BACKGROUND
National Level Context
In Ethiopia despite the economic development, food security and poverty alleviation still stand top priority for the GOE. Beside food insecurity, lack of diversified livelihood, population growth and fragmentation of farmlands, low level of agricultural technology and access to financial services are key factors for
under development of the economy in general and agriculturen in particular.
In Ethiopia both for livelihood and overall economic development, agriculture accounts for 84% of the country’s labor force. Especially among the poverty-stricken rural population, the livelihood of most Ethiopians depends on agriculture. This potential goes largely undeveloped . Ethiopian agriculture is incredibly sensitive to shifts in weather. When rainfall is erratic or insufficient for even a few successive rainy seasons, the entire country is prone to falling into famine, where the rural suffers from failure of its only and primary livelihood and the urban
suffer from the supply of food.
WVE NO Livelihood and Resilience Strategic Objective and Approach
WVE has designed a five years strategy (2016-2020) for an integrated development programs. The number one priority ministry objective will be ‘Children thrive in resilient households and communities’. The Livelihood and Resilience (LR) technical approach is prepared to provide guidance to the national office, CPOs and APs in order to translate this strategic priority into actions. In order to make this a reality, the program has identified
4 key areas as follows.
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS AND TARGET
In general Livelihood and resilience components are implemented in 68 districts in 7 national regional state and 1 city administration through Area programs. However, the components of programs may differ depending on the agro-ecology and compelling needs of the community.
PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORKING
Livelihood and resilience programs pursue partnership with research institutions, universities and appropriate technology providers so as to have research based improved productivity. The other key partners are line ministries at federal, regional and Woreda level (MOA, MOEF, Federal cooperative agency ,MOCYW, DRMFSS), private sectors engaged in processing , marketing and distribution.
Agriculture and Food SecurityWorld Vision targets to improved economic, food security and nutritional status of more than 3.5 million households in Ethiopia by mainly focusing on transforming agriculture from its current subsistence orientation into a market oriented production system.
WHY food security
- Ethiopian’s economy is based on agriculture which accounts 47% of the GDP, > 70% of exports and 80% of total employment. But the sector is dominated by low-input and output smallholder subsistence farmers.
- Ethiopia suffers from food insecurity with the average annual food production growth being estimated at 2.4%, lagging behind the population growth rate of 2.8%, which creates a food need gap.
- In Ethiopia, there are over 10 million people on average facing food insecurity every year, of which government estimates consider 8.3 million of these people to be chronically food insecure, while another 2.9 million face transitory food shortage.
- Major causes of food insecurity in Ethiopia include environmental degradation, deforestation, soil erosion, recurrent droughts and population growth.
OBJECTIVE
Improved Economic, Food security and Nutritional status of more than six million households in the targeted operational areas.
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS
- Market oriented agricultural production
- Leveraging agriculture for health and nutrition to ensure effective utilization of food
- Promotion of income generating activities
- Effective utilization of food
- Gardening for improved nutrition and increased income project model
- Strong mobilization of community to ensure their active participation and empowerment
- Identification and development of local potentials (indigenous resources, people and institutions)
- Upscale proven practices and technologies
- Context specific solutions in all respects
- Use of integrated technologies (local based plus exogenous technologies)
- Participation, networking and collaboration
- Policy informing, advocacy and representation
WHAT WE DO
- Market oriented production
- Nutrition focused agriculture
- Economic strengthening activities
- Trainings on agriculture, nutrition, postharvest handling
- Support and work with ‘model farmers’ by introducing new crops, breeds and technologies
- Value chain development, creating access to inputs and market linkage
- Infrastructural development such as market center
- Mobilize and strengthen community based organizations
- Community based natural resource management and soil and water conservation activities
- Development of small scale irrigation schemes, establishment of nurseries
- Introduction and scaling up of improved agricultural practices and technologies
- Interventions targeted to enhance communities knowledge and skill and Influence attitude and behavior
- Implementation of disaster risk reduction and climate change activities
- Support research and extension system on important crops, livestock and technologies
- Support and work with local institutions and private sectors enable to meet the planned objectives.
IMPACT
- Increased vegetable production in particular to onion, cabbage, and potato that brought additional income as well as supplementary dietary intake of fruit and vegetables.
- Increased availability of seed in particular to onion and seed potato for subsequent seasons both for direct beneficiaries and surrounding farmers.
- Additional production and income from fruits, in particular from banana, papaya, mango, and apple
- Increased honey production and productivity (up to 20kg/ beehive/ season compared to the average 12kg of the baseline) that created additional source of income for beneficiary households.
- Increased milk production (up to 8-10 litres as opposed to 1-2 litres of local breeds) creating additional source of protein and income from milk products.
- Increased income from sell of sheep and goats.
- Enhanced knowledge and skill in improved technologies and practices from training and experience sharing visits.
- Increased demand for new technologies resulted from observed benefits.
