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 improved livestock management practices and 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.

During 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 .

Collaborative Action Research Proposal Writting Workshop participants at the ILRI Campus, Addis Ababa (photo credit: ILRI\Aklilu Bogale)

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project conducted a Collaborative Action Research Proposal Writing Workshop from 15-17 June 2015 at the ILRI Campus, Addis Ababa.

Dr. Siboniso Moyo, Program Leader for Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity (ASSP) and Director General’s Representative in Ethiopia officially opened the workshop. Thirty-five researchers from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and Regional Agricultural Research Institutes (RARIs) of Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray regions attended the workshop.

The project’s livestock and irrigation experts presented more than twenty collaborative action research themes, proposed during a consultative meeting with EIAR and RARIs in Adama, Oromia Region. Following the interactive presentations, participants discussed the objective, design and theoretical framework of the respective action research themes.

During the last two days of the workshop, twenty-two proposals were drafted and circulated for further discussion among participants.  The workshop is the basis for the planned multi-locational thematic action research across the four regions with support from LIVES.

Participants at the LIVES stand at the African Post-harvest and Agro-processing Extension Conference and Exhibition at Haile Resorts, Southern Ethiopia (photo Credit :ILRI/ Birhanu Biazin).

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) team recently participated in a conference on innovations in post-harvest handling and agro-processing in Africa.

The African post-harvest and agro-processing extension conference and exhibition took place in Hawassa, southern Ethiopia on 24-26, June 2015. Jointly organized by the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), the Sasakawa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the conference discussed ways of sustaining post-harvest and agro-processing practices to drive agricultural transformation. It was officially opened by Wondirad Mandefro, State Minister, MoA.

At the conference, LIVES displayed and circulated working papers, production manuals and other publications. New technologies that have been introduced to Ethiopian smallholders through LIVES were also on display including an improved feed chopper, a small-scale portable milking machine, an improved fruit harvesting tool and a small-scale incubator. In addition, LIVES interventions to address post-harvest losses along the value chain were presented for discussion among participants.

At the exhibition, smallholder farmers and post-harvest technology manufacturers showcased a range of technologies, while multinationals such as as Bajaj Process Pack Ltd, Shayashone PLC and VESTERGAARD Ltd, displayed storage, post-harvest and processing technologies. More than 120 policymakers, experts, researchers,  agro-processors and other stakeholders from different countries in Africa attended the event.

Written by Berhanu Gebremedhin

Partial view of meeting between LIVES and agricultural research instituted directors in Bahir Dar (photo credit:ILRI/ Zeleke Mekuriaw).

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) team recently met its key partners in Ethiopia to discuss progress in promoting LIVES’ project interventions in the country.

The second joint meeting between LIVES, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and the regional agricultural research institutes (RARIs) of Amhara, Oromia, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) and Tigray regions, discussed ongoing collaborative action research activities between LIVES and the two partners including efforts in promoting LIVES project activities in the national research system.

The directors general of EIAR and the agricultural research institutes from the four regions participated in the meeting, held 15-16 July 2015, at the Amhara Region Agriculture Research Institute (ARARI) in Bahir Dar.

Birru Yitaferu, the director general of the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute and Azage Tegegne, the LIVES project manager, officially opened the meeting.

The directors of the regional research institutes made brief presentations on the facilities and research activities of their respective research institutes. Yigzaw Desalegn and Zeleke Mekuriaw, from the Amhara region LIVES team, explained the overall regional LIVES research for development (R4D) activities in the region including the market-oriented development interventions that the project is promoting and integrating in existing development interventions in these regions.

Berhanu Gebremedhin, LIVES research coordinator, said the project had completed more than 30 research activities in the country and is already working with the national research system in collaborative action research with the national research system.

He noted that since the first meeting with the director, in April 2015, the project had identified more than 25 research topics and had held a proposal writing workshop, in June 2015, in which more than 30 researchers from the national research system participated. Proposals from the workshop are currently being revised and submitted to LIVES. The meeting also discussed the framework for the collaborative action research between the partners.

Director generals of regional agricultural research institutes and LIVES team  visiting an improved irrigated fodder field  site (photo credit:ILRI/ Zeleke Mekuriaw).

Additionally, participants visited field visits of LIVES market-oriented development interventions, where they experienced, first hand, the impacts of LIVES-led or supported interventions such as bio-gas electric generation, modern poultry housing and ration formulation using grinders for dairy improvement, private fruit seedling supply and improved irrigation of fodder.

The directors of the research institutes commended the results of the LIVES interventions and praised the project’s collaborations with various actors in the agriculture sector, which are improving agricultural value chains in the country.

Written by Solomon Gizaw and Beamlak Tesfaye

Hand-operated milking machines introduced by LIVES for rural smallholder farmers (photo credit:ILRI/ Solomon Gizaw).

The recent introduction of simple technologies will help increase the incomes of smallholder farmers, promote food security and safety, and lighten the workload of girls and women living in rural areas.

Yusuf claims that milk production has increased by 1-2 kg per cow on the average after introduction of mats on his farm.

As part of its effort to mechanize smallholder dairy production in Ethiopia, the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project recently introduced hand-operated milking machines and cow mats for use by dairy farmers in the country.

The two technologies will complement previously introduced small- and medium-scale milking machines.

Hand-operated milking machines are most suited to rural areas which are not connected to the electricity grid. The technology will help increase milk production through the gentle, quick and complete removal of milk from the udder, improve milking hygiene and food safety, and ease the labour burden on rural women and girls.

Cow mats help in maintaining barn hygiene, and increase the productivity and well-being of the animals. Small- and medium-scale dairy barns are often poorly designed, particularly the flooring, which makes it difficult to keep them clean. For instance, inappropriate flooring retains urine and manure and creates favourable environment for germs, exposing cows to diseases like mastitis.

Furthermore, rough and hard flooring is known to predispose cows to claw disorders. In conditions where concrete floors are also abrasive, there is excessive wear on the animals’ claws, especially the weight-bearing surface. Excessive wear of the sole can also lead to lesions in the toe and slippery hard concrete floors are a major cause of lameness. Rubber flooring has been proved to reduce cow discomfort, hoof sores and increased milk production.

Yusuf, a member of a dairy cooperative in Gerba village, who uses cow mats as a demonstration farmer (photo Credit:ILRI/ Solomon Gizaw).

Yusuf, a farmer and member of a dairy cooperative in Gerba village of Oromia region, who uses cow mats as part of an trial, attests to the above statement. He claims that milk production has increased by 1-2 kg per cow on the average after introduction of mats on his farm. The demonstration of cow mats has now created a high demand for the technology and LIVES is working to initiate production of cow mats locally in Ethiopia.

Previously, the project had introduced single- and double-bucket electric-powered milking machines, which are suited to peri-urban and urban small- and medium-scale dairy farms that have electricity. The technologies could also be appropriate, if adopted together with biogas-powered electric generators (also introduced by LIVES), for rural smallholder dairy farmers organized in groups or cooperatives. The LIVES project strategy for boosting the use of livestock technologies in Ethiopia includes the identification, procurement, demonstration, supply-focused business development, and local production of appropriate technologies.

 By Solomon Gizaw and Mesfin Tefera

Habil feeding his goats a fodder-based ration consisting of the protein-rich alfalfa and high-energy grasses (photo credit: ILRI\Solomon Gizaw).

The introduction of improved fodder species by the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project is helping smallholder livestock farmers in the country take up livestock fattening to boost their incomes.

In South Wollo zone of Amhara, Habil Abdu operates a specialized goat fattening enterprise in the Gerba rural kebele. Unlike in most fattening operations in the region, he finishes culled does for market. Yet, what makes Habil’s fattening operation exemplary lies in his market-oriented fattening practice. Traditional livestock fattening commonly involves fattening of a single or couple of yearling males or a culled buck using unbalanced fattening rations, with minimal market insight. Planned production using appropriate inputs and targeting niche markets is also uncommon among smallholders.

Habil bought six old does in May 2015, each for about ETB 600 (USD 30). The goats were fed intensively for a period of  three weeks. The well-finished goats were sold on average for ETB 1100 (USD 55) each. He is currently (June 2015) in the second cycle of finishing another seven old does.

Habil’s planned goat fattening operation was motivated by the introduction of intensive fodder production by the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) in Gerba village.

He fed his goats a fodder-based ration consisting of the protein-rich alfalfa and high-energy grasses including Single Grass (Brachiaria Decumbens), Napier and Desho grasses, which he grows in his farm. He also sells fodder and shares forage planting materials freely with neighboring farmers. From his first harvest, Habil sold Napier grass worth ETB 4000-5000 (USD 200-250) and gave fodder planting materials to seven farmers. Habil’s farm is also a good example of smallholder farm intensification.

Smallholder farm intensification requires business orientation and intervention across the value chain. At the production level; larger scale of production, multiple cycles of fattening per year, short economical duration of fattening are key considerations. Efficient delivery of affordable inputs, services and information on niche markets serve as a pull factor for increased productivity and production. The ‘LIVES approach’ includes capacity building of value chain actors including skill training and coaching and mentoring. The project is also introducing new and improved technologies such as improved forage variety and seeds and establishing linkages with inputs/service providers and profitable market outlets.

Written by Gemeda Duguma and Amenti Chali

LIVES’ model farmers, Ijigu Tefera and his wife, removing weeds from grafted avocado seedlings (photo credit: ILRI\Amenti Chali).

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project recently trained farmers in Jimma zone of Oromia region, on grafting and management of improved avocado seedlings.

Ijigu Tefera has grafted and raised more than 1000 improved avocado seedlings. He earned ETB 25,000 (USD 1,250) from the first batch of seedlings he sold.

The training, which was done in collaboration with the Jimma zone and Dedo, Kersa and Seka Chekorsa districts’ irrigation development authorities, targeted nine model farmers, who will then supply these seedlings to smallholder farmers in the region.

Jimma zone is one of the largest avocado producing areas in Oromia. Across Ethopia, more than half a million farmers produce 80,000 tons of avocados every year and many smallholder households in the country depend on avocado farming for their livelihoods.

But most of the avocado trees in the country are low yielding, take long to start fruiting (six-seven years) and grow to more than 20 metres in height making harvesting difficult and increasing post-harvest losses. Shortage of improved avocado seedlings is a major bottleneck to improving avocado production in the country.

Ijigu Tefera, one of the LIVES model farmers in Kersa District in Jimma, took part in the avocado grafting and management training sessions and study tours that also targeted development workers in the region. As part of the exercise, Ijigu and other model farmers were trained and given grafting equipment to graft avocado seedlings that will serve as future high-yielding mother trees for scion production. The improved avocado seedlings not only yield more but also take a shorter time to start bearing fruit (about three years) and are much shorter (five-six metres tall) for easier fruit harvesting.

Following this intervention, Ijigu has grafted and raised more than 1000 improved avocado seedlings. He earned ETB 25,000 (USD 1,250) from the first batch of seedlings (about 500) he sold. He has successfully transplanted 17 grafted seedlings for fruit and scion production and he also own 24 avocado trees grown from seedlings that LIVES provided previously. Currently, Ijigu is collecting avocado seeds to raise root stocks to produce both scion and grafted seedlings and he is also involved in avocado fruit production.

To help scale out the use of these seedlings in the Jimma, LIVES organized a field day for development workers, local administrations and more than 200 farmers from 16 kebeles who visited Ijigu’s farm to learn from his experience.

Written by Yoseph Mekasha 

Mixed herd grazing under extensive production system in Arbegona District of Sidama zone (photo credit:ILRI\Yoseph).

Livestock production remains a major component of the Ethiopian agriculture sector. Mixed crop-livestock farming is the major livestock production system in rural areas of the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project intervention districts (Arbegona, Bona Zuria and Bensa) in the Sidama highlands of southern Ethiopia.

The Livestock-enset (perennial crop) sub-system is dominant in the cool humid areas of Arbegona whereas the livestock-enset-coffee sub-system is dominant in the sub-humid areas of Bona Zuria and Bensa districts. Most rural farmers depend on subsistence farming unlike in urban and peri-urban areas where marketing of dairy products is common.

Transhumance, where livestock producers move with their animals seasonally from one grazing area to the other in search of better forage, is also practised in these districts. This seasonal movement, which is used by producers to respond to feed shortages, takes three routes: within the peasant association (PA), outside the PA within the same district and outside the district (mostly neighbouring districts) within the same zone.  All movements take place within the same agro-climatic zones (sub-humid to cool humid).

Although the grazing duration is not properly regulated according to carrying capacity, the first route resembles rotational grazing. Generally, in rotational grazing, livestock are moved frequently among small pasture enclosures/paddocks using a schedule designed to optimize forage quality, quantity and animal performance. The second and third routes require dislocation of the household head, who has permanent residence elsewhere, along with the livestock.

Unlike the transhumant system practiced in other parts of Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa, livestock producers in the intervention districts have more plots of grazing land in different locations (mostly in sub-humid to cool humid areas). According to a recent assessment, 83% of the households have two or more plots of grazing lands. This is because livestock has high value for producers in Sidama and the size of grazing land is shrinking due to population pressure.

Households in cool humid settings have more plots of grazing land compared to those in warm sub-humid areas. This could be related to the fact that in humid agro-ecology such as in Arbegona District there is high livestock population, and part of the total land is occupied by enset (perennial crop). It suggests that feed supply from a single plot of grazing land is not sufficient for livestock production, and requires additional grazing land elsewhere. However, in sub-humid areas such as Bona Zuria District, the number of livestock is limited. In addition, part of the total land is occupied by annual (e.g. cereals) and perennial (e.g. enset and coffee) crops where the former leaves behind much of the crop residue for livestock feed.

Under a transhumant system, few animals are left behind for the family and most of the livestock moves along the household head. Movement occurs during the time when the available forage declines in quantity, and when the forage in other location is ready for grazing. LIVES intervention districts receive on average 1246-1350mm of rainfall per annum over eight months in a bimodal pattern. This gives livestock keepers the opportunity to make seasonal migration from one area to another within the highland agro-ecological settings.

Transhumance livestock production is extensive, and has little market orientation. Households engaged in the production system own large numbers of indigenous livestock compared to sedentary producers. However, due to increasing population pressure and continuous encroachment of cropping land over time in the highland settings of the intervention districts, the number and size of grazing plots are expected to reduce. This will eventually exert pressure on herd size and the environment. Consistent with this, the number of livestock producers engaged in this form of production has been declining over the years.

To this end, LIVES in collaboration with the Offices of Agriculture demonstrated improved grazing land management techniques and introduced high yielding improved forage species suitable to the respective agro-ecologies to address feed shortage. The knowledge and skill acquired through the interventions will be shared among intervention and domain households including those engaged in transhumance livestock production for possible scaling out.

With contributions from Tesfaye S, Birhanu B, Dirk Hoekstra and Azage Tegegne.

Written by Birhanu Biazin, Tesfaye Dubale, Yoseph Mekasha 

Gobeze Akoye a smallholder grafting mango plants in Arba Minch Zuria District (photo credit: ILRI/Birhanu Biazin).

Better harvesting techniques and post-harvest handling processes introduced by the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project have improved smallholder mango production in the Gamo Gofa zone of southern Ethiopia.

Mango is the second most important fruit crop in the country after banana. The Gamo Gofa zone in southern region is an important mango producing region in Ethiopia and a key supplier of the fruit to the national market. Mango farming is expanding rapidly in the region.

Traditionally, many farmers have relied on shaking mango trees, thrashing the branches and using scissors or hooks to cut the fruits as the main mango harvesting techniques. But these methods damage or bruise both the mature and immature mango fruits.

LIVES introduced mango harvesting tool to more than 50 smallholder  producers in the zone.  It is a metallic fruit picker with nylon box attached to a long wooden pole that enables to reach the fruits.  While the metallic fruit picker could be designed and produced by village workshops, the wooden poles are prepared by the smallholder mango producers themselves.

Smallholder farmers education on the importance of harvesting only mature and healthy mangoes based on fruit maturity indices, such as shape and color, is helping farmers get higher quality fruits that fetch better market prices.

As part of this initiative, the project has also trained, and is working with, extension workers and zonal and district agricultural officers in sensitizing the community to adopt better production techniques such as using improved mango varieties and optimum spacing of mango trees for optimal growth and easier harvesting.

As a long term strategy, LIVES is also leading a farmer-based grafted seedlings supply system to avail improved trees to farmers. The ‘top-working’ technique is being used to produce improved and shorter mango trees that produce uniformly sized fruits of superior quality and are easier (lessen chance of fruit damage) during harvest compared to cross-pollinated cultivars currently used by many farmers.

To ensure farmers increase their incomes and improve mango marketing systems within and outside the zone, the LIVES project has partnered with organizations such as marketing and cooperatives offices  at district and zonal levels, Gamogofa fruits and vegetables cooperatives union and  local traders.

With contributions from Kahsay Berhe

Meeting between LIVES and agricultural research institute directors in Addis Ababa (photo credit:ILRI/Aklilu Bogale).

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project and Ethiopian agricultural research partners have finalized plans for 50 new collaborative action research projects in the country.

The plans and proposals were agreed at the third joint meeting of the LIVES team, the directors general (DGs) of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and Regional Agricultural Research Institutes (RARIs) from Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR and Tigray in Addis Ababa on 17 Sept 2015.

At the meeting, held at the campus of the International Livestock Research Insitute (ILRI) in Ethiopia’s capital, participants agreed on final plans for the action research projects, which include plans for irrigated crops and livestock initiatives presented by Solomon Gizaw, LIVES’ livestock expert and Amare Hailessilassie, a LIVES irrigation expert, respectively.

LIVES and Ethiopian agricultural research partners have finalized plans for 50 new collaborative action research projects. Some of the research project topics are:

• Evaluating the effects of integrated agronomic practices on smallholders Banana productivity and economic performances
• Biological and economical evaluation of alternative dairy rations formulated from locally available feed ingredients
• Participatory evaluation and demonstration of alternative mastitis prevention and control strategies in urban/pre-urban dairy systems
• Evaluating the effects of capacity development and different organizational models on improving motor pumps supply and maintenance services in Ethiopia

In his opening remarks, Azage Tegegne, the LIVES project manager, said the research projects will generate useful information to enhance value chain development for livestock and irrigated crops. He added that the initiative would also aim to mainstream research findings by graduate students’ researches to benefit both the national research system and the collaborative action research projects.

Berhanu Gebremedhin, the LIVES research coordinator, said plans for the new projects started with a first meeting of the group in April 2015, where more than 25 research topics were identified and later narrowed down during a proposal writing workshop in June 2015. The proposals were then shared with LIVES senior technical staff for final review and prioritization. Berhanu expressed his optimism about the collaboration.

At the meeting, Muluhiwot Getachew, the LIVES project coordinator, presented the draft contract and agreements that will be used to develop financial and reporting guidelines. Official agreements with the respective research partners will be concluded later this month.

The LIVES project has allocated ETB 5 million (USD 2.4 million) to the national research partners for the implementation of the action research projects in Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR and Tigray.

Written by Mamusha Lemma and Beamlak Tesfaye

Agriculture and extension service experts at the West Shoa agricultural knowledge centre (photo credit: ILRI\Addisu Abera).

New policies, actors and relationships are increasingly influencing the ways in which information and knowledge is accessed and used in Ethiopia’s agricultural sector. Agricultural experts and development agents are key front line sources of information and knowledge for smallholder farmers.

But access to up-to-date and relevant information remains a key challenge in serving farmers and other users of agricultural extension services.

Information and communication technology (ICT) can, however, facilitate rapid, efficient and cost effective access to agricultural information and knowledge among agricultural experts, development agents and producers.

This post tells the story of a champion agricultural expert who is using the facilities of an agricultural knowledge centre (AKC) in West Shoa zone to promote a learning and sharing culture in the zone’s agricultural development office.

Sarbessa Urgessa leads one of the most active AKCs established under the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project. The West Shoa AKC is located at the zone’s agricultural development office. Sarbessa uses his ICT and interpersonal communication skills to assist the knowledge centre’s users in setting up email accounts, searching for online resources and creating online information folders for basic information management. He also offers advice on basic computer troubleshooting techniques and creates awareness about the purpose and services of the AKC.

The zone’s agricultural development office supports him by informing users about the AKC and encouraging experts to properly utilize the facilities and services. As a result of these efforts, more agricultural experts and other users in West Shoa are now aware of the presence of the AKC and are using the ICT services it provides to expand their knowledge and keep up-to-date with new information on farming practices. ‘We have moved beyond using the social media sites in these centres,’ says Sarbessa.

The West Shoa AKC is now a key service of the zonal agricultural development office, which buys stationery and printing and cleaning materials to ensure smooth running of the centre. Sarbessa has collected more than 40 books to enrich the library services at the AKC, in addition to developing a user friendly data gathering, analysis and reporting system to document and share reports on the use of the AKC services and facilities.

The West Shoa AKC is an example of how ICT facilities can be used to develop experts’ knowledge and skills on agricultural innovations and improve effectiveness of extension services..

Using the knowledge acquired through the knowledge centre, Sarbessa wrote a proposal for the introduction, in West Shoa, of ‘Anchote’ (Coccinia abyssinica) a root crop that is grown in the south and western parts of Ethiopia. The proposal received support from a non-governmental organization, enabling the introduction of Anchote to women farmers in the zone. This initiative is now supported by West Shoa agricultural development office.

His example has inspired colleagues to develop proposals that have led to the introduction of biogas and vermicomposting in the zone. At a recent focus group discussion with AKC users, a female expert said, ‘the AKC has brought access to new knowledge and information which is helping them to deliver on new assignments.’

Due to his exemplary actions, Sarbessa has been invited by the LIVES to train others on best practices in knowledge capturing, processing and sharing. He is also organizing  awareness raising session on how the AKC services can be used by other sectors of government in the zone.

The West Shoa zone AKC experience shows the important role champions play in promoting effective and sustainable use of ICT services. The LIVES project will continue developing the skills of AKC managers and monitoring how these facilities are used across the country.

Siboniso Moyo, program leader, ILRI Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity program and Gebremedhin Woldewahid, LIVES Tigray region coordinator, at the agriculture extension week opening (photo credit: ILRI\Beamlak Tesfaye).

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project is showcasing its value chain development interventions and project outcomes at this week’s (12-16 October 2015) 2nd Africa-wide Agriculture Extension Week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Themed ‘Reinvigorating extension services for market-led agriculture within the context of the Malabo declaration’, the event is organized by the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) in partnership with the Ethiopia Ministry of Agriculture, the African Union Commission’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, the Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education, Ethiopian Society of Rural Development and Agriculture extension and the Swiss Development Cooperation in Ethiopia.

HE Tefera Derbew, minister of agriculture and HE Wondirad Mandefro, state minister, Ministry of Agriculture opened the exhibition and related side events.

The LIVES project and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) projects on FeedSeed, Africa RISING and N2Africa are exhibiting at the event, which is also attended by CGIAR Centres including the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the International Water management Institute (IWMI).

Dirk Hoekstra, LIVES senior project advisor, speaking at the AFAAS workshop (photo credit:ILRI\Beamlak Tesfaye)

Dirk Hoekstra, senior advisor for the LIVES project, spoke about the importance of facilitating access to market information and market linkages, and promoting collective marketing for agricultural transformation in Ethiopia in a presentation on market oriented extension services in Ethiopia. The work was co-written with Azage Tegegne, LIVES project manager and Berhanu Gebremedhin, LIVES research coordinator.

The event, which brings together more than 300 extension practitioners, policymakers, research and development partners, farmers and commodity associations is exploring ways of reinvigorating agricultural extension and facilitating information and knowledge exchange in agricultural extension across Africa and beyond.

AFAAS is a platform for mutual learning and innovation among agricultural extension and advisory service providers in Africa.

Tadele Gobeze at his fruit nursery in Mecha District, Amhara Region (photo credit: ILRI\Yigzaw Dessalegn).

By Yigzaw Dessalegn and Teshome Derso

Tadele Gobeze is a young entrepreneur who is engaged in the supply of fruit seedlings in Mecha District of the Amhara Region. In 2010, he established a fruit nursery with an initial capital of ETB 1,300 (USD 65). The nursery is established on 2000m²  of leased land.

Unlike field crop, fruit crops were recently introduced in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. But the demand for fruit crops has steadily grown due to urbanization. To help supply more fruits to meet this demand, the regional government of Amhara has established a number of public fruit nursery sites and has also encouraged private fruit seedling suppliers.

Tadele said he started the business by producing and retailing budded sweet oranges, non-grafted mango and avocado seedlings, coffee, eucalyptus and other trees. But the price of tree seedlings is lower compared to fruit crop seedlings. Similarly, the price of grafted fruit seedlings is about 3-6 times higher than the price of non-grafted fruit seedlings. Despite this fact, most private and public fruit nursery sites supply non-grafted fruit seedlings mainly because of a lack of skilled fruit grafting personnel and lack of mother trees of improved varieties for scions.

The Livestock and Irrigated Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project identified shortage in the supply of grafted fruit seedling as a major problem in fruit value chain development in Mecha and it moved to establish private seedling suppliers in collaboration with the Mecha District Office of Agriculture.

LIVES is currently supporting Tadele and other private seedling suppliers with practical training on fruit grafting techniques and mentoring services. The project provided 18 grafted seedlings of improved varieties of mango and avocado to establish mother trees in Tadele’s nursery site. He was also provided with 4000 scion twigs of improved mango and avocado varieties for immediate use and the project also introduced scion twig marketing practice to the community. A study tour of the different fruit propagation methods at Melkasa Research Centre and Picolo public fruit nursery site in the district was also recently organized by the project.

In 2014, Tadele  started supplying grafted mango and avocado seedlings besides budded sweet orange seedlings for farmers in his neighbourhood. He supplied 3,600 budded sweet orange, 1,000 grafted mango and 500 grafted avocado seedlings. He sold sweet orange for ETB 30/seedling, mango for ETB 40/seedling and avocado for ETB 35 /seedling, and generated ETB 160,100 (USD 7,600). This year he expanded his grafting activity, and supplied more than 12,000 grafted mango and avocado seedlings. In addition, he  supplies sweet orange, guava, gravelia, gesho, eucalyptus, and coffee seedlings, and expects to earn about ETB 300,000 – 400,000 (USD 15,000 – 16,000). Currently, his capital has reached ETB 300,000 (USD 15,000).

Tadele’s experience depicts the feasibility of grafted fruit seedling supply business to employ educated but jobless rural and urban youths. After observing Tadele’s success, fresh university graduates  got inspired, and started grafted fruit seedling supply. However, access to a reliable market, land, capital, scion and irrigation water remain a challenge. But despite these challenges Tadele`s vision is to expand and modernize his fruit seedling supply business.

By Mamusha Lemma and Gemeda Duguma

Ejigu Tefera managing his grafted avocado trees (photo credit: ILRI\Gemeda Duguma).

To promote value chain thinking and practice in Ethiopia, the Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project is using coaching and mentoring combined with training, demonstration and study tours to facilitate knowledge sharing and skills transfer among actors in the livestock and crop value chains.

The project trains and coaches producers (farmers) to transfer skills and knowledge to other producers in project Peasant Associations (PAs) as well as neighboring PAs within the intervention districts through a spontaneous dissemination process. The project and partners also use discussion circles, informal visits and field days to scale out best practices of intervention households.

Ejigu Tefera is a farmer in Omoticho PA of Kersa District, Jimma zone. He has participated in training sessions and study tours organized by LIVES on vegetable production, business development, motor pump repair and maintenance, grafting techniques and management of grafted seedlings.

Access to improved seeds and planting materials is a major constraint for fruit and vegetable producers in the district, but after Ejigu was trained in grafted avocado seedlings production and management, he planted eight demonstration avocado mother trees provided by LIVES. He also actively experiments with integrated nursery management practices in his farmland.

He produced about 750 grafted avocado seedlings and earned ETB 25,000 (USD 1,200) from selling more than 500 seedlings to relatives, the Kersa Office of Agriculture and other producers in his PA and beyond. Ejigu now coaches other farmers who have bought grafted avocado seedlings, and says there is high demand for grafted fruit tree seedlings, particularly for apple mango trees.

LIVES in collaboration with the Irrigation Development Office of Kersa District held a field day at Ejigu’s farm to promote and create demand for improved fruit and vegetable production practices following which the Kersa District Administration promoted his work in the presence of PA administrations in the district.

The district’s natural resources department of the Office of Agriculture later invited him to train producers and development agents in six farmer training centres, on avocado grafted seedling production and management. He later carried out follow up coaching of the participants. According to Ejigu, coaching after training helps farmers better apply their new knowledge and skills. Ejigu is now a key local resource person who trains and coaches producers and Development Agents (DAs) on seeds, seedling production and grafting techniques.

Saying that he has learnt much from the LIVES project, Ejigu adds that ‘agriculture today is not like in our fathers’ time,’.  He encourages farmers to learn new skills and diversify into fruit and vegetable farming. He has a plan to buy a high-power motor pump and to dig a shallow well to expand his irrigated fodder cultivation of desho, napier grass and alfalfa, for his planned dairy business.

Ejigu’s experience shows that innovative producers can benefit from experimenting with new crops and production practices and support extension services by training and coaching other producers to scale out best practices. The implication is that extension workers should expand their role as knowledge brokers by identifying and supporting innovative producers and facilitating farmer-to-farmer dissemination of improved agricultural practices.

Solomon Gizaw at the Science, Technology and Innovation Award ceremony in Addis Ababa (photo credit: ILRI\LIVES).

Solomon Gizaw, an animal geneticist in the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) Project, has been recognized by the Ethiopian government for his role in animal genetics improvement in the country.

Solomon was recognized his contribution to the design of small ruminant breeding programs for smallholder systems in Ethiopia while working for the Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI) at Debre Birhan, in collaboration with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the University of Natural Resources and Life Science in Vienna.

He also played a key role in inception of the Menz sheep breed improvement program, and the implementation of the community based sheep breeding program, which benefited smallholder farming communities in the country.

Solomon received a gold medal from H E Hailemariam Desalegn, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, at the 6^th Science, Technology and Innovation Award Ceremony held 14 November 2015 at the African Union Conference Centre in Addis Ababa.

Six other Ethiopian research projects also received awards from the Ministry of Science and Technology for their outstanding performance in research and innovation.

By Birhanu Biazin, Amare Haileslassie,Yoseph Mekasha, Tesfaye Dubale and Tesfaye Shewage

Asrat Tessema, a farmer pump repair service provider at Huro Tibiro Kebele of Bensa District in Sidama zone (photo credit: ILRI\Birhanu Biazin).

Interventions by the Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) Project are now enabling Ethiopian farmers better maintain their irrigation water pumps to improve their food production and food security.

Many smallholder farmers in the country rely on water pumps to irrigate their farms to grow food crops. But many of the pumps, which are supplied by the government, non-governmental organizations and private companies, are poorly maintained and break down often.

Lack of appropriate and accessible repair and maintenance services for farmers is a serious problem in many parts of rural Ethiopia.

In some areas, such as in Mirab Abaya District of Gamo Gofa zone, farmers travel up to 80km to find pump repair services, often at private garages. The process is expensive and service is often delayed especially during critical irrigation seasons. In Bensa District in Sidama zone, lack of access to proper repair services has altogether discouraged farmers from acquiring pumps.

But new motor pumps repair and maintenance service providers, supported by LIVES and IWMI, are helping to tackle the problem.

The initiative has trained and coached groups of smallholder farmers and assisted them to establish motor pump repair shops at peasant association (PA) and village levels.  It is also working with commercial service providers such as garages.

In the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNP’s) Regional Bureau of Agriculture, LIVES and IMWI offered skill-based training for private garages owners and smallholder farmers from district capitals and villages, respectively. The training was designed to enable trainees to ascertain major causes of damages of motor water pumps and basic maintenance tools were provided to trainees. LIVES is coaching and mentoring the newly trained service providers to expand their businesses by strengthening linkages, developing new business skills and promoting their businesses in various ways such as putting up signposts.

Asrat Tessema, a farmer engaged in irrigated vegetable farming at Huro Tibiro PA in Bensa District is one of the beneficiaries. He used to travel to Bensa to repair his water pump which was expensive and took up to two weeks and affected his ability to irrigate his farm. After training and coaching by LIVES, he can now carry out basic repair of his and other farmers’ pumps. He has already repaired more than 32 motor pumps for farmers in Bensa and Aroresa districts in three months referring just three pumps to Bensa town for replacement of major parts.

In the Yayke PA of Mirab Abaya District in Gamo Gofa, Yasin Seid, another smallholder vegetable farmer, has also managed to maintain more than 16 motor water pumps from his PA in two months. He has also expanded his business, and supplies fuel and oil at his repair shop.

Ermias Alemayehu, a private garage owner at Mirab Abaya District in Gamo Gofa (photo credit: ILRI\Birhanu Biazin).

Both Asrat and Yasin say most motor water pumps damage results from improper operations, use of adulterated fuel and oil, and lack of timely service such as changing oil and filters. They say farmers prefer to have their pumps repaired by service providers at the village level because they trust them more and because the providers share maintenance information with them. The services are also easily accessible and repairs take a shorter time.Moreover, the village level service providers request a relatively lower maintenance cost as compare to the garages for their labour.

Initiating and strengthening village level service providers has improved local knowledge of water pump management and maintenance. But private service providers are still important. LIVES is reaching out to garage owners like Ermias Alemayehu in Mirab Abaya who was trained and coached by the project team to intensify his motor pump repair and maintenance services and to train farmers through the Office of Agriculture. Ermias now plans to expand his business and supply spare parts and different types of motor pumps at the district level.

LIVES and partners are working to scale up the initiative to avail motor pumps repair services at village and district levels which is critical for small-scale irrigation of smallholder farms.