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 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,  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  ( approximately USD 240,000) to the national research partners for the implementation of the action research projects in Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR and Tigray.

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.

Azage Tegegne, the LIVES project manager, welcoming participants at the LIVES progress report review meeting in Axum (photo credit: ILRI\Aklilu Bogale).

The Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project will, in coming months, organize regional workshops and exhibitions in Amhara, Oromia, Tigray and SNNPR to promote LIVES experiences in value chain development and encourage partners to further scale out these interventions.

This decision follows a meeting of LIVES staff and partners, from the four project implementation regions, that reviewed key project achievements, challenges, and opportunities so far, and their impact on the remainder of the project period.

The meeting reviewed progress from April to September 2015 based on project progress review presentations by LIVES regional coordinators and headquarter staff.

Azage Tegegne, the LIVES project manager, said the project needs to respond to opportunities offered by changes at the federal and regional level  in Ethiopia, to raise the profile of International Livestock Research Institute’s (ILRI) and LIVES contributions to agricultural development in the country.

Some of the major achievements reported at the meeting include increased vegetable production in Jimma zone in Oromia where potato and onion yields have increased to 555 quintals/ha and 267 quintal/ha from 200 quintals/ha and 80 quintals/ha, respectively, following LIVES project interventions.

Other LIVES achievements discussed include introduction and adoption of improved forage crops and new dairy technologies, adoption of young animal fattening practices, improved feeding and housing of livestock and adoption of multi-cycle fattening practices.

LIVES staff members visiting LIVES intervention sites in Laelay Maichew, Tigray region (photo credit: ILRI\Aklilu Bogale).

The meeting was held 19-22 October 2015 in Axum, Tigray. As part of the meeting, LIVES staff visited a number of LIVES value chain development interventions in Laelay Maichew woreda and surrounding areas. They visited Fisum Gebremariam, a model small-scale farmer who is growing fruits with the support of LIVES. Fitsum has established a private nursery and provides smallholders in his area with avocado, mango and orange seedlings. He has also been trained, coached and mentored on grafting and nursery management by the LIVES project.

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.

Practical training session for producers and development agents on fruit grafting techniques at Melkassa Agricultural Research Centre (photo by ILRI)

Market-oriented development is a relatively new strategy in Ethiopia and a lot of work is needed to help transform the country’s agricultural sector. As part of this process, the capacity development pillar of the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project have undertaken to strengthen innovation and the learning capacity of value chain actors and service providers to develop livestock and irrigation agriculture value chains.

Between April 2013 and March 2015, LIVES has trained and coached 17,202 (41% female) producers, 5,729 (78% female) input/service providers, and 717 (67% female) processing and marketing businesses.

The ILRI capacity development brief 7, Capacity development in the LIVES Ethiopia project, examines three aspects of this issue in Ethiopia: training and coaching value chain actors and service providers; LIVES capacity development scaling out strategy; and capacity development of public sector staff.

Using participatory processes to assess knowledge and skills gaps of value chain actors and service providers, LIVES staff identify capacity development interventions. Project staff then design and implement these interventions using a range of strategies, including training, coaching and mentoring, and training coupled with coaching and mentoring. The sequence and combination of learning activities depend on specific situations.

Innovation capacity development is crucial for value chain actors and service providers to gain knowledge and insights into the commercial system in which they engage. It also develops skills to analyse challenges and opportunities, and create market linkages. Between April 2013 and March 2015, LIVES has trained and coached 17,202 (41% female) producers, 5,729 (78% female) input/service providers, and 717 (67% female) processing and marketing businesses.

However, coaching and mentoring cannot be provided to all producers as not all of them adopt a market-orientated approach to production. Therefore, LIVES identified a few market-oriented input and output producers who had the skills, an entrepreneurial mind-set and resources, and showcased them as demonstration households. The project forms extension circles of trained and coached producers designed to facilitate the spontaneous dissemination and scaling out of knowledge and skills within and beyond project districts. In addition, LIVES develops learning materials to support self-learning of market-oriented producers and service providers.

Strengthening research and development partners through graduate training and research is a significant capacity development intervention of the LIVES project. Institutionalization of a value chain development approach within the public sector requires a critical mass of trained individuals who will champion implementation and scaling out. To date LIVES has supported value chain-based graduate training and research of about 200 public sector staff.

Consequently, intervention households have adopted a number of improved livestock and irrigation value chain practices, which has had a strong demonstration effect on other producers. A number of input/service providers—such as grafted seedling producers—have started to provide inputs/services to intervention and domain households. Study tours and training events have enabled public extension services to scale out value chain development interventions within and beyond the project intervention peasant associations and districts.

For more information, see ILRI capacity development brief 7, Capacity development in the LIVES Ethiopia project

External monitoring mission visiting LIVES intervention site in Bona district, SNNP Region ( Photo Credit: ILRI\ Yoseph Mekasha)

The Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project is in a position to support the scaling out of the interventions across the project areas. While not final, this was the immediate perception of the external evaluation team after a five-day visit—between 16 and 21 November 2015—to LIVES sites in Bona, Bensa and Arbegona districts of  Sidama zone in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia.

During a debriefing with the LIVES leadership team in Addis Ababa, the evaluators—Douglas Clements, LIVES External Monitor and Haregewoin Admassu, Gender Advisor for Global Affairs Canada (GAC)—expressed their satisfaction about progress since the first monitoring and evaluation mission. They found evidence of more ownership of the project by local partners. This increased ownership—they said—will contribute to the scaling out of the interventions within the project areas in the future.

During the last three years, the number of LIVES intervention peasant associations—the lowest tier of government—has increased. Presently LIVES has demonstration households for various commodities in 351 peasant associations, and the evaluators have recommended a consolidation of this number in the four regions.

Prior to the visit, the external evaluators held a meeting with the LIVES team in Addis Ababa to discuss approaches on planning, implementation and documentation. The revised performance monitoring framework (PMF) was also discussed. While the PMF indicators remain the same, the project targets have been more clearly defined. In this reporting period, LIVES will conduct a survey on some PMF targets at an intermediate outcome level. This will give the LIVES team and partners clear evidence to determine whether or not they are on track to meet their targets.

Discussion was held on the progress in relation to value chain development, knowledge management, capacity development and agribusiness interventions. This is key given the importance of capacity development and knowledge management in supporting role the adoption and scaling out of commodity value chain development interventions. For instance, coaching and mentoring cannot be provided to all producers. LIVES so far identified 4,291 market-oriented input and output producers who had the skills, an entrepreneurial mind-set and resources, and showcased them as demonstration households. They also develop learning materials to support self-learning of market-oriented producers and service providers. Moreover, a number of input and service providers have been established—such as feed suppliers, fodder seed producers, bee wax producers, and short-cycle fattening and finished cattle marketing groups.

Community-based sheep breeders’ cooperatives, commercial concentrate feed suppliers, vegetable seeds and agrochemical suppliers and improved grazing land were among project intervention sites visited. In addition, zonal and district partner staff were interviewed to gauge ownership and interest in the LIVES project activities.

The external evaluators are expected to finalize their report by the end of December. The report serves as an input for LIVES to make the necessary adjustments to reach its targets, and feedback to GAC.

By Amenti Chali, Berhanu Biazin and Beamlak Tesfaye

Solar pump installation at Malima Bari peasant association of Bora district, East Shoa zone ( Photo Credit: ILRI\ Amenti Chali)

Household-based micro-irrigation systems can encourage smallholder farmers to start  small businesses based on water lifting technologies. In many parts of Africa, smallholder farmers use motor pumps, hand pumps, treadle pumps, rope and washer pumps and pulley systems to irrigate their farms.

In Ethiopia, motor water pumps are used commonly. But they have higher operational costs including for fuel, oil, labour and maintenance.

Solar water lifting pumps are a promising alternative that could lower costs for farmers because they have relatively lower operational costs in addition to contributing fewer carbon emissions and pollution, which makes smallholder farming more resilient to shifting rainfall patterns caused by climate change.

Additionally, pumps powered by solar energy are far more efficient than an equivalent AC powered pump and are cost-effective and reliable for livestock watering, irrigation, and domestic uses. Solar water pumps may be especially useful in small-scale or community-based irrigation as large-scale irrigation requires large volumes of water that require a large solar photovoltaic array.

Although these technologies are available and used across the world, the awareness and skills of Ethiopian smallholder farmers on these technologies is very low.

The Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has commenced the demonstration of solar water pumps with pilot households in Oromia and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ (SNNP) regions.

Solar pump demonstration at Bekele Girisa peasant association of Dugda District, East Shoa zone ( Photo Credit: ILRI\ Amenti Chali).

Four solar water pumps were purchased by the project from India for USD 6,800 each of which discharges 0.5 litres of water per second from shallow wells with a maximum depth of seven metres. One solar water pump has the capacity to fully irrigate vegetables on 0.2 hectares of land.

In early December 2015, the solar water pumps were installed and demonstrated for selected households in Gamo Gofa and East Shoa Zones of the SNNP and Oromia regions respectively. The households, which were selected based on their access to shallow groundwater, interest in adopting the technology and previous experiences in household-based micro-irrigation, were briefed on the proper operation and minor maintenance services of the solar water pumps.

A business model will be developed by the end of the piloting test to demonstrate to policymakers the benefits of wider use of solar water pumps in the country. In addition, the system of irrigation water distribution and application to crops will be tested by using the drip kits and furrow methods.

by Berhanu Gebremedhin, Dereje Legesse and Birhanu Biazin

Germame Garuma, deputy head of the SNNPR Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the ToT workshop (photo credit: ILRI\Yoseph Mekasha).

Scale out of market-oriented extension (MOE) service and value chain development (VCD) approaches in Ethiopia is increasing as a result of training offered by the Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project.

So far, the project has carried out training of trainers (TOT) workshops in four highland regions of Ethiopia. The most recent one took place in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) February 10-15, 2016.

At the closing of the workshop, Germame Garuma, deputy head of the Regional Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said that the training would help transform agricultural production and trade in the region. He said the LIVES training was especially important in efforts to bridge the missing link in the regional extension service.’LIVES is a small project in terms of its financial resources, but its knowledge and capacity contributions to the region are huge,’ he said.

A week after the TOT workshop by LIVES, the regional bureau of agriculture and natural resources organized a four-day TOT workshop (February 22-24) on the subject to scale out the training throughout the region. The workshop was attended by 130 participants (11 female) drawn from the regional office, all zones and districts in the region and was facilitated by staff who participated in the workshop organized by LIVES. Dereje Legesse, LIVES agribusiness expert, gave technical support during the workshop.

The workshop budget was close to half a million Birr and was paid for by the bureau itself.

This case is also evidence that the TOT workshop approach used by LIVES in capacity building is well received by partners and is being adopted and scaled out.

Participants in the ‘second level’ workshop were unequivocal in their determination to scale out the training further and adopt the MOE service and VCD approach in their agricultural extension activities. They also committed to institutionalizing the approaches in their respective bureaus and offices.

Yoseph Mekasha, Tadiwos Zewdie, Tesfaye Shewage, Tesfaye Dubale, Birhanu Biazen and Dirk Hoekstra

Lack of access to commercial concentrate feed supply and inadequate knowledge on the use are among the challenges hindering market-oriented livestock development in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) Region. Concentrate feed is rich in energy, protein, and other nutrients that are required for optimum production and reproduction performance of livestock.

Cognizant of this, the Livestock and Irrigation Value chain for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project and stakeholders in the livestock sector are working on to create access for and improving concentrate feed supply in the region through the introduction of pertinent interventions. 

These interventions were preceded by the establishment, by LIVES, of commodity platforms in project districts. The platforms help the project team and partners understand the existing situation, identify challenges and constraints, and prioritize interventions for implementation through community participation.

The project then trained, coached and mentored selected livestock producers and extension experts on concentrate feed use and organized study tours for experience sharing.

Six concentrate feed suppliers were then initiated in five intervention districts of Gamo Gofa and Sidama Zones.These are  Chebicho concentrate feed retailing, Alemitu livestock feed retailing, Adanech livestock feed retailing, Feker Shemachoch Hulegeb cooperative, Musa livestock feed retailing, and Mulu livestock feed retailing in Bona, Arbegona, Bensa, Arbaminch Zuria and Bonke districts respectively. With the exception of Feker Shemachoch hulegeb cooperative, all the others are owned and operated by individuals. In addition, these enterprises were supported to establish market linkages with commercial concentrate processors and livestock producers.

The owners of the businesses are also livestock producers mainly dairy, poultry and cattle fattening and 60% of these feed businesses are owned and managed by women. The focus is on retailing commercial concentrate feed mix and/or ingredients. Wheat bran and oil seed cakes (such as noug seed and linseed cakes) are the main commercial livestock feed retailed in project districts.

Within the past 18 months three of the businesses (Feker Shemachoch Hulegeb Cooperative, Musa private feed retailer and Alemitu livestock feed retailing) sold 373, 400kg of commercial concentrate feeds  to more than 100 regular customers and other non -regular buyers in and outside their respective districts.

The retailers in Sidama Zone buy concentrate mix from processors in Hawassa city while retailers in Gamo Gofa zone buy from Wolayta Sodo, Debre Zeit and Mojo. However, most retailers (except those in Arbegona and Arbaminch Zuria districts) source agro-industrial by-products (ingredients) from traders in Hawassa and Wolayita Sodo for Sidama and Gamo Gofa zones, respectively.

LIVES has continued providing the necessary support such as coaching and mentoring to strengthen these businesses. The project is also facilitating business-to-business linkage among retailers, processors and livestock producers.

In general, the feed supply businesses are creating and improving farmers’ access to commercial concentrate feed and contributing towards market-oriented livestock development in the intervention districts and beyond. The performance of the businesses is encouraging although much more needs to be done to enhance the demand for concentrate feed use in the region through awareness creation, coaching and mentoring and knowledge sharing events.

A visit to a vegetable farm in Sidama (photo credit:ILRI\Yoseph Mekasha)

A high-level Canadian delegation visited the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) Project sites in Sidama from 9–10 March 2016.

The delegation, which was led by Jim Cornelius, executive director of the Canadian Foodgrain Bank (CFGB), included directors and research scientists from CropLife International, Syngenta, Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, Bayer CropScience, World Renew and CFGB.

Azage Tegegne, the LIVES project manager shared experiences from the project’s approaches and activities and the challenges and opportunities in livestock and irrigated agriculture development in Ethiopia. Yoseph Mekasha of LIVES spoke about commodity value chain development activities and achievements in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR).

A visit to a fruit tree nursery (photo credit:ILRI\Yoseph Mekasha).

They visited dairy, fruit and vegetable farmers in Sidama zone where they heard about the activities and outcomes LIVES interventions among farmers there. They also visited feed and agrochemical input providers, milk processors and marketers, knowledge centres and  held discussions with value chain actors and LIVES partners in the region.

The team also got to see the long-term impacts of the Improving Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian Farmers (IPMS) project, the project that preceded LIVES, in Dale District of Sidama zone.

The visit gave the Canadian visitors a first-hand account of the outcomes of the Canadian government’s support and investment in agricultural development and humanitarian projects in Ethiopia.

By Yoseph Mekasha, Tesfaye Shewage, Dirk Hoekstra and Azage Tegegne

Indigenous smallholder sheep flock grazing at Bensa District (photo credit:ILRI\Yosepf Mekasha).

Sheep rearing is an important part of livestock production in Ethiopia and sheep milk could offer additional nutritional and income benefits for the country’s smallholder farmers.

Currently, sheep production in Ethiopia generates household income through the sale of live animals, provides meat (animal protein) for families, manure for fertilizing cropping land and meets socio-economic needs. Sheep and sheep products are also exported to provide much needed foreign exchange for the country.But, despite its socio-economic  importance, the role of sheep as a source of milk is not well developed in the country.

On the other hand, some areas of the country are, however,  now paying attention to sheep’s role in providing milk. In the Sidama highlands of southern Ethiopia, sheep not only provide meat but are also being used for milk production. According to farmers in the Gonjebe peasant association of Bensa District, sheep milk is being used by the elderly (when mixed with coffee) and by children. Additionally, women, who play a great role in rural milk processing,  regularly add sheep milk to cow milk to improve butter content. Sheep milk contains higher fat (6.9%), protein (3.3%), lactose (5%) and minerals compared to cow and goats milk.

In Bensa, smallholder farmers supplement sheep  with feeds such as Enset chorm and leaf and allowed their lactating animals to graze in the best pastures to ensure they produce more milk. These measures have improved milk yields for suckling lambs and for home consumption.  Although sheep lambing occurs year-round, farmers prefer lambing to occur in April to September when feed is more readily available compared to other times in the year. The frequency of lambing in Bensa area is mostly once per year but may go up to three times per two  years depending on how the animals are managed.

Feedback from the farmers, who were part of a focus group discussion, also showed that in the area, production averages 500ml of milk per day per ewe and milking is performed once a day in the morning. Moreover, a ewe can produce milk for up to 3 months after lambing. Using this information, if we assume that a given smallholder household has 3 lactating ewes, which produce 1 lamb each/year, we would have 3 lactation periods of 3 months each, totaling 9 months (270 days). Considering maximum yield of 0.5 litres/day, the household could produce up to 135 (270 x 0.5) litres of milk per year. Using the current sheep milk price offered in Daye town in  Bensa (ETB 15 (USD 0.6)/litre), these 3 lactating ewes could generate up to ETB 2025 per year from the sale of milk alone.

However, unlike other commodities, sheep milk is not marketed in the area partly because of cultural reasons. Many in the community believe that consuming sheep milk is an indication of impoverishment. Thus, most smallholder sheep producers are reluctant to disclose that they milk sheep though they consume the milk at home.

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project and partners are working to improve sheep productivity and household income through the introduction of improved production techniques. Improved lamb production through oestrus synchronization of ewes with hormones, early pregnancy diagnosis with preg-tone and rebreeding of ewes, improved fodder development and better health service are among the interventions introduced to increase lambing rate, improve milk production and reduce lamb mortality. But further studies can shed light on the potential and socioeconomic importance of sheep milk in the Sidama highlands.

 by Yoseph Mekasha, Tesfaye Shewage, Solomon Gizaw and Azage Tegegne

Twin lambs from bonga rams (Photo Credit:ILRI\Yoseph Mekasha)

Despite being an important component of livestock farming, the productivity of sheep in the Sidama Highlands of southern Ethiopia is generally low and gives minimal income to smallholder farmers. One of the main constraints to sheep farming in this area is the low genetic potential for functional traits of the indigenous animals kept by farmers.

Working with local partners, the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chain for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) Project, is carrying out interventions geared towards improving the genetic potential of indigenous sheep in the region.

Terminal cross-breeding of indigenous sheep with selected Bonga rams is taking place in peri-urban areas of Arbegona district of Sidama zone that have access for markets. In this program, cross-bred males are being sold to the market directly when they reach market age/weight or after value addition through fattening.  This approach is expected to minimize the risk of back crossing and contribute to genetic preservation of indigenous stock.

In  November 2015, improved Bonga rams were introduced to the Muchucho peasant association in Arbegona District from Kefa zone in southwestern Ethiopia which has a similar agro-ecology. The Bonga indigenous rams were selected for their fast growth, large body size and twining by community sheep breeders in Kefa zone.

In the lead up to the breed improvement initiative, a suitable breeding strategy and business model was agreed with producers and extension staff in Muchucho. The project also organized skill-based training on breeding ram management, ram sharing, improved feeding and housing, cooperative marketing and breeding methods.

A sheep ‘terminal cross-breeding group’ was also established in the peasant association. The breeding group has 5 mating sub-groups based on the number of rams where each has 20-25 breeding ewes. Ram managers were selected by the members and hand mating breeding method is used. Each breeding ram is expected to serve for a year and rotate to other villages during the other years to avoid inbreeding (mating of closely related population). As per the decision of the breeders group, ram managers are expected to charge  ETB 3 per mating service to cover primarily medication and feed cost.

The breeders group has developed by-laws on use and management of breeding rams, ram rotation, mating service charge, role and responsibilities of breeders’ group members and ram managers. The LIVES project has coached and mentored this group alongside training offered by the offices of the district cooperative, and livestock and fisheries departments.

Up until the end of May 2016, the number of ewes served by Bonga rams across the 5 mating groups were 135 (on average, about 27 ewes per ram), of which 23 ewes have lambed recently.  Further, out of the total number of ewes delivered, 11 lambed twins, leading to a sum of 34 lambs born from 23 ewes.

Although early, initial results show that the twinning rate (47.8%) observed was higher than the 17% reported for local Arsi-Bale breeds. More lambs are expected from the remaining pregnant ewes in this rainy season and mating with Bonga rams has continued in the area. There is an increasing interest in the program by producers who say that cross-bred lambs grow fast and have larger body frames within four weeks after birth compared to local breeds. Consequently, non-member producers have started using the Bonga rams service at higher price than the amount charged by members. The total number of ewes mated by non-member users is 25.

These initial results are encouraging but the average number of ewes served per ram during the last six months (27 ewes/ram) was low.  This could be attributed to the shortage of fodder supply since breeding has occurred during the dry season. These results show the importance of matching the sheep mating period with fodder availability to improve the efficiency of rams and conception rates. In future, this will be explored through oestrus synchronization with hormones, which is underway through LIVES and its partners.

The LIVES project is also working with partners on community-based sheep and goat selective breeding in Bensa District of Sidama and Mirababaya District of Gamogofa zones.

by Yoseph Mekasha, Tesfaye Dubale, Dirk Hoekstra and Azage Tegegne

Samuel, LIVES supported smallholder farmer, sharing his experience with other neighbouring smallholders (Photo Credit:ILRI\Tesfaye Dubale)

Samuel Alemu household is one of those supported by the Livestock and Irrigation Value chain for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project in Genta Kanchama peasant administration (PA) of Arba Minch Zuria District in Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Samuel was a crop farmer but he occasionally keeps cattle for fattening as a sideline activity. He previously relied on traditional approaches in cattle fattening including long distance movement for grazing in communal areas supplemented by crop residue upon their return.

The animals would take a long time to fatten (up to 8 months) and he targeted to sell them during Easter holidays when demand for beef is high. But this approach limited him to just one fattening cycle in a year. Like most farmers in his community, Samuel relied on the cattle to provide draught animal power for farming after which he fattened them for sale.

A 2014 LIVES study tour to central Ethiopia changed Samuel’s approach to farming after he and other farmers learned they could improve and shorten cattle fattening cycles and sell more animals with a better price.

He used this knowledge to start cattle fattening as a business. He bought 1ha of land with the money he had earned from selling some of his crops (banana) to start the business.

He now has more than 20 cattle that are kept in a modern, well-built (with concrete and wood), and well ventilated barn. His cattle fattening business started with five oxen which he bought using his own money which was the first time he invested in animals instead of cultivation.

Among the practices he now uses in the business is selecting animals for fattening based on market need, using anthelmintics for deworming, stall feeding instead of open grazing,  use of concentrate feeding, improved housing & short cycle multiple fattening. His animals are fed on crop residues, mainly maize stover, from his farm as a basal diet which is supplemented with formulated commercial concentrate for short durations (3-4 months).

Samuel has continued to benefit from the coaching/mentoring service from LIVES and its partners and is now  an active member of district level livestock commodity platform established by LIVES.

In 2015, Samuel fattened 17 cattle in 3 cycles (5 in cycle 1 and 6 in each of the other 2 cycles) and generated gross revenue of ETB 176,250. He bought the animals for fattening at ETB 87, 750 ETB (purchasing price ranges from ETB 4000 to 6800 per head) and incurred costs for feeding concentrate of ETB 8000 ETB and medicine (ETB 500). After accounting for variable costs his gross margin was 80,000 ETB.

The 3 cycles target the major Ethiopian holidays (Easter in April, ‘Meskel’ in September, and Christmas in December) when the demand for beef is high. He now plans to increase the scale of production with the income he is making. According to him, beef has high demand and his being close to the local market in Arba Minch town means he can access the market easily.

Contributing to about 12-18% of the total GDP, 35-49% of agricultural GDP and 23% of export earnings, livestock production is an integral component of agriculture in Ethiopia.

In Gamo Gofa zone, southern Ethiopia, cattle fattening is a major source of livelihoods for many people. But the fattening system is traditional low-input-low-output and producers are not benefiting much from the sector.

This poster, produced for the Tropentag 2016 conference, shares key results of a study that evaluated the challenges and constraints, and cattle fattening innovations introduced through stakeholders participation in the region.

By Solomon Gizaw, Tadesse Gugssa, Yayneshet Tesfay, Dawit Woldemariam and Azage Tegegne

Bovipreg cattle pregnancy test kit (photo credit: LIVES).

Effective early pregnancy detection (PD) technology that can be used by farmers themselves is key in improving dairy cattle reproduction and profitability in Ethiopia.

Delayed cattle pregnancy diagnosis lengthens calving intervals and decreases reproduction performance. Rectal palpation, the most common method of pregnancy checking, is not only intrusive but can also be performed only after 2–5 months into the cow’s gestation period by experienced technicians. The method’s accuracy also varies depending on a technician’s experience.

The introduction, a few years ago, of Hormonost® and Preg-Tone in Ethiopia by the Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project seeks to provide simple and accurate PD kits, compared to existing options. Even though the Hormonost® test is performed by trained professionals using milk samples and requires costly reagents, it has been well received and adopted by the country’s livestock development bureaus.

LIVES has now introduced an instant farmer-friendly PD technology known as Bovipreg® (pictured above). The technology detects pregnancy 18-21 days after insemination and is easily performed by farmers themselves. It uses milk, blood or urine samples.

The use of Bovipreg® was evaluated through action research under field conditions in smallholder dairy farms in Tigray state in 2016. Twenty-three cows were checked for pregnancy using Bovipreg® 21 days post-insemination (ranging from 15 to 25 days). The cows were then palpated rectally for pregnancy 128 days post insemination (ranging from 122 to 133 days). The pregnancy diagnosis results using Bovipreg® and rectal palpation were similar in 82.6% of the tests or the cows checked. Only three cows that were detected to be positive by Bovipreg® were found to be negative after rectal palpation, and two cows that were detected as negative by Bovipreg® were found to be positive after rectal palpation.  The discrepancies found between the results of Bovipreg® and rectal palpation could be due to embryonic mortality between day 21 (date of Bovipreg® test) and day 228 (date of rectal palpation). The technology was highly appreciated by the AI technicians who check pregnancy by rectal palpation.

Two action research activities are underway in Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples states to further evaluate the performance of Bovipreg®. The next step will be to promote the technology with the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and livestock technology businesses to introduce it at larger scale.