Food Insecurity and Indigenization of an Alien Cereal Crop: Experiences of Smallholders in the Gamo Highlands

Abstract

Enhancing food security among smallholder farmers has been the major goal of development intervention in Ethiopia. Thousands of development agents (DAs) have been assisting farmers to adopt new technologies and agricultural inputs to maximize production and productivity. Despite long-term and persistent efforts, however, still millions of people engaged in small scale farming are exposed to recurrent food insecurity. This article explores smallholders’ responses to food insecurity situations focusing on smallholder farmers in the Gamo highlands, south-western Ethiopia putting triticale, an alien cereal crop imported from abroad, and apple at the center of the argument. Smallholders adopted improved cereal crops and potato seeds promoted by development agencies more easily than planting apple as a cash crop because apple requires more land, especial skills and knowledge to manage it, and a long-term commitment to adequately benefit from its yields. On the other hand, smallholders adopted and indigenized triticale despite the anti-triticale campaign launched by agricultural experts in the study district. Smallholder farmers make decisions considering local circumstances and realities, sometimes putting aside prescriptions of agricultural experts and development agents.