The contribution of climate change on the production and distributions of tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) Associated with its breeding enhancement phases in Ethiopia

Abstract

Agriculture is the leading sector in Ethiopia and its economy highly depend on it. Hence it accounts about 50% GDP with 85% employment and more than 85% export revenue. Tef has the leading share of cereals in production area and vital in nutritional aspect more than 15% of all calories spent via 90 million people and exporting injera for foreign currency returns. Therefore, this review targeted with the objectives of delivering information on the role of Tef production in food security with global market value and the impact of climate change and challenge on production and productivity over its breeding enhancement. Currently agriculture highly exposed to climate changes and strongly distresses the productivity altering areas crops grown. Climate change supposed via alterations in variability of properties in temperature, rainfall, increased atmospheric CO₂ levels and relative humidity. It is evidently known and highly vulnerable caused food insecurity. For instance, 20% of Ethiopian economy production deficit and 25% of poverty level is caused by rain fall variability. Tef is seasonal crop on rainfall all over Ethiopia, so its production distributions and productivity still very limited only at Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Tigray and Benishangul Gumuz Regions while Afar, Somali, Harare and Gambela regions are not still included in its production profiles. There is also research gap with the relation and consequence of climate change. Hence filling the gaps will be critical in the future for improving the production efficiency via characterizing agro-ecologies and designing breeding strategies for stress environment variety development.