Yield Gaps of Major Cereal and Grain Legume Crops in Ethiopia: A Review

In Ethiopia, smallholder farmers are responsible for most food production. Though yield levels in grain crops have improved greatly over the years, they still much lower than their potential. The source of improvements and causes those gaps not well understood. To explain drivers current sources four major cereals (teff, maize, wheat, sorghum) three legumes (faba bean, common soybean), we accessed databases Global Yield Gap Atlas, Food Agriculture Organization United Nations, Central Statistical Agency Ethiopia. Refereed journal articles grey literature were sought online using keywords. results showed large increases production with little or no increase areas primarily attributed to genetic gain rather agronomic improvements. Farmers’ yields remain far from on-farm trials on-station calculated water-limited Currently, sorghum, bean Ethiopia about 26.8, 19.7, 29.3, 35.5% potentials. Significant portions stem low adoption use varieties, application inputs, continual usage un-optimized crop management practices, uncontrolled biotic abiotic stresses. Proper fertilizers varieties by 2 3 fold 24–160%, respectively. Cereal-legume intercropping rotation practices while reducing severity pests need synthetic fertilizers. contrast, stresses cause reductions 20–100%. Hence, dissection gap terms technology, resource, efficiency will allow prioritization effective intervention areas.