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Africa RISING in the Ethiopian Highlands

Africa RISING in the Ethiopian Highlands. Peter Thorne International Livestock Research Institute Science Advisory Group – London 17 July, 2014. Timeline. 2011 (October) – The three Africa RISING projects are commissioned by USAID.

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Africa RISING in the Ethiopian Highlands

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  1. Africa RISING in the Ethiopian Highlands Peter Thorne International Livestock Research Institute Science Advisory Group – London 17 July, 2014

  2. Timeline • 2011 (October) – The three Africa RISING projects are commissioned by USAID. • 2012 (February) – Inception meeting of potential CGIAR and national partners held in Addis Ababa. • 2012 (Meher season) – six “quick win” projects implemented. In the meantime there is vigorous discussion of the contents of our overarchingResearch Framework (completed, Autumn 2012). • 2012 (November until October 2013) – Implementation of diagnostic studies (output 1 in the Research Framework). • 2013 (Meher season) – On-farm demonstrations of promising technologies (wheat, potato, faba bean, small scale irrigation). • 2014 (February – April) – Establishment of worede and kebele level innovation platforms and farmer research cluster groups. • 2014 (Meher season) – large scale implementation of on-farm action research based on revolving work plan.

  3. Diagnostic Studies • Participatory Community Analysis. • Sustainable Livelihoods Asset Evaluation. • Formalisation of indigenous agro-ecological knowledge. • Characterisationof and identification of problems and opportunities in key value chains. • Quantitative data collections for ex ante impact assessment (modeling studies). • Some more focused diagnostics, e.g. FEAST for evaluation year-round feed and fodder utilisation.

  4. Diagnostic studies: some key findings • Cropping – trends differ amongst crops and regions. Wheat, lentils and some vegetables increasing with market demand. Barley, enset and potatoes decreasing due to low prices and disease problems. • Livestock – fodder and feed supply are critical constraints to maintaining livestock numbers. • Existing community engagement – generally high levels of GO, NGO and CBO activity but can be patchy and uncoordinated. • Better engagement models (via IPs?) – AR technical innovation supported by capacity development (production, utilization, processing, leadership, marketing, communication skills). • Better engagement models – need to recognize household diversity and capitalize on opportunities for farmer – to – farmer knowledge exchange • Other shortages – appropriate, adaptable varieties, agro-chemicals, veterinary products, available water.

  5. Revolving work plan – key themes • Feed and forage development. • Field crop varietal selection and management. • Integration of high value products into mixed farming systems. • Improved land and water management for sustainability. • Improving the efficiency of mixed farming systems through more effective crop-livestock integration. • Cross-cutting problems and opportunities. • Knowledge management, exchange and capacity development. Formulated during the October 2013 planning meeting by AR core and regional partners

  6. Work plan example (theme 1)

  7. Research protocols • Anchored to research plan themes and activities. • Justification • Research methods • Deliverables (timebound) • Research outcomes • Jointly formulated amongst AR core partners. • Agreed at AR project level. • Protocol budgets consolidated into core partner budgets / contracts. • Review of protocols with AR regional partners. • Kebele level research cluster meetings for farmer engagement. • Validation of farmers selection. • Research implementation. • Monitoring and knowledge exchange (protocol teams, IPs and farmers research Cluster Groups).

  8. ILRI’s Research partners in Ethiopia • Academic institutions: • Wachemo, Mekelle, Madawolabu, DebreBerhan and Hawassa universities; MaichewAgricultural College • Regional research organizations: • Amhara Regional Agricultrural Research Institute, Southern Agricultural Research Institute, Tigray Agricultural Research Institute, OromiaAgricultural Research Institute • Federal research organizations: • Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural Research, Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute • Offices of Agriculture: • Endamekoni(Tigray), BasonaWorena (Amhara), Lemo (SNNRP) and Sinana (Oromia) • Agricultural Transformation Agency

  9. Thank You

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