Africa

Ethiopia

• Low Input Sustainable Agriculture in the Rift Valley
• Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development

Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development

Project purpose: The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity of the Awassa College of Agriculture of Debub University to conduct agricultural research and deliver training that will lead to sustainable food security in rural Ethiopia.

Key results to date: The curricula for 10 new specializations in the MSc program in animal and plant sciences at Hawassa University have been developed and are fully operational. To date, four Ethiopian professors have upgraded their teaching and research skills and one female faculty member obtained a fellowship to upgrade her skills in extension methodologies in Canada. Twelve students have graduated from the MSc program. From the students' theses, nine fact sheets have been produced on sustainable agricultural production systems, livestock management, crop production and soil conservation. Some 200 farmers participated in field days, learning methods that are safer for the environment. Project partners held workshops with local extension specialists in the Sodo region and trained 26 specialists in extension methodologies. A baseline survey has been completed to evaluate the socio-economic impacts of the project activities on the lives of people within the watersheds in Wolayta. The findings of the survey will serve to identify future research projects for students.

Low Input Sustainable Agriculture in the Rift Valley

Project purpose: The project aimed at increasing Ethiopia's capacity to better manage its soil resources by allowing farmers to grow crops sufficient for their own needs and to increase their income level.

Key results to date: A local network supporting a geographic information system (GIS) software was successfully established at the National Soil Research Centre to enable the three Ethiopian institutions to share knowledge on research and development for innovative and environmentally sustainable technologies; 22 Ethiopians, including four women, were trained in HTML, ion exchange technology and GIS; four Ethiopian students (one female) received MSc training; laboratories and libraries were upgraded; the curriculum for animal sciences and crop production for Awassa College of Agriculture's new postgraduate program has been jointly reviewed; research was initiated to test soil management and agronomic practices; experiments were conducted on farmers' fields at two locations; and a special credit course was developed for Canadian students as part of the study-abroad program of the College of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan.