, alfalfa, sudan grass
Successfully grown locally	Crops already cultivated in the area	Cotton, groundnuts
Unknown/untested	Crops needing further testing	Rice, wheat, jute, ramie

2.2 Soil Conditions

The study identifies four main land classes with different characteristics:

Class 1: Suitable for all crops (9% of area)
Class 2: Suitable for most crops (30% of area)
Class 3: Similar to Class 2 but with some limitations (8% of area)
Class 4: High salinity, only suitable for salt-tolerant crops (4% of area)

2.3 Recommended Crops and Yields

Crop	1st Period Yield (ql/ha)	2nd Period Yield (ql/ha)	Notes
Cotton (seed cotton)	16	22	Most salt-tolerant cash crop
Tobacco (dry leaves)	15	17	Highest economic return
Maize (dry seeds)	30	40	Important food crop
Groundnuts (shelled)	20	25	Rotation crop
Vegetables (fresh)	300	380	Limited to 10% of area

2.4 Cropping Patterns

The study proposes several cropping patterns for commercial farms:

Model A: Bi-seasonal rotation with cotton followed by fallow
Model B: 4-year rotation with tobacco, groundnuts and maize
Model C: 6-year rotation with more tobacco and cotton

For settlement farms, a simpler 2-year rotation is recommended (cotton/fallow followed by groundnuts/maize).

2.5 Livestock Potential

The study finds livestock production generally less competitive than crops, but notes:

Dairy cattle show the most promise
Local cattle breeds have low productivity but could be improved
Forage crops like alfalfa and sudan grass grow well in the area

3. Key Recommendations

        Focus initial development on tobacco and cotton as primary cash crops
Use maize and groundnuts in rotation systems
Limit vegetable production to 10% of irrigated area due to market constraints
Implement mechanized farming for efficiency, especially for land preparation
Conduct further experiments on crop varieties and livestock potential
Address soil salinity issues through proper drainage and initial salt-tolerant crops

    

4. Implementation Considerations

4.1 Land Preparation

Recommendations include:

Ploughing to 25-30 cm depth
Harrowing and land leveling
Special drainage measures for clay soils

4.2 Irrigation

Key irrigation findings:

15-20 day intervals generally optimal
800-1,000 m³/ha per application
Critical periods during flowering and fruit formation

4.3 Labor Requirements

The study provides detailed monthly labor estimates for different cropping patterns, distinguishing between:

Foremen
Skilled laborers (e.g., tractor drivers)
Unskilled laborers

5. Appendices and Supporting Data

The document includes numerous detailed tables and figures covering:

Cultivation costs per hectare for each crop
Machine and implement costs
Monthly work schedules
Detailed crop-specific technical information