Assessment of Farmers’ Perception on Potato Farming Systems

Abstract Assessment of farmers’ perception on potato farming systems was carried out with the main objective of investigating the perception of farmers’ on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the farming systems in north western Ethiopia. Secondary and primary sources of data were collected. 9.8% farmers went through off farm activities. They had an average potato production experience, livestock number and farm size of 36.81 years, 5.17 and 1.63ha, respectively. These farmers allot on average 0.47 ha (28.83%) of their land for potato production. The dominant potato growing season was the main season (65.1%), followed by irrigation season (25.7%) and with residual moisture (9.2%). 16.6% produced potato used as seed, 48.55% for household consumption and 25.73% sold in the near bye market with very low price (2.17 Birr/kg) as income source. On average there were two commonly grown varieties per farmer. They were losing such local potato varieties which had different quality attributes to be used in different breeding/agronomy programmes and best fit to degraded lands. Farmers ploughed their land 3.34 times before planting potato and used 2.13 t/ha potato seeds at planting as seed rate. 14.4% used their own seeds, 73.5% purchased from the surrounding market, 10.2% from their neighbors and 1.9% from the agricultural offices. Most farmers (63.0%) used fertilization, crop rotation mainly with potato (35.1%) and terracing technique (1.9%) as traditional technique of soil fertility management. Generally, farmers in the surveyed area believed that potato can ameliorate the soil fertility and protect their soils from erosion. Researches should be conducted to minimize number of ploughing in potato production. NGO’s, GOs and universities should take responsibilities to multiply and disseminate improved potato seeds and in the conservation of important local varieties. Trainings should also be given to farmers on production and usage of certified potato seeds on potato production.