Agricultural resilience and dignity

The challenge:

Smallholder farmers in the Wolayta Zone of Ethiopia – approximately 300km south of the capital Addis Ababa – experience repeated cycles of crop failure and hunger. Most years, 50% of the rural population faces temporary food shortages; this increases to 90% in years of extreme drought. In addition, less than 30% of rural households in Ethiopia have adequate sanitation, leading to high rates of diarrheal disease and malnutrition, particularly for young children.

What you’ve made possible:

Because of you, we’re providing smallholder farmers with affordable seed and inputs, and advice on proper crop spacing for maximum yield. We’re providing them with access to affordable manual water pumps, and teaching them about low cost crop storage. We’re producing short videos on agricultural techniques in local languages. And we’re working with small groups of farmers to multiply seed, solving local seed constraints. We’re also establishing and working with local women’s groups, where women learn about saving and financial literacy, and about opportunities to generate income. They also save together and provide loans to one another. For many, it is their first opportunity to access an affordable loan. We’ve also trained toilet slab manufacturers and sales agents, and are selling affordable toilet slabs to poor households, leading to increased safety and dignity.

* The European Union provides funding for this project. Additional funding is provided by individual donors.