Wollega University organizes Two Days Field Visits

The Research and Technology Park of the Wollega University (RTP-WU) organized two days field trips at Shambu focusing on adaptation trials, indigenous seed conservation and multiplications of different highland crop yields (Cereals, Pulses, Oil, Horticultural and forage crops multiplications as well as panel discussion at Guduru and Gitilo research centers.  Field trips and panel discussions provided an excellent opportunity for participants to learn about a specific topic, procedure or practices firsthand by directly visiting the outcomes and drawbacks at its sources and production processes. Besides, it became one of the major means of transferring new ideas innovation, technologies, practices, skill from the originators to the end users and to make it useful to the surrounding community.

The important purpose of these programmes was to make the small scale farmers to be involved in the adoption and adaptations of new agricultural technology and technology’s products at an early stage so that the end result is useful to increase their production and productivity. Additionally, it also helpful to make the stakeholders to get exposure to observe the status of adapted crops to the community’s local climate and similar agro-ecological zone. 

More than 300 invited guests and stakeholders from Horo-Guduru Zonal and Woreda administrative officers, agricultural extension officers, agents and model farmers of the different Districts of Horo-Guduru Wollega Zone were participated. The Participants visited the disseminated crop varieties, promisingly adapting and, well adapted crops, indigenous seed conservation, multiplications of different highland crop yields (Cereals, Pulses, Oil, Horticultural and forage crops multiplications) as well as the Local Horo- Breed and Cross Breed Cattle.

There are many information and skills that were acquired during these events.  These include the keen interest shown by the participants to accept and adopt new agricultural technologies as well as the higher natural capacity of the local community to accept new science and technology for sustainable agricultural development agenda and to link their indigenous knowledge with the up-to-date technology.