Demonstration of Common Bean Varieties (Dursitu and Chercher) in the Gurawa and Kurfa Chele Districts, East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

Common bean is becoming increasingly important in eastern Ethiopia because of therecurrent late-onset and early termination of rainfall. It is an important crop undervarious intercropping systems. The major problems of common bean production inEastern Ethiopia are inaccessibility to improved common bean varieties, low extensionintervention, and inferior performance of local varieties. Hence, its specific objectiveswere to demonstrate the two improved common bean varieties (Dursitu and Chercher)with the local one; to evaluate their performances and identify a variety that meetsfarmers’ criteria. Gurawa and Kurfa Chele districts were identified from EasternHararghe Zone using purposive sampling technique based on common beanproduction potential. Two kebeles were identified from each district. Three modelfarmers were selected from each kebele depending on common bean productionpotential. Training is one of the important extension methods to enhance and integratethe farmers’ indigenous knowledge and skill with improved practices. Field days wereorganized in June for Belg and September for the Maher seasons. The common beanswere compared and prioritized based on participants’ criteria. Chercher variety wasselected first, Dursitu second and the local common bean third based on their maturitydates, colour and market demand. In general, participants’ capability and skill on theimproved common bean production technologies increased. The ground for furtherpopularization and dissemination of the two improved common bean technologies wasestablished.