Government of Ethiopia Embarks on Building the Pillars for Massive Adoption of Conservation Agriculture

Hon Dr. Kaba Urgessa State Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resource and Food Security, made the key pronunciations on the Ethiopian Government’s commitment to upscale Conservation Agriculture (CA) in the country in partnership with, amongst others, the NORAD supported Sustainable Land Management program when opening the stakeholders’ workshop in Hawassa Ethiopia. Dr Urgessa highlighted the need to feed the growing population while reclaiming degraded lands and maintaining the ecosystem. He also emphasized the efforts done so far to incorporate CA within the agricultural extension system.

The workshop was attended by over 50 participants from the government, development partners, researchers, academia, civil society organizations and the private sector. Notable were: experts from MoA such as the Soil Fertility Improvement Directorate, national Sustainable Land Management (SLM) team, Regional SLM coordinators from Oromia, SNNPR, Amhara, Tigray, Gambela and Benishangul Gumuz Regions. Others were development partners (NORAD, GIZ and FAO), researchers (Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute and CIMMYT), the academia (Haramaya University, Hawassa University, Norwegian University of Life Sciences), Private Sector (Aybar and Amio Engineering), civil society organizations [(African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT), Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB), Terpeza Development Association (TDA), and Food for the Hungry (FH-Ethiopia)].

The workshop was organized by the Sustainable Land Management Programme (SLMP) of Ministry of Agriculture, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Norwegian Embassy in Ethiopia. It was held in Hawassa Ethiopia from 27 to 29 February 2020.

The objective of the workshop was to bring together key CA experts, researchers, decision makers, and other stakeholders outside and within the country to interact, analyze and share experiences and lessons learned on adaptation, adoption and scaling up of CA principles and practices in Ethiopia. Representatives from the Norergian Embassy and the World Bank, Fikirte Regassa and Sisay Nune Hailemariam, respectively provided welcoming remarks.

Following the welcoming and opening remarks, Dr Kindie Tesfaye from CIMMYT presented policy synthesis on existing evidence around CA and potential recommendation domains for increased adoption of the technology in the country. Professor Jens B. Aune from Life Science University presented a desk review on the prospects of CA in Ethiopia, Frew Beriso from CFGB presented CA experiences in Ethiopia, and Saidi Mkomwa from African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) presented CA experiences and upscaling initiatives for Africa and ACT’s experiences.

ACT donated a tractor mounted chisel plough (ripper) to support the CA knowledge sharing process through demonstrations and road shows. The use and adjustment of the ripper, was explained to the workshop participants during a session of the workshop break. Additionally, Hawassa University demonstrated a hand planter and requested the private sectors to multiply the equipment by taking the prototype for local fabrication.

Demonstration of the ripper by Saidi Mkomwa of ACT (on the right of the left and right photos, facing camera), and a planter by Andargachew Gedebo of Hawassa University (middle of right photo on top of lorry). On the left of the left photo facing Camera is the NORAD Senior Technical Advisor, Mr Odd Eirik Arnesen

Following the plenary presentations, group reflections and discussions guided by a SWOT analysis were held targeting CA upscaling with engagement of sectors such as research, development partners, civil society, private sector and policy makers.

In the second day, field visits to Wolaita Soddo, a CFGB financed pilot site implemented by TDA-Terbeza Development Association was held. Visits were made to two sites from low land and mid-highland areas. The Policy and Strategy Adviser of ACT shared field trip observations, key findings, lessons and issues for the large audience. Detailed observations from the two sites are found in this link. Conservation Agriculture Hawassa Workshop

Finally, the workshop organizer, SLM national coordinator, Ato Habtamu Hailu, requested stakeholders to state areas of partnership and intervention to support SLM programme CA/CSA in their current and future programming. ACT promised to provide quality assurance and systemic capacity building in mechanized CA and institutional capacity building for increased adoption of CA in the SLM programme implementation plan.