Community based Integrated Management of Enset Bacterial wilt Through Collective Action in Hallo Hartume, Gedeb

Enset bacterial wilt disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm) was found to be remained the most widely destructive, distributed and severe threat to enset (Ensete ventricosum) production in Gedeb woreda. In the assessed area high disease incidence of 79-100 % was recorded and considerable enset plants were damaged which desired intervention with appropriate control measures. To avert this problem, collective based integrated enset bacterial wilt management was intervened in Hallo Hartume Kebele of Gedeb Woreda highland between 2014 and 2016 cropping seasons. Under this study, suitable bacterial wilt control events include sanitary control measures, improved cultural practices, disease free and resistance/tolerant enset clones were demonstrated and implemented in an integrated manner (IDM). IDM intervention was done through subsequent awareness creation trainings of farmers, respective and representative partners on the IDM followed by mass motivation and mobilization. Task Force/Command Post at benchmark and district/woreda levels were formed, which was played a primary role in mass motivation, mobilization and IDM technologies promotions. Enset farming community views on the traditional BW disease natural behaviors and control measures have been noticeably changed trainings and practicing packages of IDM. About 89.33 % of farmers in the targeted area were aware and adopted IDM, as a result BW disease problem was reduced to 21.30 % and many of farmers were convinced about effectiveness of the IDM through collective action. In addition, at the end of the study, enset clonal diversity was also increased by 26.92 %.