Farmers’ Business Schools Turning Farmers into EntrepreneursThe Arsi Zone in Ethiopia is one of the most productive areas of the country, but farmers there could harvest the full potential of their labor and land with better commercialization and market linkages. To address these challenges, FAO is collaborating with the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and the Bureau of Agriculture of Oromiya in implementing the ‘Crop Diversification and Marketing Project’, in the Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. A vital component of this project is the Farmers’ Business Schools, where farmers attend participatory training to learn and develop skills for business management, farm business plan development and records keeping.

On 3 December 2011, the Project graduated 247 farmers who completed a nine month training in these business schools. The latest graduates bring the totla number of farmers who attended and completed the Schools to more than 600. The Farmers’ Business Schools help bridge the gap in farm management and marketing, and equip participants with skills for ‘a business approach’ to farming.

for more on FAO’s Farmers Field Schools, visit: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/011/i0383e/i0383e.pdf

Update Vol. 1 Issue 1 January - March 2012

FAO Representation in Ethiopia

Welcome to “Update”, the quarterly newsletter of FAO Representation in Ethiopia.The FAO Representation in Ethiopia has been operational since 1981, providing technical assistance to the Government of Ethiopia in combating hunger and malnutrition. The agency is consolidating its work in the country, and has recently finalized the “FAO-Ethiopia Country Programming Framework (CPF)”, which it hopes will better align its work towards the nation’s development priorities. The Framework outlines three priority focus areas: productivity and competitiveness, sustainable land management, Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and food/nutrition security.

The CPF represents FAO’s determination to support the Government of Ethiopia in its effort to achieve the national development objectives as outlined in the five year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) as well as the Agriculture Sector Policy and Investment Framework 2010-2020. The Framework is also consistent with objectives of the UN common system as expressed in the current UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2012-2015 for Ethiopia, which we believe will serve as an important source of input for the preparation of the UNDAF Action Plan for Ethiopia. Led by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and FAO, the CPF has been the result of extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders and partners. We hope that the collaboration would even be further strengthened as we look ahead to the mobilization of the resource needed for the implementation of the Framework.

FAO Project in Ethiopia Working to Enhance Smallholders’ Resilience to Climate ChangeEthiopia recently announced its ‘Climate Resilient Green Economy’ which is anchored on ambitions to become a low-carbon middle income economy by 2025. The FAO Representation in Ethiopia is complementing this program through the ‘Strengthening Capacity for Climate Change Adaptation in Land and Water Management with Focus on Sustainable Land Management in Ethiopia’ Project. The Project is being carried out in Wurba watershed (Shoa Robit Woreda) and Halo Jila Watershed (Sebeta Woreda), both of which are located within the Awash Basin . The Project aims to reduce the impact of climate change and variability on smallholders in the two districts through sustainable land management, and contribute to improvement of agricultural productivity, livelihood and ecosystem resilience.

For more information about FAO’s work in Ethiopia visit: http://coin.fao.org/cms/world/ethiopia/Projects.html

Phot

o: ©

FAO

/Ber

hanu

Mul

uneh

Phot

o: ©

FAO

/Fik

re M

ulug

eta

Phot

o: ©

FAO

/Ast

rid R

ande

n

FAO Representation in Ethiopia is collaborating with the Government of Ethiopia and Italian Development Cooperation in the implementation of the ‘Strengthening Fruit and Cactus Pear Production in Tigray and North Wollo’, aiming at promoting crop diversification and horticulture, and ultimately increase the income and improve the livelihood of small holder farmers. As part of this intervention, FAO provided support to improve the capacity of 28 existing Government-run fruit nurseries in Tigray and Amhara. In addition, the project helped propagate various types of tropical fruit seedlings. About 13,200 mango, 6,900 avocado and 860 citrus trees have also been grafted at the fruit nursies, and provided to farmers.

Read/listen to more about this project and its activities at: http://www.fao.org/audiocatalogue/index.jsp?lang=EN

Taskforce Supporting Transform Ethiopia’s DRMIn October 2010, Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture with the support of FAO Representation in Ethiopia re launched the Disaster Risk Management -Agriculture Task Force (DRM-ATF) to mainstream the Government of Ethiopia’s shift from emergency response to disaster risk management in the agriculture and livestock sector.

The DRM-ATF is now organizing monthly members meetings in which Government of Ethiopia (GoE) officials, academics and representative of development partners and civil society organizations working in agriculture sector receive up-dates on various issues relating to the country’s agriculture. With funding from USAID/ OFDA, FAO Representation in Ethiopia is also strengthening Regional taskforces, in particular in Afar and Somali Regional States, as well as in Borena Zone of Oromia Regional State. Plans are also underway for establishing similar taskforces in Amhara and SNNP in the coming months.

Read more about FAO’s emergency work in Ethiopia at: http://www.fao.org/emergencies/country_information/list/africa/ethiopia/en/

CMC Road Next to ILRI P.O.Box 5536 Addis Ababa EthiopiaTel: +251 11 6478888Fax: +251 11 6478800FAO-ET@fao.orgwww.fao.org

FAO Representation in Ethiopia

FAO Representation in Ethiopia in the Media

• “FAOImplementingCropDiversificationProject” The Ethiopian Herald, Saturday 17 December 2011• “AfricaStillFacesUnacceptablelevelofPoverty,Hunger:FAO” The Daily Monitor, Thursday 1 December, 2011• “NationalWorkshopDiscussingImplicationofVolatileFoodPricesOpens” http://www.ena.gov.et/EnglishNews/2011/Dec/07Dec11/155793.htm

FAO Partnership Supports Farmers Diversity into Cash Crop, Horticulture

FAO Finalizes Preparation of Ethiopia Country Programming FrameworkThe FAO Representation in Ethiopia has finalized the preparation of its Country Programming Framework (CPF) for period 2012-2015, developed in consultation with the Government of Ethiopia and development partners. The CPF identifies priority focus areas and aligns FAO’s interventions to the national agriculture sector objectives as outlined in the five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (2010/11–2014/15) and the Agriculture Sector Policy and Investment Framework (2010–2020).

The CPF will focus on two core functions: Agricultural Policy and regulatory Framework; and Information Systems and Knowledge management. The implementation of the core functions will be reflected through the three priority areas: agricultural productivity and competiveness; sustainable natural resource development and management; and improved food and nutrition security.

Get details of the CPF at: ftp://ftp.fao.org/TC/TCA/NMTPF/Country%20NMTPF/Ethiopia/EthiopiaDraftCPF2011-2015_Aug2011.pdf

FAO Representation in Ethiopia wishes to thank the following donors and partners for their support for the initiatives mentioned in this issue:

Produced by:

Phot

o: ©

FAO

/Ast

rid R

ande

n