The study indicated that productivity of sorghum was challenged by recurrent droughts, Striga infestation, insects, birds, diseases, a lack of varieties with farmers-preferred traits and high yield potential, limited policy support, a lack of improved seed system, poor sorghum production practices and application of crop input and poor soil fertility, in a decreasing order of importance. Among the listed sorghum production constraints, severe drought in the post- flowering stage was identified by most interviewed farmers as the leading constraint across the three study zones. Focus group discussions held in each kebele revealed that farmers‟ had lost numerous valuable local landrace varieties due to extreme drought conditions over the years. It is concluded that a significant number of interviewed farmers preferred to grow medium-maturing sorghum varieties which can be sown at the normal planting time but which would escape post- flowering drought. Sorghum breeding program should be directed at developing farmers‟ ideal sorghum varieties with high yield, adequate level of drought tolerance and Striga tolerance and tall plants with high biomass.
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