One of Bizunesh’s bull calves ready for fattening (photo credit:ILRI\Addisu Abera).

This story is about a couple, Bizunesh Abu (30) and Wendu Gutema (40), living in Mojo town, Oromia who are involved in dairy farming and fattening of bulls calves. Prior to starting the their livestock production business, Bizunesh and Wendu had both suffered illness that caused them to lose motivation for living and improving their livelihoods. But their reality changed two years ago when Bizunesh attended a short-term training on business entrepreneurship.

Organized by Mekedem Ethiopia, a local NGO, the training included giving seed money of ETB 2,000 (USD 100) to the trainees to start a business. Right after the training, Bizunesh was motivated to start a business of fattening bull calves bought from traders and farmers in the Mojo market and sold at the same market at a higher price.

With an additional 740 ETB from her savings, she bought two bull calves which she sold two months later for a total of ETB 6,700 (USD 320). She re-invested the money from the sale of the animals a couple of times until she had enough saving to buy a lactating crossbred dairy cow for ETB 16,000 (USD 780). The cow produced about 10 litres of milk per day, which they sold at a price of 10 ETB/litre to a milk processing plant. They used profit from the milk sales to buy animal feed and bull calves as well as other items for the farm and the household. After they had enough savings from the sale of milk, they started another cycle of fattening calves and saved enough to buy a second crossbred cow with its calf. Now, they get 18 to 19 liters of milk per day from the two cows. All this happened within a period of two and half years.

Bizunesh says she finds livestock rearing fascinating because it has given her new found determination to support herself and her family by her own efforts. She has chosen to be a full-time urban farmer. Her husband, Wendu also enjoys livestock rearing and recently left his job as a security guard to work with Bizunesh in the farm. Bizunesh chose bull calves after observing the increased demand for their meat in Mojo town. ‘But even if the bull calves are not sold on time, they keep growing and fetch even higher prices,’ says Bizunesh.

The couple explain that the price of bull calves decreases between September and January as farmers bring many grass fattened animals to market. Particularly in September, they only buy 2 to 3 bull calves, which they sell in January when prices increase as the supply of fattened animals from rural farmers declines. They also target holidays to sell the fattened animals.

Bull calves are kept by the roadside as Bizunesh and Wundu do not have an alternative space (photo credit: ILRI\Addisu Abera).

The calves are fed agro-industrial by-products (AIBPs) and crop residues, with the former bought from retailers in Mojo town. They also buy straws of barley, wheat, teff and lentil from farmers and occasionally from retailers and Atela (a residue from local brewery) from Tella traders in town to feed their animals. They do not buy feed in bulk due to shortage of storage place and capital. Animal health services such as vaccination and deworming are provided, at a cost, by a nearby veterinary clinic.

Both Bizunesh and Wendu have completed elementary level education. They do not have further training in livestock management. They also lack basic training in record keeping and rely on memory for all the information related to their animals’ condition, their expenditures and revenue.

The couple faces many challenges in running their business. Waste management and unfavorable smell from the manure makes their neighbors unhappy and their calves are crowded in small space especially in rainy season due to lack of land, the high price of input, particularly feed, and difficulty in getting credit are also major problems.

But the couple hopes that the bull calves fattening and the dairy business will eventually help them build a milk processing plant and create job opportunities for fellow Ethiopians.

We got introduced to this couple, who were once bedridden and hopeless but are now successful and visionary, during a feed assessment survey. After an inspiring discussion with the couple, we advised them on different issues of livestock business and pointed out that the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project can assist them through training on improved livestock management, proper feeding, record keeping and business plan development. In future, the project plans study tours to their farm so that other farmers can learn from their experience in managing their bull calves fattening and dairy production business.

 Written by Abule Ebro, Adissu Abera, Zewdie Adane and Nigatu Alemayehu.

Farmer training centres (FTCs) have been designed and used to improve agricultural extension services delivery in many developing countries. Ethiopia is promoting the FTC approach with the hope of improving the reach and effectiveness of agricultural extension and the participation of farmers in technology development.

Within the broader strategy of agricultural development-led industrialization (ADLI), it is envisioned that FTCs will contribute to general rural transformation in Ethiopia that would not be limited to agricultural development. Extension services ranging from capacity development on use of improved farming technologies (e.g. improved seed production techniques, improved agronomic practices, integrated pest management, animal husbandry and agroforestry, etc.) and providing market-oriented information and communication and advisory services, to name a few, would be provided through the FTC approach.

Non-functional farmer training centre (Photo credit: ILRI\ Zewdie Adane).

In addition to providing information and improving communication and capacity development activities, the agricultural extension services at the FTCs will help in linking farmers with institutional support services such as input supply, credit, cooperative promotion and development offices and marketing services.

In principle, the FTC strategy document of the Ethiopian government states that FTCs should be staffed with at least three diploma holder extension agents who are trained in crop and animal science and natural resource management. In addition, a mid-level veterinarian and a cooperative promotion officer shall serve two to three FTCs by residing at a central location. The strategy also recommends that each FTC have at least two hectares of land for carrying out demonstrations.

Field-extension service is a strong foundation of FTCs and in many cases, trained extension agents are already in place and close to farmers. So far, thousands of FTCs have been established throughout Ethiopia and tens of thousands of extension agents have been trained to support farmers to improve their practices. This implies that many peasant associations (PAs), districts and regional offices are well staffed with professionals who are trained to address new challenges in agriculture and some studies suggest that pockets of entrepreneurialism and innovations are developing in specific FTCs and districts of the country due to the new approach to extension.

However, although there are a few cases where intended objectives are achieved, the majority of the FTCs are not rendering the required extension services to rural communities. Many FTCs have not been fully equipped, staffed and/or budgeted for as originally planned. There also appears to be significant variation in their operations across the country.

In our field visits, baseline and other surveys as well as day-to-day project activities in several PAs in some zones of the Oromia region, we have observed that FTCs have not, on the most part, been used effectively.

Pile of harvested teff stored in farmer training centre (photo credit: ILRI\Zewdie Adane).

Several constraints are observed within the field-level extension system and require particular attention. These include high staff turnover, lack of basic infrastructure, facilities (such as equipment and demonstration sites) and resources (including staff and financial). Most FTCs do not have basic inputs for carrying out typical extension activities on the demonstration sites (where these exist). In some cases, FTC sites are used as storage for crops and other materials or serve as a source of income for the PA administration instead of as a ‘centre of participatory extension delivery’ as intended.

Moreover, there are complaints about the ability of the development agents to serve farmers due to lack of practical skills and tools to effectively implement the FTC centred extension policy. In addition, the FTCs and public extension in general do not have appropriate mechanisms for accessing modern agricultural knowledge and information.

In general, although FTCs are important resources and provide opportunities to move participatory extension forward, making them more functional and effective remains a challenge, despite the fact that FTCs can reach many farmers at a minimal cost.

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project is using FTCs in some intervention areas to demonstrate new technology for fodder development and irrigated vegetable crops interventions. Based on the experience of the past two years, we are convinced that services provided by FTCs can be more effectively used and enhanced  in collaboration with partners.

LIVES plans to collaborate with agricultural offices such as the bureau of agriculture, the livestock development and health agency and the irrigation development agency, PA administration and other stakeholders to boost the role of FTCs in intervention areas. A comprehensive strategy is, however, needed to revitalize the use of FTCs as centres for effective technology demonstration and spaces for participatory learning.

Written by Zewdie Adane, Gemeda Duguma, Abule Ebro and Amenti Chali.

Bulb to seed method of onion seed production demonstration in Kalu District, South Wollo zone (photo credit: ILRI\Yigzaw Dessalegne).

Different vegetables require different climatic conditions and agronomic practices to produce good yields. Ethiopia’s agro-ecology is suitable for producing both the edible parts and seeds of temperate and tropical vegetable crops. Majority of these vegetables are grown for their edible parts but seeds of most vegetable crops are imported from African, Asian and European countries. As a result, high prices and inadequate supply of seeds are primary bottlenecks in vegetable crops production in the country in general and in the Amhara region in particular. Vegetable seed production is a lucrative but untapped activity for Ethiopian smallholder farmers and these seeds have the potential to provide a viable export commodity for the country.

Onion (Allium cepa) is a recently introduced and one of the few widely-grown vegetable crops in Ethiopia. It is mostly grown using irrigation and the amount of land under onion cultivation is steadily increasing as a result of expanding irrigation systems and other factor. Unlike other bulb crops, onion is propagated by seeds. However, the onion seed in Ethiopia is either imported or produced by informal seed producers. The price for such seed is often high, the quality low and the supply is largely inadequate. Also, farmers in the country lack knowledge and experience in onion seed production and handling.

To address this challenge, the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project team in Amhara demonstrated onion seed production practices in Kalu District of South Wollo zone. The demonstration took place in the farms of six intervention households (four male-headed and two female-headed) from August to December 2014.

Each of the households planted a mother bulb of the ‘Adama red’ onion variety on a 100m² plot of land in August 2014. The household managed the plot using recommended onion seed production practices. LIVES and horticulture experts from the Amhara Office of Agriculture coached and mentored farmers in these households at all stages of the project including in site and mother bulb selection as well as harvesting and processing. LIVES contributed mother bulbs while the households contributed land, fertilizer, water for irrigation and labour for the demonstration.

The mother bulbs planted on the demonstration plots started flowering in the first week of November 2014 and seeds were harvested at the end of December 2014. The whole process of ‘bulb to seed’ took five months in Kalu District. According to reports, in the central Rift Valley region, which is the major onion seed production area in the country, a similar process takes 6-7 months.

Once the onion seeds were ready, LIVES organized a field day to demonstrate onion seed production practices to officials, experts, input suppliers and farmers. A total of 86 people attended the event.

Farmer retailing onion seedlings after planting on his own plot in Kalu District (photo credit: ILRI\ Mesfin Tefera)

The seed yield from the demonstration plots ranged from 8-10 quintals per hectare. The six households sold onion seeds to 35 fellow farmers in surrounding areas at a price of ETB 800/kg (USD 40), obtaining a total income of  ETB 6,400 to 8,000 (USD 320-400) from each 100m² plot of land in just five months, which is more lucrative compared to onion bulb production.

The farmers from the intervention households shared this method with fellow farmers and organized themselves into an onion seed producers group in Woraba tulu Peasant Association of Kalu District. In addition to being suppliers, these farmers have also sown seeds on 40 seed beds to produce seed for their own use and also to sell onion seedlings.

The farmers who bought the onion seeds from the newly established seed producers group have sown the onion seeds on 90 seed beds in total and recently planted their seedlings on a larger area of land (3.5 hectares).

As a result of this success, LIVES is carrying out similar demonstration in the farms of three intervention households of Dembia and Gondar Zuria districts of North Gondar zone and promising results are being observed and documented. Next, LIVES and its partners will establish certified onion seed producer groups in these districts and provide short-term training on onion seed production, processing and handling practices for these groups. The groups will then be linked with seed suppliers and other onion producers

Read related stories:

The rift between variety development and seed supply in Ethiopia

Vegetable seedlings: An emerging business and alternative input supply system in Ethiopia

Mobile phones boost vegetable marketing in Ethiopia

Written by  Yigzaw Dessalegne and Mesfin Tefera.

A partial view of Mileat’s apiary in Tigray (photo credit: ILRI\LIVES)

Most people would agree that, traditionally, beekeeping in Ethiopia is carried out by smallholder male farmers using a limited number of beehives in or near their homestead in a fixed flora-rich environment. But the beekeeping practice we observed on one farm in Wurko town in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, is completely different. Firstly, the work is managed by a young lady, Mileat Gebrehiwot, who just completed high school education and has had no formal training in beekeeping. Secondly, unlike most smallholder farmers who are accustomed to keeping a few beehives, she manages 80 beehives in about 1,600 m2 of land. Thirdly, as her apiary is situated in a rocky hillside that barely supports diverse bee flora throughout the year, her colony management strategy is completely based on moving the beehives seasonally.

Mileat is one of the beekeepers technically supported by the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project and is a member of a local beekeeping platform. We wanted to further explore the mystery of her success in beekeeping that could be beneficial to other beekeepers in the country.

Mileat inherited the skill of beekeeping from her father who died unexpectedly in 2010 leaving behind the full responsibilities of managing 60 beehives to his family members. As a teen, she was always by her father’s side and gained basic skills in managing honeybees and later developed the practical skill of splitting honeybee colonies. Mileat’s inherited skill and knowledge helped her to convince her mother to retain 10 of the beehives after the death of her father almost five years ago. Now she is the owner of 80 hives. Fifty of them are used for honey production and the remaining 30 are managed according to the requirements of a breeding colony. The average annual honey harvest in 2014 was 600 kg, which earned her about ETB 120,000 (USD 5870). Her additional income from the sale of 30 colonies is about ETB 48,000. Her clients are farmers from nearby districts, beekeeping youth associations and honey traders from Mekelle town.

LIVES staff visit Mileat’s apiary that is located on a rocky hillside in Wurko (photo credit: ILRI\LIVES).

Mileat’s colony management strategy is extraordinary in that she always recognizes spatial and temporal variations in her environment and moves, seasonally, all the beehives to areas where the preferred honeybee flora such as Leucas abyssinica, Becium grandiflorum, acacia and other low growing herbs are abundant. She does this by renting a lorry, for a one way trip, at a cost of ETB 1,300. Before deciding to move the colonies, she first identifies sites rich in bee flora and assesses the availability of both nectar (for honey) and pollen (for colony strength) in sufficient quantities. Once she is sure of the abundance of flora, she trains casual workers in loading and unloading of beehives and the security measures needed to minimize damage to the queen and possible absconding. The movement of colonies takes place in June and terminates in November each year, and sites chosen for movement are located within a 30 km radius. She indemnifies the owners of such sites by paying their land tax and giving them oilseed planting materials free of charge. Once they have been relocated, Mileat closely inspects each of the hives at least once a week and provides additional food as needed. She believes that the proper feeding of honeybees is an essential for minimizing absconding and weakening the population of wax moths and other pests.

Mileat also renders services to her community free of charge including wax molding, supporting families in need of colony splitting and honey harvesting. Her plan is to establish a honey exporting company by leasing a large area in her native birthplace, Wukro.

In conclusion, the young beekeeper has defeated the long held stereotype about the inability of women to engage in beekeeping and successfully demonstrated the possibility of large scale mobile beekeeping even in areas where the availability of bee flora is not sufficient to sustain a colony throughout the year.

 Written by Yayneshet Tesfay, Dirk Hoekstra and Dawit Woldemariam.

Fufa with his beehives in Ada Berga District (photo credit: ILRI\Gemeda Duguma).

In February 2015, the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project’s implementation committee in Oromia region carried out a field visit in West Shoa zone. The objective of the visit was to gain better insight of the reality on the ground so that feasible activities could be planned for the following project year (2015).

During the visit, the team met Fufa Keneni, a farmer who is involved in dairy production, apiculture and to some extent in sheep fattening. Fufa is one of the LIVES project target farmers and is a resident of Reji town, which is near Muger cement factory in Ada’a Berga District of West Shoa.

Fufa explained the impact of the five-day training that he attended in September 2014 on improving honey production and beehive management. The training was organized by the LIVES project at the Holeta Apiculture Research Centre. According to Fufa, the knowledge he received from the training helped him to minimize absconding of colonies from his beehives. Prior to the training about 20 of his bee colonies abscond each year, but in the past six months only two colonies have absconded from his beehives.

Fufa started a honey production business in 2010 with two modern beehives. Now, four years later, he owns 150 modern hives, five transitional hives and 65 local hives. He said that in the past two years he has made about ETB 90,000-100,000 (USD 4,500-5,000) per year from the sale of honey which means that about 9kg of honey/hive is harvested from Fufa’s modern hives per year. This is very low compared to results of prior studies that indicated that 15-20 kg of honey can be harvested from modern hives (per hive per year).

Based on our observations, some of the factors contributing to the low productivity in Fufa’s farm include shortage of feed, absence of sheds, poor hive management (e.g. some of the hives are covered with plastic) and poor hive inspection. To alleviate these challenges; construction of sheds, arranging of hives on shelves (for efficient use of space), regular inspection of hives as well as planting of different bee forages could be considered.

Fufa’s dairy cows in Ada berga District (photo credit: ILRI\Gemeda Duguma).

In addition to his honey business, Fufa got into the dairy business in 2011 after purchasing two crossbred heifers from Chancho and Addis Ababa. Currently, he has nine crossbred dairy cows of which seven are lactating. They produce about 90 litres of milk per day which is distributed to local consumers with whom Fufa has signed contracts to provide them with milk at a price of ETB 12 per litre. According to Fufa, there is ready market for his milk.

Fufa keeps his animals in a shed with concrete floors and corrugated iron roofing. Hay and other such materials are used for bedding. The major challenges the team observed and that he reported were: poor feed quality, waste management and water shortage. Fufa says waste disposal is the number one challenge. He might get the required skills and knowledge to solve these problems if he takes part in LIVES demonstration and knowledge sharing events that are organized on topics such as treatment of hay and crop residue with urea, preparation of urea molasses block, demonstration of small-scale bio-digester technology, use of cow mats to minimize discomfort of the animals and reduce waste of hay for bedding materials. LIVES also organizes study tours to improved dairy farms to share better knowledge and skills on dairying.

Written by Gemeda Duguma, Zewdie Adane, Amenti Chali and Nigatu Alemayehu.

Rhodes grass at the edge of the primary canal in Koga irrigation scheme (photo credit: ILRI\Yigzaw Dessalegne).

Koga irrigation scheme is one of the few large scale irrigation schemes in Ethiopia. The 7,000 hectares scheme is located in Mecha District, in the West Gojjam zone of Amhara region at about 530 km northwest of Addis Ababa. It serves about 10,000 smallholder households. The scheme has a well organized and coordinated irrigation system with infrastructure that includes a 19.7 km primary canal, 42.3 km secondary canal, 117 km tertiary canal, 783 km quaternary canal and 12 night storage structures for delivering water to each plot of land.

The canals and water storage structures were constructed at a high cost and the efficient use of these facilities requires proper handling to increase their lifespan. In order to stabilize the infrastructure, the Koga irrigation project office introduced Rhodes grass on the edges/borders of the primary, secondary and 80% of the tertiary canals, water storage structures and periphery of the dam.

A green carpet of Rhodes grass can be seen from a distance along the canals and storage structures. The grass contributes to extending the lifespan of these structures by reducing the effects of erosion and siltation. It also reduces the area of wasteland in the scheme.

In addition to stabilizing irrigation canals and night storage structures, farmers from the surrounding area have more awareness about the adaptability, feed value and propagation methods of Rhodes grass. Subsequently, the irrigation scheme is serving as source of Rhodes grass  seed  for the district and beyond and Rhodes grass planting at the edge of irrigation canals and farmlands is steadily expanding. In addition, Rhodes grass seed producers, collectors and traders are steadily emerging.

Farmer harvesting Rhodes grass seed in Koga (photo credit: ILRI\Yigzaw Dessalegne).

The seed yield of Rhodes grass in the scheme ranges from 300 to 500kg/ha. Annually over 20,000 kg of Rhodes seed is supplied to the local market. Farmers sell Rhodes grass seed to local collectors at a cost of ETB 80-100/kg (USD4-5/kg); local collectors sell to traders at a rate of ETB 150-160/kg and local traders sell to users at more than ETB 200/kg. Therefore, ETB 1.6-4 million income is generated annually from Rhodes grass seed production.

The LIVES project supports Rhodes grass producers and seed traders at the Koga irrigation scheme by mentoring and demonstrating propagation methods, production practices, seed harvesting, processing and handling practices. The project has also linked Rhodes grass seed traders with buyers from other parts of the country. In addition, LIVES is introducing and demonstrating the multifaceted benefits of Rhodes grass in irrigation schemes of other project districts and zones.

Written by Yigzaw Dessalegn & Teshome Derso, LIVES  Project, Amhara region.

Winner of the fattened cattle show in Merawi (photo credit:ILRI\ Zeleke Mekuriaw).

Smallholder farmers’ skills and knowledge about modern fattening practices in West Gojjam zone, similar to other zones in the Amhara region, vary significantly. In order to alleviate this gap, the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project together with the Amhara Regional Livestock Agency and Mecha District Office of Agriculture, organized a half day ‘fattened cattle competition’ event in Merawi town, 35 km southeast of Bahir Dar on 7 April 2015.  Sixty smallholder fatteners from Mecha District presented 123 fattened cattle for the competition.

In Amhara region, modern cattle fattening is a recent development. The majority of fatteners do not have adequate skills and knowledge on animal selection, healthcare and proper feeding techniques. Furthermore, due to limited linkages amongst smallholder farmers and traders, farmers are not encouraged to increase the scale of fattening and to produce quality meat. On the other hand, traders in Bahir Dar town (the regional capital) complain about the shortage of quality meat to satisfy customers’ needs.

The LIVES project in collaboration with partner institutions is working on ensuring the economic well-being of male and female smallholders engaged in cattle fattening by transforming traditional practices to be more market oriented. So far, efforts have been made to develop the capacity of value chain actors through short-term training, coaching and mentoring as well as demonstrations of new technologies and approaches (e.g. introduction of improved fodder varieties to alleviate feed shortage). Similarly, techniques of improving feed quality and feed conservation such as chopping; urea molasses multi-mineral block and silage making have been introduced. In addition, LIVES availed a considerable number of reading and audiovisual material in the agricultural knowledge centres established by the project.

Fattened cattle shown for evaluation by judges and participants (Photo credit: ILRI\ Zeleke Mekuriaw)

During the fattened cattle competition, the animals that were presented were evaluated by three groups of judges (experts’ group, farmers’ group and traders’ group). Evaluation criteria were body condition and age of the animal. Results from the three groups were displayed for participants and were then combined and re-evaluated to set the final rank for each animal. Animals ranked 1-5 were selected as winners. The award committee recognized owners of the animals by giving them prizes and allowing them to address the participants.

In addition, cattle owners shared lessons with each other about their good practices in terms of cattle fattening such as animal selection, healthcare, housing and feeding. Traders and producers also used the platform for market linkages and as a result traders from Bahir Dar who took part in the event went back to Mecha the next morning and bought the best animals for the Ethiopian Easter holiday. Officials from the Bureau of Agriculture and Livestock agency said the event was important in boosting animal production in Amhara and promised to facilitate similar events at higher (zonal and regional) levels in the future. This event can also trigger other districts to initiate similar ones in the future.

Contributed by Zeleke Mekuriaw, Yigzaw Desalegn, Teshome Derso and Habtemariam Assesfa.

Written by Solomon Gizaw

A ‘Ram selection committee’ selects breeding rams for the cooperative breeding group in Tigray, Ethiopia. (Photo credit: ILRI\ Solomon Gizaw)

Cooperative breeding groups are village-level community organizations where smallholder sheep and goat keepers cooperate to improve the genetic merits of their flocks through selective breeding. Smallholders may not be in a position to implement effective selective breeding within their individual flocks due to small number of animals and uncontrolled grazing/mating system.

Indeed, cooperation seems to be mandatory for smallholders as some of the village resources are owned and managed communally. These include grazing lands and watering resources, and even breeding rams are used communally under uncontrolled communal grazing/ mating systems such as in the Ethiopian highlands. Thus implementing genetic improvement, grazing land management and disease control programs would be challenging unless all or most of the villagers participate in the program.

Cooperative breeding group goats are identified by ear tags, West Shoa, Ethiopia. (Photo credit: ILRI\Addisu Abera)

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project has initiated cooperative village sheep and goat breeding activities in its four project regions, namely Oromia, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ (SNNP), Tigray and Amhara. Sheep and goat groups have been organized and training has been provided on cooperative breeding and other value chain interventions to villagers and Bureau of Agriculture experts. Also, the villages’ sheep and goat flocks have been identified with individual animal ear tags, and cooperative selection and use of breeding rams and bucks is underway.

The cooperative breeding groups are a key entry point for introducing other value chain interventions and facilitating collective action by smallholders. Cooperation is increasing economies of scale of smallholders to access inputs and services and profitable markets. LIVES staff coach and mentor cooperative breeding groups to function as collective input providers and marketing groups. The cooperative group will also serve to introduce planned lamb/kid production through hormone-synchronized breeding to produce large cohorts of lambs/kids at a time (a LIVES’ intervention). This leads to more lambing/kidding during the best seasons to maximize lamb/kid survival and higher economies of scale to access profitable markets.

Structured sheep/goat selective breeding programs are non-existent in Ethiopia. Cooperative breeding groups could form a basis for designing structured breed-level or regional sheep and goat breeding programs. There has been quite a number of initiatives in setting up village level cooperative breeding groups for sheep and goat in Ethiopia by the national research system and CGIAR centres. Currently, quite a few cooperative breeding villages have been established for Menz, Bonga, Horro, Wollo, Arsi-Bale, Tigray Highland sheep types and Abergelle, Central Highland and Konso goat types/breeds.

Cooperative breeding group sheep receive strategic deworming, W. Shoa, Oromia, Ethiopia.

It is high time that coordination and structuring of individual activities into breed-level regional breeding programs is initiated. Existing collaboration/coordination among institutes needs to be built and expanded upon (e.g. LIVES with Regional Bureaus of Agriculture, the International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the International Livestock Research Institute-Biosciences eastern and central Africa (ILRI-BecA) Hub with the national research system).

The way forward could include institutionalization of the individual breeding activities, standardization of breeding scheme designs, technical coordination, central databases, and adopting value chain approaches.

Small ruminants, which account for more than half of the domesticated ruminants in the world, are an important component of the farming systems in most developing countries.  Despite their economic and social importance, socio-economic and marketing research on small ruminants has so far been limited, a fact which also holds strongly true in Ethiopia. Results of this analysis show that herd size, herd structure, access to livestock market, and involvement in the institutional services of extension and credit stand out as the most important factors affecting market participation behavior of households. Results, therefore, imply that an effective package of interventions to promote market oriented small ruminant production will need to include development of livestock market infrastructure and market institutions, improved access to extension and credit use, efficient animal reproduction and management, and proper animal health care.

Detailed results of this study have been compiled into a LIVES working paper and can be accessed here.

The first Horticultural Farmers Day was celebrated here in Ethiopia at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) campus on 29 April 2015. The event was organized by the SupHort project in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian smallholders (LIVES) project and other partners. About 200 participants took part in this event. The major focus of the event was in bringing together farmers and other key stakeholders to share and discuss their experiences and challenges in the horticulture sector and its impacts on their livelihoods; creating linkages with agri-business sector players and improving market access; and putting down recommendations on issues needing attention by stakeholders in the sector.

The event had different sessions; discussions, presentations and a marketplace displaying horticultural technologies and outputs. LIVES staff participated in all these sessions. At the marketplace, posters on assessing profitability and risk of irrigated crops, gender and agriculture and alternative media for raising tomato hybrid seedlings were presented. In addition, new technologies introduced by LIVES that can be used by smallholders such as Wetting Front Detector  (WFT) devices, zero-energy cooling chamber solar water pump, feed choppers, biogas digesters, feeding trough for small ruminants and many more were displayed.

Different varieties of watermelon and hybrid tomatoes produced by LIVES farmers in the Oromia region, as well as a new popcorn variety produced by LIVES farmers in Amhara region were displayed for tasting and testing preferences of participants (see the result of the taste test by event participants). In addition, two LIVES farmers, one trained on pump maintenance and another trained on grafting, joined the event to share their experiences and demonstrate how they are applying their new skills. Participants interacted with LIVES staff and farmers and discussed the various technologies introduced, outputs displayed and took publications of LIVES as well as from the former Improving the Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian Farmers (IPMS) project for further reference.

Read a related story: News from MoA site

See pictures from the event: Album 1  and Album 2

Written by Gebreamlak Bezabih and Guesh Godifey (Tigray Agricultural Research Institute) and Yayneshet Tesfay, Dawit Woldemariam and Haile Tilahun (International Livestock Research Institute).

Farmers constructing an Ethio ribrab beehive (photo credit:ILRI\LIVES).

Beekeeping is an important traditional practice in most parts of Ethiopia. With an estimated 10 million beehive colonies half of which are kept in traditional and improved hives, Ethiopia ranks first in Africa and fourth in the world in honey and beeswax production. Traditional hives made from mud and wooden logs are by far the most pervasive accounting for more than 97% while improved hives account for only 2% of beehives in the country.

Managing bees using traditional hives is not only difficult but the quality and quantity of honey produced is small, with an average yield estimated to be below 7 kg/hive. Public agricultural extension in rural Ethiopia is working to replace these traditional hives by introducing top bar beehives to smallholder farmers, and in Tigray region of northern Ethiopia the annual distribution has reached more than 20,000 hives.

But with a shift from traditional to improved hives, the likelihood of farmers facing acute shortage of beeswax is high and there is a need to identify sustainable ways of providing beeswax that also attracts bees and minimizes absconding. One way of achieving this is through the introduction and popularization of the ‘Ethio ribrab’ hive, which is a variant of the Kenyan top bar hive.

The introduction of this type of hive is not meant to replace improved frame beehives but to complement them by providing beeswax made from local honeybee flora. Honey harvested from this type of hive is of better quantity and quality compared to honey from a traditional hive. The popularization of Ethio ribrab hives has also the added advantages of being made by smallholder farmers using local materials and is easy to work with and inspect the colonies.

Farmers demonstrating the Ethio-ribrab beehive they constructed (photo credit: ILRI\LIVES).

Considering the multifaceted advantages of Ethio ribrab hives, the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project in Tigray has demonstrated these hives to beekeepers, who after having received trainings, transferred colonies from traditional hives. Field observations suggest that farmers who used Ethio ribrab hives have harvested 15 to 20 kg/hive of honey and 1 to 2 kg beeswax, and this is by far more than what is possible using traditional hives.

Download  steps guide for constructing an Ethio ribrab hive that is currently being used by farmers in the LIVES intervention sites in Tigray.

Written by Yigzaw Dessalegn and Worku Teka

Banana bunch ready for harvest (Photo credit: ILRI\LIVES)

Amhara region has a diverse agro-ecology with altitudes ranging from 500 to 4620 metres, huge surface water resources and different soil types. This type of environment is conducive to growing both tropical and temperate fruit crops. However, according to a Central Statics Authority  (2014) report, fruit crops account for only 0.09% of the total cultivated land in the region. To tap into this unexploited potential, the Livestock and irrigation value chains for Ethiopian smallholders (LIVES) project planned some activities towards the fruit value chain development. Preparing a geographic information system (GIS)-supported suitability map for the production of major fruit crops and sharing the outcome with partners was the first project activity. The second step involved organizing a training for farmers and experts on fruit production and propagation practices. In addition, the project introduced and demonstrated improved varieties and recommended management practices of major fruit crops (apple, avocado, banana and mango) in North Gondar, South Wollo and West Gojjam zones.

Map of banana suitability in Amhara

Lay Armacheho District was one of the potential districts identified through the suitability map for banana production in North Gondar zone. The LIVES project introduced and demonstrated the performance of an improved banana variety (Dwarf Cavendish) with recommended management practices on the farms of 10 intervention households in Musie Bamb Kebele in the district. Each intervention household received 75 suckers from the project, which also regularly provided coaching on irrigation, soil nutrient management and sucker management. The banana suckers came from Metema District where banana was introduced a few years ago by the IPMS project. Woretaw Abuhaye is a farmer in one of the intervention households targeted for this trial. He planted the suckers on 5 December 2013 at a spacing of 3m x 3m, irrigated them at three-day interval during the dry season, and applied compost. The banana plant started flowering 10 months later on 27 September 2014 and was ready for harvest on five months from flowering on 24 February 2015. The number of banana fingers per bunch ranged from 160 to 200 and each banana fruit was sold at a price of ETB 2.00 (USD 0.097) in the local market. Woretaw is earning ETB 320-400/bunch sold. So far, he has harvested and sold over 20 banana bunches from the banana suckers initially planted. Secondary suckers also started setting fruit. Observing this economic benefit, Woretaw started expanding his banana orchard. Similarly, his neighbors started banana production by purchasing suckers from him at a price of ETB 15-20/sucker and they showed interest in working with him on a greater scale by renting land as well. ‘Having observed this development, the Office of Agriculture in Lay Armacheho District purchased about 6,000 banana suckers and introduced it in five peasant associations (PAs) in the district,’ says Assefa Zeleke, the district horticulture expert in Lay Armacheho. As a result of these and other efforts, banana production is expanding in the district and the all-rounded efforts by farmers and district Office of Agriculture are helping in scaling out/up of best technologies. The next LIVES project interventions in the district will be to introduce and demonstrate better banana varieties and train traders on banana ripening techniques.

LIVES gives seminar to MoA staff on market oriented agricultural extension services (Photo credit:ILRI\Aklilu Bogale)

On 6 May 2015, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) hosted a seminar on ‘Market-oriented extension services for agricultural transformation in Ethiopia’ in Addis Ababa. About 60 staff from the MoA attended the seminar, many of whom were young experts and women.

HE Gebregziabher Gebreyohannes (PhD), State Minister for Livestock in the Ministry of Agriculture said that the seminar, the first-of-its-kind in  MoA, had two purposes; one is to tighten the partnership between the MoA and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) beyond sharing information and knowledge to expanding the interaction in the development of the agricultural sector in the country and two, to learn from the Improving the Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian Farmers (IPMS) project and Livestock and Irrigation Value Chain for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project experiences on the concepts and process of transforming from production-focused extension services to market-oriented extension that is driven by knowledge and information.

LIVES gives seminar to MoA staff on market oriented agricultural extension services (Photo credit:ILRI\Aklilu Bogale)

Fourteen years ago, in June 2002, a conference was organized by the MoA at the ILRI Addis Ababa campus to discuss strategies and processes needed to shift production-based agriculture into a market-oriented one in Ethiopia.

‘A key issue raised during that conference was that CGIAR should work more closely with the MoA and take part in piloting strategies and approaches to bring market orientation in agriculture in Ethiopia,’ says Azage Tegegne, who leads the LIVES project.

This resulted in the birth of the IPMS project that was implemented by ILRI and the MoA from 2004-2013. Among its various results and outputs on market orientation, IPMS produced a guide to market-oriented agriculture extension services for use by development professionals.

At the conference, LIVES’ aim and vision to work towards institutionalizing market oriented extension approaches in the MoA’s extension service delivery system was discussed.  Berhanu Gebremedhin, LIVES research coordinator, highlighted principles and features of a good extension service that focuses on market orientation.

‘In addition to appropriate technologies and practices, access to market information, creating linkages with different actors, facilitating and supporting collective marking, identifying profitable markets and buyers as well as building the marketing capacity of producers are major features of market-oriented extension services.’ he said

Practical examples on providing market-oriented extension services were explained by Dirk Hoekstra who led the IPMS project and now senior adviser for LIVES project. The case of the dairy value chain development in LIVES project sites and experiences in terms of input supply, production interventions, processing and marketing and the type of extension services provided at the different levels were also presented.

During the seminar, Barbara Wieland, an animal health expert at ILRI, made a presentation on lessons and challenges from Mongolia on pastoral development and collective action. Her presentation highlighted how collective action was used to improve the degraded rangelands of Mongolia and benefit herders. This presentation raised interest among the participants who wanted to learn from the experiences of Mongolia.

MoA staff expressed interest in replicating market-oriented extension in pastoral areas and learning how to deal with various actors in the value chain such as brokers, strengthening collective action approaches and filling in knowledge and skills gaps of development professionals in extension services.

Download the presentation on ‘Market-oriented extension services for agricultural transformation in Ethiopia‘

By Beamlak Tesfaye

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian smallholders (LIVES) project has published its third working paper on the sources of technical inefficiency of smallholder dairy farmers in the highlands of Ethiopia.

The dairy sector plays an important role as a source of livelihood in the form of consumption, income and employment for most of Ethiopia’s rural population. According to a survey published by the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) in 2014, the amount of milk produced in the country in 2012-13 was estimated to be 2.8 billion litres. But the annual growth of milk production in the dairy sector has been moderately slow through the years and according to some researchers, is a result of an increase in the number of cows rather than increased productivity.

Increasing production efficiency is key to increasing productivity. This working paper identifies factors associated with the inefficiency in Ethiopia’s dairy production from data collected from more than 1,000 rural farm households in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray showing where there is a high level of technical inefficiency in milk production and, consequently, significant room to increase milk production at household level by improving technical efficiency.

The paper calls for the education system to respond to the education needs of farmers whose literacy can be improved through formal and informal methods and use of targeted trainings and other capacity development activities to counter the negative effects of low literacy. It also calls for policy attention to improve infrastructure to enable milk producers gain more access to major markets and institutions.

Download the paper.

By Birhanu Biazin, Yoseph Mekasha and Tesfaye Shewage

Intercropping alfalfa with fruits in Sidama zone (photo credit: ILRI\Birhanu Biazin).

Sidama zone of southern Ethiopia has ample opportunities to develop irrigated fruits for improved household income and nutrition. However, fruit trees such as apples take years to bear their first fruit; meaning producers see no income from the fruit orchards for at least three years. In light of this, the Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project is demonstrating intercropping of improved fodder species with fruits in Sidama and Gamo Gofa zones.

Intercropping of fruits with short maturing crops such as vegetables and leguminous fodder species enables fruit producers to get multiple benefits that include obtaining additional income from fodder and vegetables, improving soil fertility from leguminous fodder and enhancing water productivity (yield per unit of water consumed) when irrigation is used for intercropped fields. But knowledge of improved fodder and fruit production systems has been quite low in Sidama zone.

Haileleul Ayele, who lives in one of the LIVES intervention households in the zone, is involved in apple and dairy production in Arbegona District. Haileleul had planted some apple trees but most were not bearing fruits so the LIVES project provided him with grafted seedlings of improved apple varieties and trained him on improved production techniques. Haileluel also supplies fluid milk to restaurants and cafés in the district town of Yaye. He supplements feed for his three cross-bred milking cows with commercial concentrate to improve their productivity. But the price of commercial concentrate feed has been increasing over time so the project advised him to start feeding alfalfa to his dairy cows to improve their productivity.

Haileluel intercropped alfalfa seeds on the same field that he planted apple trees in his homestead. With coaching from specialists from the LIVES project and the office of agriculture, he has been applying agronomic practices appropriately for both the alfalfa and apple trees farming. He uses farmyard manure from the dairy cows to fertilize his field in two forms: fertigation and direct application of dry farmyard manure. To apply fertigation, he harvests rainwater from his 52 m2 rooftop into a rain water tank. The collected water is mixed with farmyard manure in an earthen pit where it stays for more than a month. The manure and water mixture is then easily directed from the pit to the alfalfa and apple fields by gravity along a slope. Due to the predominantly steep slope feature of the area, fertigation could be widely applied by smallholder farmers who are engaged in both irrigated crops and dairying.

A dairy cow feeds on mixture of alfalfa and other roughage feed such as crop residues (photo credit: ILRI\Birhanu Biazin).

Alfalfa is a perennial and high quality forage crop with crude protein content of about 18%. It can withstand long periods of water stress and can access water through its deep roots. Through irrigation during the dry season and using the fairly well-distributed rain during the rainy season, Hailelul, is able to cut his alfalfa rows every three weeks on average to feed his dairy cows.

The alfalfa is about 50cm long when cut at about 15 cm above the ground and he harvests about 15kg daily. After starting to use alfalfa as a supplementary feed and mixing it with roughage such as Enset leaf and crop residue,Hailelul spends less money on commercial concentrates to feed his cows. Moreover, his milk yield has consistently increased by 2 litres per day per cow on average. Given the current milk price of ETB 15 (USD 0.73) in Arbegona, Haileleul is planning to acquire more dairy cows and also increase the land area covered by alfalfa.

The LIVES project is currently working with several households in Sidama zone to intercrop alfalfa with fruits for proper integration of dairy and irrigated fruits farming. Knowledge management interventions such as farmers field days are being organized by the project to disseminate this practice to a wider scale.

H.E Ato Abay Woldu, President of the Tigray  National State, handing over the trophy to LIVES’ Regional Coordinator, Dr Gebremedihin Woldewahid during  Farmers’ Festival        (photo credit: ILRI\Dawit Weldemariam)

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project was honored with a trophy award by the Tigray Regional Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development (BoARD) during the 8thRegional Farmers Annual Festival that was held on May 28th, 2015 at the regional capital city of Mekelle. H.E Ato Abay Woldu, President of the Tigray Regional State handed over the trophy to LIVES’ Regional coordinator, Dr. Gebremedhin Woldewahid.The festival was held in the presence of high level federal and regional government officials including H.E. Ato Tefera Derbew, Minister of Agriculture (MoA) and H.E Ato Kiros Bitew, Vice President of the Tigray Regional State and Head of the Tigray Regional BoARD.

LIVES received this award for introducing new technologies for market oriented livestock and irrigated commodities, promoting new and innovative methods of extension and input supply services, capacity building of farmers and public sector staff, and promoting innovative agricultural knowledge management system.Contributions to strengthen the Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) was another consideration for giving the award. Recently the LIVES team members were also awarded certificates by the regional government for their contributions in improving smallholders’ access to improved dairy genetics through introduction and implementationof hormone assisted oestrus synchronization and mass insemination technology. The Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) project, predecessor to LIVES, had also received four awards in a row for its contributions in research and development in the region.

In addition to the farmers selected as development heroes and heroines, more than 700 participants attended the festival. Zonal and district administrators, regional and district BoARD heads and senior extension staff, and development and research partners also took part in the festival.

By Mamusha Lemma

LIVES coaching and mentoring is helping avocado farmers (photo:ILRI\LIVES).

Training is often criticized for not making a significant impact on improving performance. Many training managers are increasingly concerned about how to ensure the transfer of learned skills and knowledge from a training context to the work environment. The challenge arises from how training is traditionally planned and implemented. In most cases, training is conducted as a standalone activity, with little focus on skill transfer strategies, which determines the success of training programs. But when training is properly designed and implemented, with an appropriate follow-up strategy, it can significantly influence performance at an individual, organizational and system level.

Farmers often face several constraints in applying knowledge and skills gained from training such as inadequate technical support from development agents, lack of market incentives to enter into new businesses, and shortage of finance to buy agricultural inputs. Coaching and mentoring can be an effective strategy to address such knowledge and skills application constraints.

In this article, we describe how the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project uses coaching and mentoring as a learning transfer strategy to enhance new skills and knowledge application.

As a learning relationship which helps value chain actors and service providers take charge of their own value chain development, coaching and mentoring can be applied in various forms: alone, in combination with trainings or study tours, or in combination with practical demonstrations. The sequence and combination of learning activities depends on need.

A study tour followed by coaching and mentoring is best when new practices are introduced in an area. The study tour inspires value chain actors to try out the new practice, while coaching and mentoring ensures users gain practical knowledge and skills in implementing the new practice. In most cases, the LIVES team starts with coaching and mentoring of producers to introduce new varieties of irrigated commodities and development agents are actively engaged from the start to ensure continuity of support provided to producers. Once producers gain practical knowledge and experience, a training is organized to equip them with specialized skills and knowledge. Starting with training and following-up with coaching and mentoring is effective when trainees have some level of experience and have challenges in implementation.

Coaching and mentoring is an integral element of the training cycle. Training events are effective when user needs  and their context of work are adequately assessed. This helps identify opportunities to apply the training, which allows design and application of appropriate learning transfer strategies throughout the training.

Pre-training coaching and mentoring is often necessary to assist trainees assess their work situation, identify their performance challenges and learning needs, develop personal learning goals, evaluate their intention to apply learning and conduct an environmental scan for learning transfer.

Training, coaching and mentoring involves discussions on how trainees relate the learning with their work requirements and exercises on how they can apply their learning. Learning logs and reflection diaries and action plan are key tools in the process. Post-training coaching and mentoring involves problem-solving, goal setting, work plan development and facilitation of support systems to encourage and support trainees to effectively apply trained knowledge and skills in the work environment.

LIVES uses context-specific learning events to transfer knowledge and skills to value chain actors and service providers. Currently, the project is experimenting with adaptive training and coaching approaches and methods. As implementation unfolds and learning progresses, then repeated ideas, concepts and elements will become apparent to build evidence to take LIVES training and coaching approaches and methods to scale.

By Yigzaw Dessalegn and Worku Teka

Priest (Kese) Belete Mola with pumps brought for maintenance in Dembia District (photo credit: ILRI\Yigzaw Dessalegne).

Dembia District of Amhara region has a huge potential for irrigation development. The district is located at the shore of Lake Tana, along several streams and rivers and has a plain topography. Farmers produce vegetables by pumping water from Lake Tana, Megech River and a number of streams.

In support of this effort, the local government arranged access to credit for smallholder farmers there to enable them to buy irrigation pumps. As a result, between 2005 and 2014, 862 pumps were distributed in the district. Because of the economic benefits of irrigated agriculture, many farmers have bought their own pumps, some owning more than one, which they use to move water to distant farmlands through a relay system or rent to other farmers.

But pump break downs are common because of incorrect operation and lack of maintenance. Many farmers are unable to read and understand the pump manuals which are written in English and pump maintenance services were available only at Kola Diba, the district capital where they were offered by a few people and are expensive.

A participant in a platform meeting organized in Dembia by the Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders project (LIVES) project, acknowledged this problem saying ‘the pumps are in the field but service providers are found several kilometers away from the irrigation sites, in town’.

The meeting discussed ways of providing practical training to farmers and service providers on pump operation and maintenance. It also offered training to 13 experts and 59 farmers from Dembia, Gondar Zuria and Lay Armacheho districts in two cycles in December 2013 and July 2014.

Priest (Kese) Belete Mola was one of the farmers in the district who received the training on pump operation and maintenance service. During this training he learned about the different parts of irrigation pumps, proper operation procedures, signs and most common causes of pump failure and assembling and disassembling pumps.

Following the training, he purchased the necessary tools for ETB 660.50 (USD 32) from Gondar town to test his knowledge and skill by disassembling and assembling his own pump. He succeeded on his first attempt and started providing pump maintenance and repair service to farmers in his village, Guramba Michael. Having found about his skills, farmers from neighboring Kebeles now bring to him pumps for repair. Kese Belete says he repaired and maintained 40 pumps in the 2013/14 irrigation season and 87 pumps in the 2014/15 irrigation season. The maintenance and repair service charge ranges from ETB 150 to 200 per pump depending on the type of service he provides and farmers can pay for maintenance service charges in the form of labour if they are short of cash.

He says the use of poor quality oil is the most common cause of pump failure which causes the pump to overheat. Kese Belete provides free advisory services on how to keep the pumps well maintained his customers. Other trainees in the district such as Yirga Atalo, have been inspired by Kese Belete Mola to start providing pump repair and maintenance service in their villages.

Farmers bring their water pump for maintenance to district office of agriculture Gondar zuria (Photo credit:ILRI\Fanos Mekonnen)

Farmers say the availability of repair services at the kebele level has helped them reduce the time needed to access these services, offers alternative payment methods apart from cash and is much cheaper. Farmers can now easily repair their equipment which prevents frequent breakdowns and they get advisory service on effective pump operation.

According to Elfeneshe, a development agent at the Guramba Michael peasant association, the availability of these services has helped many farmers’ whose crops would have failed during drought’.

This story also proves that farmers have the ability to maintain or repair pumps if they are trained practically and are coached/mentored as well. However, inadequate availability of pump spare parts in the capital of the district remains a challenge to this system but LIVES is working, with partners to improve availability of pump spare parts in Dembia.

Dr Amare Hailessilassie showcasing Wetting Front Detector (WFD) to Mr. Taye Tulu, guest of honor and delegate from MoA and Dr. Mitslal Kifleyesus, President of Ecological Products of Ethiopia (ECOPIA) at the Ethio Earth Day Expo (Photo Credit: ILRI\Dessalegn Tadesse)

The second annual Ethio Earth Day was celebrated on June 6 -7, 2015 at the  Tropical Garden in Addis Ababa. It was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and EcoRemedy Publicity and Communications PLC. Mr. Taye Tulu, guest of honor and delegate of H.E. Sileshi Getahun, State Minister, Ministry of Agriculture Ethiopia and Dr. Mitslal Kifleyesus, President of Ecological Products of Ethiopia (ECOPIA) and Chairman of the Ethiopian Earth Day inaugurated the Expo that was organized with the theme green life style.

The Livestock and irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES)/International Water Management Institute (IWMI) took part at the expo. To create awareness and sensitization among the wider public, LIVES/ IWMI displayed and circulated working papers, production manuals and other publications. Furthermore, new technologies that have been introduced to smallholders through LIVES/IWMI have been displayed. Bio-gas technology, solar pump and Wetting Front Detector (WFD) were among the technologies that attracted the attention of visitors mainly of university students and researchers. These technologies will support Ethiopia build a green economy that utilize resources sustainably in line with the country’s green plan and vision, the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) and the national environmental policy.

Participants at the LIVES/IWMI stand at the 2nd Ethio Earth Day Expo , June 6th, 2015 at Tropical Garden

During the expo, the Ethiopian soil campaign 2015 was launched with the theme Healthy Soils for Healthy Life. The campaign will be held throughout the year with a range of activities and events. The campaign is aimed at raising public awareness and collaboration for healthy soils and lives in Ethiopia.

In general, the expo was aimed at bringing the green movement to the public and stress on environmental issues to assure the wellbeing of our planet in general and Ethiopia in particular. More than 50 Private companies, small and medium enterprises, local and international NGOs and governmental offices took part at the expo. These include Ministry of Water Irrigation & Energy (MoWIE), Ethiopia Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Amerf Health Africa in Ethiopia, Rang Solar, EcoGreen, Hope University College, Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) Ethiopia and Eden Field Agri-Seed Enterprise.

LIVES Steering Committee members and LIVES staff members during the 4th PSC meeting at ILRI Campus, Addis Ababa (photo credit: ILRI\Aklilu Bogale).

The 4th meeting of the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders Project (LIVES) Steering Committee was held on 12 June 2015 at the ILRI Campus, Addis Ababa. The meeting was chaired by Siboniso Moyo, program leader for Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity (ASSP) and director general’s representative in Ethiopia. Participants of the meeting included representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) of Canada, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Regional Agricultural Research Institutes (RARIs) and Regional Bureaus of Agriculture (BoAs).

During the meeting, the annual progress of the project in the areas of value chain development, capacity development, knowledge management, promotion, research and documentations at all levels were presented. In addition, committee members discussed the annual work plan and budget for the upcoming fiscal year April 2015 – March16.

The LIVES project manager Azage Tegegne noted the past year was a year of consolidation and expansion as LIVES moves into its third year of implementation. To this effect, there have been a series of revisions to key strategic directions, approaches and interventions. In particular, the Performance Monitoring Framework (PMF) was revised to make project targets more realistic, achievable and easier to monitor. In the upcoming fiscal year, project activities and interventions will be intensified further; and results and lessons learned will be scaled out beyond project areas. In addition, new beneficiaries will be selected and included to reach project targets.

Azage Tegegne (LIVES project panager) explaining about the new milking technology introduced through LIVES (photo credit: ILRI\Aklilu Bogale)

During the meeting which also consisted of plenary sessions, committee members provided productive thoughts and inputs on the way forward. It was stressed that further efforts need to be put in place to strengthen gender balance in capacity development and knowledge management activities of the project. It has also been noted to further align project strategies and interventions with the work plans of the Woredas.

LIVES ultimate outcome is  increased economic well-being for male and female smallholder producers in the regions of Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) through the development of livestock and irrigated value chains .