Enset, Wolaita Sodo (ወላይታ ሶዶ) & Damota Mountain in Ethiopia

This video presents Wolaita Sodo (ወላይታ ሶዶ) , Damota Mountain, Enset (እንሰት) and other Main crop production constraints in the Souther Nations, Nationalities and People (SENNP) of Ethiopia. The Video was recorded on 29 October 2022 when I visited Wolaita And other Southern Regions in Ethiopia.
Wolaita is one the most densely populated areas in the Southern Nations and Nationalities Region. According to the area people the Name Wolayta derived from Wolaita language " Wolahita" which means "ድብልቅ" (in Amharic) and mixed (in English).
Wolaita is one of the luckiest Awrajas (Districts) in Ethiopia during Emperor Haile Selassie's time because the Emperor had appointed not only well educated but also progressive governors who actually transformed the area considerably when we compare with all other Awurajas (districts) at that particular time. The elderlies admire and appreciate the first well educated and energetic governor of Wolaita, Girmame Nuway and the second Dejazmach Woldesemayat for building Schools, Health Services and for modernising agriculture and constructing Roads.
The area people recognise and categorise themselves in different clans Such as Wolayta Mala, Amara, Ezia, Kawo etc. The people mainly speak Wolaita & Amharic. In 1991 when I carried out research work with the "Farmers Research Project" in the area the major crops according to their importance were: Enset, Maize and Sweet Potato. According to my recent observation based discussion with the area people, it seems that Maize and Banana are dominating most of the farmers' backyards and replacing Sweet Potato and Enset plants. Click the following link to learn more about Enset & Teff production and utilisation:
www.iwooket.org...
www.iwooket.or...
www.iwooket.or...
www.iwooket.or...
Slowly but surely Banana is replacing Enset plantations. The reason for increasing Banana and for decreasing Enset Plants can be explained as follows:
ENSET
* Enset takes a long time (from 4 -6 Years) to mature while Banana is an early Maturing Cash crop.
* Enset is propagated vegetatively i.e. the corm must be split and buried until the suckers emerge as tillers. Then these suckers must be detached from the corm and transplanted at a well manured or fertile soil (in a backyard Nursery). Therefore growing Enset plants requires a planed and a tedious work.
* Food Shortage.
BANANA
* Banana plants are early maturing and give yield every season.
* Once few Bananas are Planted they will produce many young tillers and occupy more space without the farmer's further effort.
*Banana is a very good cash crop in the area.
However, both Enset and Banna are found to be susceptible for a disease called Bacterial Wilt. In 1991 I (Kefale Alemu) and Mr Stephen Sandford from the Farmers' Research Project, carried out diagnostic studies and reported that Bacterial wilt has been one of the main production problem of Enset in North Omo. We have also produce a detailed research work on Enset in technical Pamphlets called ''Enset in North Omo".
The area people also reported that Sweet Potato Butterfly pest infestation which was the main problem of Sweet Potato Crop production in 1990s is no more important agricultural constraint today. The causes of the decline of Sweet Potato pest needs a piece of additional research work. However, the causes of the decline of the pest can be the effect of my research work with the Farmers' Research Project (FRP) from 1991 to 1998 and the subsequent recommendations to the area farmers to plant Desmodium around Sweet Potato and other farmlands as a biological pest control method by myself (Kefale Alemu). The other reason can be the decline of Sweet Potato farmlands i.e. the host (Sweet Potato Pest) cannot survive without Sweet potato plants or combined by all of the Above.
www.iwooket.or...
www.iwooket.or...
In this Video you will also see:
* The Eye Catching Damota Mountain (which I love very much and climbed 2 Times) and also drove a Land Rover car up on to the top of the Mountain and came back safely by trinity's miracle.
* A wealthy Farmers' Field with Enset, Banana, Broad bean, Taro-roots and Coffee pants at Sodo Zuria, kokuwate area
* St Mary's Church, Qusquam's Church and St Yohannes's Church
* ILCA's Site
* Soddo Town which is the biggest in Wolaita
* Homesteads with Enset, Bananas, Maize, Sweet potato and other vegetables in the area.
Enjoy Wolaita Soddo and don't forget to subscribe, like and share. Thank you for watching and stay tuned to see more amazing videos on Ethiopia! Share it with your friends and researchers.
For your further information Please visit www.iwooket.org/

[@emumushayele]

I really Enjoyed and learnind by this video. Thanks Mr. Kefale

[@KefaleAlemu]

Thank you, Brother. Your appreciation and encouragement will help me to create more educational videos. Best wishes!

[@bitibahrain]

በትክክል ✅

[@KefaleAlemu]

እግዜር ይስጥልኝ

[@KefaleAlemu]

You are welccome to comment on Wolaita Sodo, Enset, Banana and Sweet Potato Production. Your contribution to improved agricultural practice is very Valuable & appreciated. Please, tell us what you feel.