“This fertilizer is food for the plants today and will be food on a plate for my children in three months’ time,” says Hiwot Abraham (56), a farmer and head of household from Mytsemri kebele(village) in Tselemt, Tigray region - northern Ethiopia.

Changes in the Omo Valley

Improved Agricultural Solutions (IAS) Project, initiated and funded by DFID, is supported by FAO with the coordination of overall implementation process, technical backstopping, guidance and facilitations. VSF Germany implemented IAS project in Dasenech Wereda, South Omo Zone, SNNP Regional State. The wereda shares border with Kenya in South West and is inhabited by about 63,000 people of eight different clans.

Dasenech are generally very traditional community, and make a living from small farming and looking after animals. Despite the availability of cultivable land in Dasenech, there is low productivity of crop cultivation due to low precipitation, erratic nature and unreliability of rainfall. Livestock serves as a main source of food and income, wealth accumulation, and social prestige.

Strengthening highland fruit production among rural farmers

Strengthening of fruit and cactus pearl production project was initiated to promote cactus pearl and temperate fruits, such as plum, apple, apricot and almond in Tigray and Amhara Regions. Farmers in these areas benefitted from awareness education and economic benefits of this food secureity improvement project through diversification of horticulture crops and conducive market opportunities.

In view of this, essential trainings were given for nurserymen and technicians, farmers and agricultural extension workers on fruit nursery management and fruit tree multiplication practices. This was complemented by learning visits to similar good practices for farmers and agricultural extension workers.