Bridging Yield Gaps and Accelerating Adoption: Cluster-Based Scaling of Hybrid Maize Variety in Ethiopia

Abstract

As Ethiopia's most widely cultivated and consumed cereal crop, maize is fundamental to national food security and the economic well-being of millions of smallholder farmers. However, fragmented landholdings and limited access to improved technologies often constrain agricultural productivity. To address this, a cluster-based demonstration of the newly released Ilu (BH549) improved maize variety was conducted to evaluate its performance and stimulate adoption in the high-potential maize-producing areas of western and southwestern Ethiopia. The study was implemented during the (2022–2023) main cropping seasons across three zones (Jimma, East Wollega, and West Shewa) of the Oromia Region, encompassing four districts and four kebeles. It involved 97 farm households (12.4% female-headed) and covered 40 hectares of land, with the primary objective of creating awareness and demand for the variety among farmers and seed enterprises. Data collection integrated quantitative yield measurements and qualitative farmer feedback. Yield gap analysis revealed a substantial difference: demonstration plots using the recommended package yielded 8.42 t ha⁻¹nes per hectare (t ha⁻¹), compared to 4.64 (t/ha⁻¹) from farmers' existing practices. This resulted in an extension gap of 3.79(t ha⁻¹), a technology gap of 2.58 (t ha⁻¹), and a technology index of 23.47%. The findings show that the cluster demonstration approach effectively showcases the superior yield potential of the Ilu variety. We recommend scaling this approach across similar agro-ecologies, supported by seed multiplication, input access, and extension services to maximize adoption and contribute to national food security.