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Understanding farmers' needs and local genetic resources are crucial steps to improve and conserve the potato crop. A study was conducted to understand what potato traits Ethiopian farmers consider most important, and to characterize the diversity and distribution of local varieties. Growers from six districts were surveyed in 2012 and 2014. Based on the survey results, participatory variety selection (PVS) activities were conducted in two districts during two production seasons. Simultaneously, local varieties were collected from northwest and southern Ethiopia and characterized using molecular and morphological markers. Farmers identified 23 traits they considered important for variety selection, with the degree of importance for each trait varying across gender groups, agro-ecological zones, and growing seasons, as well as with extent of market access. The distribution of local varieties varied by agro-ecological zone, cropping system and proximity to markets. Our genetic fingerprinting and morphological characterization further revealed that, 34% of 44 local potato varieties collected are truly unique, the rest were duplicates, known by different names. These unique Ethiopian local varieties harbour considerable genetic variation, compared to the variation found in European and North American clones. Although local varieties may have lower yield than commercial varieties, they have other desirable attributes that make them well suited for alternative uses and different agro-ecologies. Key words: Participatory variety selection, Gender, Local potato varieties, agro-ecological zones, growing seasons, genetic fingerprinting, INTRODUCTION Potato is considered by FAO (2009) as a food security crop that helps to meet the rising food demands in the tropical highlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Due to the [...]

Although the Ethiopian potato program has released more than 30 new varieties, selected primarily for yield potential and late blight tolerance, the majority of farmers still choose to grow older ‘local varieties’. Cognizant of this, the current study aimed to identify traits that farmers consider most important when deciding which varieties to grow. The study was conducted at two sites in northwest Ethiopia, representing two major agroecological zones, in two distinct growing seasons, using a participatory variety selection approach. Diseasefree seed tubers of nine local and three new varieties were planted. Twenty-three traits were found to influence the varieties that farmers selected and seven of them differed between agroecological zones. Gender differences were also observed for three of the 23 traits at Laigaint (submoist cool agroecology). Of the 23 traits, 12 were considered very important in one or both of the agroecological zones as well as in at least one growing season. At present eight of these 12 traits are not given high priority by the Ethiopian potato variety selection program. The results show that farmers′ selection criteria are very diverse, that no variety possesses all desirable characteristics, and that there is a need for selecting varieties adapted to different agroecologies and growing seasons. This study further suggests that taking farmer interests into account is important for a highly heterozygous, clonally-propagated crop like potato to be accepted by farmers.