Deresso

By Getnet Atalie

One of the potato demonstration participants, Deresso Teshome (who is about 36 years old) and his wife, Mitikie Amare, are dwellers of Yesake Deber kebele in Wogera district. They have three children and are successful participants of the potato package demonstration project. Deresso is a team leader of one of potatoes demonstration group with 20 (10 female) members. In the past, he was no more than a traditional potato farmer practicing without applying the full package especially keeping planting space, using recommended fertilizers and improved potato varieties. He used to buy from the local market without knowing the crop's history.

Deresso started participating in the Wogera Agricultural Production and Marketing Support Project in May, 2010. After becoming a member to one of potatoes demonstration group, he was selected to be a demonstrator, and then took part in a training on potato package provided by the project and Kebele Development Agents(DA). He then received 1.6 quintals of jalinie variety potato tubers for planting, 12kg DAP and eight kg UREA inorganic fertilizers. He was able to manage the potato farm based on the package. Compared to what he used to harvest, which was only 80 quintals per hectare using the traditional potato farming practice, he harvested a total yield of 320 quintals per hectare, an increase in production by 300%. He also learnt that the Jalinie variety was superior in quality compared to the local potato in terms of snow damage tolerance, drought resistance, and high productivity per unit area.

Deresso earned an income close to three thousand Birr from the sale of around ten quintals in one-time harvest. Since such success has given him much needed confidence, he decided to remain in practicing the potato package.