BENEFIT-REALISE ODA BULTUM UNIVERSITY CLUSTER

Volume 1, Issue 1 Annual Newsletter December 25,2019 About BENEFIT-REALISE Programme

Realising Sustainable Agricultural Livelihood Security in (REALISE) Inside this issue: programme is the fifth program under the Bilateral Ethiopia Netherlands Ef- fort for Food Income and Trade (BENEFIT) partnership. Financed by the Min- About BENEFIT-REALISE Programme 1 istry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Netherlands, the program is aligned About BENEFIT-REALISE Oda Bultum 1 with the government of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP- PRA and Baseline Findings 2 Phase IV) and aims to strengthen the resilience of chronically food insecure PSNP households. REALISE programme is implemented in partnership be- Practice Pathway 3 tween Wageningen University and Research (WUR), eight university clusters Seed Pathway 5 (Mekelle, Bahir Dar, Woldiya, Haramaya, Oda Bultum, Hawassa, Arsi, and Arba Minch) in Ethiopia, as well as Federal and Regional Agricultural Re- Capacity Building Pathway 6 search Institutes. Monitoring and Evaluation 9

REALISE is designed to take the achievements and lessons from CASCAPE REALISE Guiding Principles and ISSD programmes, which are being implemented in high potential AGP 1) PSNP Principles woredas to PSNP areas. The three year program (2018-2020) has targeted 60 PSNP woredas across four regions; namely , Amhara, Tigray and 2) Resilience SNNPR. The goal of the REALISE program are: Enhancing human, organiza- 3) Climate Smart Principles tional and institutional capacities to adapt, validate and scale best fit prac- 4) Mainstreaming Gender tices to improve the resilience of chronically food insecure households in PSNP woredas. The four Pathways of REALISE programme are practices, 5) Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture seed, capacity building and system innovations. 6) Youth

BENEFIT-REALISE Oda Bultum University

BENEFIT-REALISE Programme is launched in Oda Bultum University cluster since 2018. Oda Bultum is considered as satellite University that is part of the Eastern Oromia Region of the REALISE project. The program has four target woredas (, Doba, Oda Bultum and ) and 16 kebeles in . The target woredas of the clus- ter is considered as scaling woredas. As a result, the cluster has been stick on demonstration and pre-scaling of proven best-fit practices to PSNP beneficiaries. The project has one cluster coordinator and three full-time experts (scaling, socio-economist and agronomist) in OBU Cluster. In addition, University President as institutional advisor, part-time staff from university (one driver and one finance person) and two seconded staffs from zonal PSNP and Chiro National Sorghum Research and Training Centre are supporting the project.

Special points of interest:

 Validation and demonstration of crops and livestock technologies

 Nutrition sensitive agriculture

 Layering and sequencing

 Pre-scaling of crops technology

 Social inclusion

 Inputs distribution

 In-situ training

 Field day

 Workshop

 Extension materials REALISE Project Oda Bultum University Cluster implemen- tation woredas and map in West Hararghe Zone Kebeles REALISE Project Oda Bultum University

In 2018, the project has been con- systems, four best-fit-practices ducting PRA study for bottom-up validated, 30% increase crop pro- planning process. The constraints ductivity through adoption of best- and opportunities identified in rural fit practices and 2 fold increase areas are an input for designing compared to baseline over three research activities for executing on years (2018-2020) under practice PSNP farmer households. Accord- pathway. Under seed pathway, ingly, the cluster has been planned 8,000 farmer household use quality different thirteen activities and seed; 50% increase in crop and PRA women group discussants in Doba woreda categorized under seven thematic varietal diversity and two linkages on three pathways (practice, seed between seed producers and in- and capacity building) in 2019 close food month gaps of PSNP house- puts, services and markets estab- budget year of the project. It has holds to zero for the first tercile or drop lished by end of the project. Under been implemented to achieve the to 2.28 and 3.84 months to the second capacity pathway, 25 staffs of key performance indicators settled and third terciles; increase diversity research, government and non- by the national program manage- dietary score to 5; increase asset hold- governmental organizations are ment unit. The cluster has been ing by 25%, 6,000 farmers adopted capacitated to validate and scale shared from national program to best-fit-practices through extension best fit practices and 4 woreda plans supported.

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Baseline Findings

As a new programme, the project light PRA. A total of 655 partici- agriculture and nutrition in the area. team has identified and docu- pants (309 men, 346 women) in- In addition, scoping study mented long list of PSNP beneficiar- volved in PRA group discussions (stakeholder analysis and secondary ies’ production constraints and op- that consists of men, data collection) was portunities in agriculture and food women, youth and low also conducted to security in the area. A Participatory asset farmers sepa- “If we talk our community strength findings of Rural Appraisals (PRA) study was rately. High price of problems, we can publish a PRA study. Stake- conducted in four woredas and agricultural inputs, holder analysis was eight kebeles namely Habro shortage and low qual- book , youth group of Oda conducted on 14 woreda (Gadisa and Wachu Bedada ity of seeds/inputs, Bultum woreda Obi 17 kebele .” stakeholders in project kebeles as full PRA whereas Oda crop insect pest, un- implementation areas Bultum woreda (Galesa and Obi 17 timely supplied of to identify major influ- kebeles), Chiro woreda (Halawa seeds, droughts/rainfall variability, ential and important stakeholders in Gora and Shola kebeles) and Doba lack of capital to buy inputs, crops agriculture and nutrition towards woreda (Walkitumma Ibsa and To- disease and land shortage were the creation collaboration on implemen- kuma Meta Lencha Kebeles) as major PSNP farmers constraints in tation of activities.

In addition, baseline study was the whole respondents ranges from indicate that majority of PSNP (45%) conducted in one woreda at Habro 2.28- 6.48 months. The and non-PSNP (40%) and two kebeles (Bareda and Garbi actual dietary diversity households bridge food Teka). 150 (110 PSNP and 40 Non- score disaggregated to shortage gaps only for two PSNP respondents) sample house- PSNP and Non-PSNP re- months if hazard occurs holds were randomly selected and spondents were 4.02 and and damages their asset interviewed. Among the respon- 5.28 with an average mean by themselves. Maize, Teff, dents interviewed 79.67 and 20.33 of 4.36 DDS respectively. Data collection through an sorghum and chickpea % of them were male and female The average asset index of interview in Habro woreda were the major seasonal respectively. It was founded that households was 2.12 in the crops produced in the the average food gap months for study area. Survey results study area.

Page 2 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER Practices pathway

Theme 1: Crop and Forage validation and desho grass demo training had been given for farmers respectively. Out of participants before implementation of the activi- Production Improvement 80% were PSNP and 20% non- ties. Field day and field visits were PSNPs, 70% men, 30% of women also conducted to collect feedbacks Under this theme, validation of and 35% of youth farmers of both from farmers and stakeholders on newly released highland sorghum sexes less than 35 years. In-situ sorghum validation. Based on varieties and desho grass dem- stakeholders and farmers feedback, onstration were conducted in Jiru variety were selected over the Doba (Walkituma Ibsa and others based on its yield advan- Walkitumma wajjin kebeles) , tage, head size, seed size, early Habro (Wachu Bedada kebele), maturity, long stalk and resistance Oda Bultum (Obi 17 kebele) and or escaping characteristic of Chiro (Halawa Gora kebele) weather variability and forwarded respectively. Dibaba, Jiru, Adele for further scaling in similar agro- and local variety were used for ecology. sorghum and Areka-Dzf # 590 variety was used for desho grass demonstration. A total of 18 and 40 farmers were en- Highland sorghum performance after harvesting gaged for highland sorghum

Theme 2: Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture

In the area, PRA result indicated demonstrated food (Tokuma Meta Lencha A target women which is beneficiary of that there was lack of availability of type common bean home garden intervention said that kebele) and home diversified food and most children varieties (Nasir, earlier the land was covered by unwanted garden in Habro were exposed to malnutrition in the Dinkinesh and SER weeds even not important for livestock (Bareda and Wachu feed; but this year our field is covered program intervention area. Having 125), Papaya variety Bedada kebeles), Oda this in mind, the cluster had been (Maradol) and other by best performed vegetable and fruit crops which is historical in my life . Bultum (Kara and Obi different vegetable 17 kebeles), Chiro and fruit crop varie- (Halawa Gora kebele) and Doba ties. Common bean demonstration (Walkituma Ibsa and Tokuma Meta were conducted in Doba (Lencha Lencha kebeles). A total of 30 and Wadesa kebele), Chiro (Galma Chafe 220 farmers were addressed by kebele), and Habro (Gadisa kebele); haricot bean and Papaya respec- Papaya in Habro woreda (Bareda ke- tively, whereas 105 (women only) bele), Oda Bultum (Kara kebele), farmers were addressed by home Chiro (Halawa Gora kebele) and Doba garden technologies.

In-situ training has been given for climbing type which allows inter- farmers for all activities before im- cropping advantage under sorghum plementation of the trial on ground field and reduce yield losses during followed by conducting field visits harvesting as not shattering. Fi- and field day. The stakeholders and nally, they suggested for scaling farmers participated on common SER-125 variety to reach further bean field day selected SER 125 end-users in similar agro-ecologies. variety of over the others based on early maturity, high yielder, no lodging, high number of pods per Common bean field status in Habro Woreda plant, disease resistance and not

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 3 Thematic 3: Pre-Scaling of Crop Varieties and Crop Management

The maize, early mature and Striga its were also conducted by WUR resistant sorghum, chickpea and REALISE team, national program haricot bean pre-scaling up activity management unit, university higher conducted for one year in 2019. management unit, cluster team, The improved varieties used in woreda officials, woreda experts maize (BH-661, BH-540 and Mel- and development agents in differ- kassa-4), sorghum (Melkam and ent crop stages on different times. Gubiye), chickpea (Habru) ans hari- Zonal, woreda and kebele field days cot bean (Awash-1 and Awash-2). were also conducted to boost The maize activity was conducted Maize field in Kara kebele of Oda Bultum woreda awareness on maize technology for in Habro (Bareda, Garbi Teka and large communities in the area. Wachu Bedada kebeles), Oda Bul- and Doba (Lencha Wadesa kebele). tum (Obi 17, Kara, Gabiba and It was used an approach of 50-100 Galesa kebeles) and Chiro (Shola farmers per kebele in pre-scaling kebele); sorghum in Habro (Gadisa activity. A total of 1127 farmers kebele), Oda Bultum (Gabiba and were addressed and 138.88ha of Galesa kebeles) and Chiro (Yabdo land were covered by technology. Gojola kebele); chickpea in Habro Both theoretical and practical train- (Bareda, Garbi Teka, Gadisa and ing on each crop full package pro- Wachu Bedada kebeles), Oda Bul- duction were given for farmers at tum (Obi 17 and Kara kebeles) and kebele level by cluster experts and Chiro (Shola kebele) and haricot one Researcher from Mechara Agri- Innovative idea of sorghum inter- bean in Chiro (Galma Chafe kebele) cultural Research Centre. Field vis- cropping with chickpea in Habro woreda.

The performance of variety was activities conducted during field mature in producing two times per different from farmers to farmers monitoring time. Feedback col- year. field due to management and na- lected from farmers indicated early ture aspects. Field monitoring and mature sorghum tech- evaluation was also conducted with nology had been ac- “The elder farmer attend field day collaboration of key stakeholders cepted by farmers due on different periods. Technical sup- to appropriateness for event said that being prolong age port target farmers, field inspec- intensification prac- create a chance for me to know/ Chickpea field per- tion, data collection and progress of tices, striga disease see the three month sorghum formance in Habro activities observation were a major resistance and early which heard from media before” Bareda kebele.

Thematic 4: Social Inclusion

In order to address poor women poultry production package and farmers, the cluster had designed control and prevention of poultry to demonstrate improved breed of disease on November 12, 2019. In poultry. The four woredas and one addition, home garden demonstra- kebele from each selected namely tion was also women specific activ- Habro (Gadisa kebele), Chiro ity. But, 30% of women and 35% (Shola kebele), Oda Bultum (Obi 17 of youth of both sexes less than 35 kebele) and Doba (Tokuma Meta years had been considered in all Lecha kebele). A total of 40 women activities. In addition, women and farmers were selected based youth had been incorporated in all Users disaggregation by gender and age on tech- farmer selection approach. In-situ in-situ training, field day and work- nologies summarized from eleven research activi- training has been organized on shop organized by cluster. ties in 2019 by the cluster.

Page 4 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER Seed Pathway Seed production (Awash-1 and Awash-2 varieties) and OPV maize (Melkassa-2 and Seed is one of an important input that Melkassa-4 varieties) on 75 farm- helps to improve production and pro- ers . 60 were PSNP and 15 non- ductivity of crops in agriculture sector. PSNP farmers out of which 60 men Results of Rapid seed demand assess- and 15 women farmers included. ment, PRA and baseline studies con- Totally, 1056.25kg of seed were ducted in BENEFIT-REALISE project distributed and covered 18.5 hec- districts of Oda Bultum University clus- tares of land for those seed pro- ter indicated that low quality and ducer farmers by the project. shortage of improved seed were the Haricot bean performance major production problems in the study area. To solve the seed prob- lem, BENEFIT-REALISE Program Oda Bultum University cluster has been conducted seed production on farmers group on major crops in three woredas and three kebeles of Oda Bultum (Gabiba), Doba (Lencha Wadesa) and Habro (Bareda). It was conducted on teff Chickpea performance (Kuncho variety), Haricot bean

Inputs distribution

The REALISE Project Oda Bultum Small amount pack of carrot and University Cluster had distributed beetroot seed in gram were also different seed, seedlings, suckers and distributed to women farmers for tillers for target beneficiaries in 2019. home garden technologies demon- A total of 100.52Qt of crop seed dis- stration in the area. tributed for 1274 farmers.

In addition, 106,852 seedlings/ suckers/tillers had been distributed to 325 farmers. Carrot and beetroot users and amount

Seed distributed to farmers

Number of seedlings/tillers/suckers distributed in 2019 by REALISE OBU cluster

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 5 Capacity Building Pathway

target woredas and 16 kebeles on office and OBU REALISE experts. In-situ training different titles. Theoretical and BENEFIT-REALISE Program Oda practical training modes were used Bultum University cluster has or- to increase knowledge and produc- ganized in-situ trainings in its four tion capacity of farmers. A total of 1202 (757 male and 445 female) farmers participated on training out of which 912 (75.87%) were PSNP and 290 (24.13%) were NPSNP beneficiary farmers. Trainings were given by Mechara Agricultural Re- search Centre, Oda Bultum Univer- sity, Zonal livestock development

Training Titles PSNP Users Non-PSNP users Total M<35 F<35 M>35 F>35 T M<35 F<35 M>35 F>35 T Food Type Common Bean 15 3 43 8 69 10 1 11 2 24 93 Highland sorghum 4 6 15 5 30 1 1 7 3 12 42 Papaya Technology 6 3 17 9 35 3 1 8 4 16 51 Fruit and vegetable 1 22 3 28 54 1 1 1 10 13 67 Maize technology 38 23 82 47 190 22 8 29 14 73 263 Chickpea technology 51 28 130 51 260 19 6 23 15 63 323 Haricot bean 13 2 40 6 61 10 1 9 2 22 83 Lowland sorghum 17 22 49 40 128 12 6 12 12 42 170 Poultry technology 1 8 0 23 32 0 4 0 4 8 40 Seed production 5 7 22 4 38 2 1 9 0 12 50 Desho grass 3 1 8 3 15 2 0 3 0 5 20 Total 154 125 409 224 912 82 30 112 66 290 1202

Training of Trainers (TOT) Haramaya University held at Oda Bultum East Oromia region University. After train- OBU REALISE Project organized seed expert and West ing participants raised TOT on quality seed production, Hararghe Zone Agri- issues on seed produc- value addition and marketing. ToT culture and Natural tion in their respective was given for development agents, Resource Office post- local areas, way for- cooperative experts, woreda project harvest management ward and issues to be focal person, SMSs in agricultural expert. A total of 52 improved on future. offices and union seed experts experts participated working in project woredas. Train- on the ToT training ing were given by BENEFIT-ISSD

Workshop

BENEFIT-REALISE Project Oda Bultum representative farmers (50% women) quencing approach was the third University cluster had been organized attended the workshop. The second workshop organized at Oda Bultum a total of three workshops in collabo- workshop was organized at regional University in Chiro town for one day ration with stakeholders in level for annual planning with collabo- (March 30, 2019). A total of 13 differ- 2018/2019. Zonal PRA findings vali- ration of Arsi and Haramaya Universi- ent organizations and 22 participants dation workshop was the first work- ties at Adama town, Oromia region from research, BENEFIT programme, shop conducted for four consecutive for two days (February 18-19, 2019). agricultural office, university, union, days (December 12-15, 2018) with Different participants which included cooperative the participants from Habro, Oda Bul- WUR REALISE team, REALISE Pro- and non- tum, Chiro and Doba woredas. A total gram PMU, federal and regional re- governmental of 120 participants, out of which 4 search institutes and centres, zone organizations Woreda Agriculture and Natural Re- and project woreda agriculture and were at- source Office Head, 28 woreda agri- natural resource offices, project host- tended the cultural office experts, 8 development ing Universities and REALISE experts workshop. agents, 8 health extension workers, 8 from three cluster (OBU, Arsi, Participants on layering and kebele administrators, 8 kebele level Haramaya) Universities participated sequencing workshop food security taskforce head and 56 on the workshop. Layering and Se-

Page 6 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER Field day

OBU BENEFIT-REALISE Project had Field day participants by crop disaggregation non-PSNP users (19men, been organized field days (zonal, 29 women and 148 youth woreda and kebele levels) on differ- less than 35 years) and ent activities for awareness crea- 232 SMSs (212 men and tion and further promotion of best 20 women) were partici- practices jointly with zonal and pated on field days. woreda level stakeholders in 2019.

Different stakeholders which included project PMU partici- pants had been participated on the field days. Accordingly, a total of 1106 participants, out of which 501 PSNP users (246 men, 139 women and 116 Teff field day conducted in Habro woreda Bareda Kabele youth less than 35 years), 373 Maize field day in Oda Bultum woreda Kara Kebele

Field Day Photo Gallery

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 7 Extension materials developed

The extension materials are the SMSs). A total of 1089 brochure materials developed during events papers were distributed on differ- such as in-situ training, ToT, field ent topics for 881 farmers, 58 de- days, workshops and others that velopment agents and 150 subject compiled by cluster and invited ex- matter specialists. Nine (9) ban- perts. The extension materials in- ners were printed and displayed for clude the training manuals, bro- farmers, development agents and chures, working guidelines and subject matter specialists on differ- banners that used on different ent topics at Habro, Doba, Chiro events. The materials were com- and Oda Bultum woredas. piled from REALISE experience, Brochures organized on cluster activities CASCAPE manuals, EIAR manuals and other relevant organizations training manuals were developed materials. Most of the training by different experts for use by 84 manuals and brochures were pre- DAs and 72 SMSs on different top- pared in Afan , ics. The working guidelines have working guideline was organized by been developed on vegetable and English language and whereas ban- fruits crop production at home gar- ners prepared in mixture of three den areas and site and farmers languages (Afan Oromo, Amaharic selection approach. It was distrib- and English). A total of eight uted for 40 users (30 DAs and 10

Different extension materials devel- oped on events towards creating awareness for the communities. At the end of zonal field day, poster was presented for participants to indicate as the programme works on different crops and woredas in West Hararghe zone.

Page 8 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER Monitoring and Evaluation

Oda Bultum University BENE- ject focal person monitor WUR team conducted three FIT-REALISE cluster has been status of activities through times backstopping in OBU following different levels for phone communication, mobile REALISE Cluster in 2019 as monitoring progress of message and e-mail commu- part of monitoring and evalua- planned activities. The project nications with each other and tion of the project activities. used PMU M&E formats and kebele level DAs. NPMU and also developed checklists for monitoring status of activities. The project team conducts field supervisions and field visits alone and jointly with zonal and woreda offices of Agricul- ture and natural resource management heads and experts. Additionally, pro- PMU and Oda Bultum University officials backstopping held in Kara and Walkituma Ibsa ject team and woreda pro- Kebeles farmers field

“The NPMU head office had appreciated the cluster and forwarded feedbacks to change highland sorghum demonstration to validation trial and suggested to focus on data collection of activities”

Vegetables production under irrigation

OBU BENEFIT-REALISE Project identified one irrigation potential kebele from Habro (Bareda) and Doba (Walkituma) woredas in 2018 for supporting smallholder farmers engagement in high value vegeta- ble crops production. Onion and tomato were allocated to Doba woreda where as Habro farmers preferred carrot and head cabbage. 60 farmers (54 men and 6 women) participated on vegetable crops production.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 9

Authors Mr. Asfaw Zewdu: Scaling Expert Email:[email protected] Mobile Phone: +251912877485 Mr. Sultan Usman: BENEFIT-REALISE ODA BULTUM UNIVERSITY Socio-Economics Expert Email:[email protected] Mobile Phone: +251913347620 Mr. Abdela Usmael: Agronomist Expert Address: Email: [email protected] Chiro Town, West Hararghe Zone , Ethiopia Mobile Phone: +251922637367 Mr. Mustefa Abdulkadir: Phone: +251 255 511610 Cluster Coordinator Fax: +251 255 5101606 P.O.BOX: 226, Chiro, Ethiopia Email:[email protected] Website: www.obu.edu.et/benefit-realise Mobile Phone: +2519133446861 Facebook: BENEFITREALISEOBU/? modal=admin_todo_tour