Cluster Based Large Scale Demonstration of Improved Food Barley Technology in Yem and Siltie Zone, Central Ethiopia Region

Background and Objective: The Cluster Based Large Scale Demonstration (CBLSD) of food barley was conducted in Deri-Saja Zuria (Yem Zone) and Mirab Azernet Berbere (Siltie Zone) districts. The study aimed to demonstrate improved food barley technology in a cluster scenario. Two food barley potential Kebeles (Jiro and Deri-Tegu) were selected. Materials and Methods: A purposive method was adopted for the selection of the study area and farmers were selected based on cluster base and their willingness. The study design was cluster-based with a total sample size of 48 farmers’. The potential participants in the field day and training were host farmers, or non-host farmers, development agents, and agriculture office experts. Farmers with land in clusters were chosen based on their willingness. Training, field day, farmer’s perception, and yield data were collected and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: A popular variety known as HB1307 was demonstrated, together with its production packages. A total of 48 participants received awareness creation training, with 42 being male and 6 being female. A field day was held to demonstrate food barley technology, with several stakeholders participating. As a result, 129 people participated (100 men and 29 women). Regarding to the yield, the improved food barley technology produced an average grain yield of 48.15 and 42.08 quintal/ha in the Mirab Azernet Berbere and Deri Tegu Saja Zuria District, respectively. Conclusion: The food barley variety ‘HB1307' is the top performing variety in the research region. Therefore, the district extensions should be broadly applicable to the study area community and similar agro-ecologies.