Eradicating poverty through science – consulting farmers early on
On International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we examine a study that investigated farmers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for different climate-change related traits such of wheat in Ethiopia. It was conducted in a major wheat-growing district known as the most drought-prone and food insecure in the region and 303 smallholder farm households were included through focus group discussion, face-to-face interviews at mother-baby wheat trial sites conducted in 2015, and consultation with wheat breeders.
The results were not entirely expected, proving that if we overlook farmers’ vital experience and needs at early stage, and exclude them in the decision-making process in any technology, we risk providing keys to the wrong doors.