Update 2016 selfhelpafrica.org Garmama Village, . Ejigayehu Bekele and Gulilat Habtie,

Supporting farming families so they can send their daughters to school HARVESTS HIT BY THE FAILURE OF SEASONAL RAINS But ‘climate smart’ farming has reduced impact

his year’s humanitarian emergencies in the Horn Tof and elsewhere on the continent bring into sharp perspective the vital importance of our work to the lives of millions of small-scale farmers. Munira Hairedin, Halaba, Ethiopia. Latest reports, indicate that up to 20 million people in Ethiopia, and a further two million in - both countries where we work - will be in need of food aid during 2016 and 2017. This demonstrates that current agricultural production systems in Africa are under BETTER YIELDS MEAN A increasing pressure in the face of changing climate. BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR MUNIRA ‘Climate smart agriculture’ is more than just a buzz word. unira Hairedin is 15, improve his home and his farm, and the eldest of three and invest money in his childrens’ It is a way of working that is being developed - by organisations like children of Hairedin education. M Gorta- - to farm in Mekina, a small-scale farmer in In Ethiopia, it is commonplace for changing climatic conditions. Halaba District, Ethiopia. teenage girls, like Munira, to finish school at primary level. Munira and her two brothers If we are ever to break the Abdisikur and Amrula are all The backing that we receive from attending school. Their father says our many generous supporters cycle of hunger and poverty that they go to school because he makes it possible for us to provide Supporting rural poor households to can now afford the fees. that has blighted the people practical and effective support for cope with climate change hundreds of thousands of farmers of Africa for generations, it is Munira’s story is a clear example like Hairedin Mekina, and as a of the impact that your support result, allows girls like Munira to critical that we respond to this tillage,’ crop rotation, and the that are vulnerable to climate - and our work - is having on the enjoy a full education, and have challenge. distribution of drought tolerant change. lives of rural poor households better chances in the future. across Africa. It often amounts to not much seed varieties. ‘Zero tillage’ encourages farmers to plant If we are ever to break the cycle ‘Thank you’ to everyone who more than applying a combination without ploughing their entire of hunger and poverty that has Hairedin Mekina told us recently supported us, and made our work of best practices, agricultural fields, thus preventing moisture blighted the people of Africa for that since he started working with possible, over the past year. science, and logic to the way that Gorta-Self Help Africa just over small scale farmers work their from evaporating from the soil. generations, it is critical that we two years ago his yields have land. respond to this challenge, and improved, and the amount that he Ultimately, these measures, and address the long term needs for earns from his farm has increased. Gorta-Self Help Africa promotes a host of others, are the key for sustainable food production in this He has more money in his pocket Munira with father Hairedin and millions of rural households who region of the world. Ray Jordan brothers Abdiskikur and Amrula. various ‘climate smart’ farming live, and farm in regions of Africa to spend, and has used it to Chief Executive Officer approaches, including ‘zero

2 3 Alan Kerins (centre) with Irish rugby commentator Michael Corcoran and Olympic runner Sonia O’Sullivan at “Caps to the Summit.”

UPCOMING The Race 2016 Merlin Haslam and attracted 100 Aoife McDonald EVENTS competitors to compete in ‘Strictly Donegal, in March. for Africa.’

from September 24th to October 2nd. communities that we are working with YOUR SUPPORT To take part participants are asked in the country. Participants are asked to The kindness and generosity of to raise €1,800, which will cover all raise €3,000, which will cover all travel supporters too numerous to mention is travel and accommodation costs, and and accommodation costs, and raise what makes it possible for Gorta-Self contribute valuable funds to support our funds for our work into the bargain. Help Africa to carry out our work in work. Africa. RETAIL SUPPORT We are always looking for support and DINING ‘AL DESKO’ Gorta-Self Help Africa has a network of OUR AMAZING for volunteers - so whether you’re a To mark ‘World Food Day 2016’ Gorta- retail charity shops across the country, walker, jogger, cyclist, baker, golfer or Self Help Africa will launch ‘Dining Al and they’re always looking for stock. skydiver - or would like to arrange your Desko’, a unique and fun fundraising own event or make a donation - we’d event that will enable friends and work If you’re doing a spring, summer or colleagues to mark the occasion with autumn clear-out and think that your SUPPORTERS love to hear from you. their own very special ‘al desko’ dining goods might be worth selling-on then n incredible network of raised more than half a million euro to In the months ahead we have a number experience. Resources, including tips, just let us know. Our shops can give generous supporters SIGMAR support our work. We’re delighted to have joined forces of events and activities that might be of recipes and various other guides will be your clothes and other goods a second Acontributed hundreds of in Ireland with the county’s leading interest. There are lots of ways that you issued shortly. If you’d like to find out life, and raise valuable funds to support thousands of euro to support recruitment specialists, Sigmar THE RACE 2016 can get involved - in your club, school, more and get involved, just let us know. our work into the bargain. our efforts to end hunger and Recruitment. Our collaboration will Close to 100 competitors accepted the business or with your friends and family. poverty over the past year. be led by Sigmar’s 100 strong Irish challenge of completing 250km withinin All you need to do is get in touch to find DIARY DATES workforce, and provide us with access 24 hours at this year’s third annual out more. Contact us on (01) 6778880, ETHIOPIAN RUN Why not get prepared for some of the A team of famous rugby legends were to the expertise of a top recruitment endurance challenge ‘The Race,’ held or e-mail: [email protected], we’d It’s Africa’s longest-established and other great events we’ll be running this joined by athletics gold medallist Sonia consultancy, and a great new network in Donegal in early Spring, and raising be happy to chat. largest road race, and has been a year. Amongst these will be our annual O’Sullivan and a host of other sporting of support’. over €30,000. popular fixture on the Gorta-Self Help Christmas Lunch in , our third stars on a ‘Caps to the Summit’ Africa calendar for years. We’re currently annual Galway Ball in late Autumn, and climb of Ireland’s highest mountain, EURO SWEEPSTAKE recruiting for this year’s event, which OTHER EVENTS We’re arranging a fun Euro Sweepstake, an inaugural Christmas Jumper Day Carrauntoohil, last Autumn. The event, GALA BALL invites runners and walkers to join us will be coming your way in the lead up We partnered with a number of great Gorta-Self Help Africa was one of to provide added interest in this which raised tens of thousands of euro, for a week long trip to Africa that will to the festive season in 2016. local charities to stage our inaugural the charitable beneficiaries of this summer’s European Championship was organised by GAA legend Alan take in the well known 10k race in Addis Gala Ball in Shropshire, in March. It was year’s Connemarathon in the West Finals in France, while raising funds for Kerins, who joined Gorta-Self Help Ababa, and include field visits to meet a fantastic first-time event, attracted of Ireland; nearly 250 supporters charity into the bargain. Get involved Africa’s team during 2015. Amongst upwards of 500 people to a completely convened for the third annual ‘Secret in the sweep, along with your friends, the other event highlights of the past to take part in the converted barn venue, and raising over Supper’ in Shrewsbury; dozens of family or work colleagues. Contact number of months were: FRIEND IN FOCUS annual fundraiser. £34,000 for charity. volunteers joined us for our annual [email protected] for charity Climb of Croagh Patrick more information. Galway-woman Siobhan Farragher has For Siobhan the AFRICA ‘STRICTLY’ in May, and we are grateful also to raised tens of thousands of euro to BALL run will be her third ‘Strictly for Africa’ was our take on the friends who once more backed support our work since she first became Our third annual Boston Ball Gala CAMINO WALK fundraiser this year, the popular ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ ‘Broadway for Self Help Africa’, involved, a number of years ago. was held in the Massachusetts city at We’re recruiting participants for our as she also took part contest that’s proven so popular and which was staged in New York in late the end of April, and attracted nearly inaugural walk along the pilgrimage in this year’s Croagh successful over the past few years. We Spring. Siobhan will compete in her fourth Great 400 people. It followed an annual route to Santiago de Compestela in Patrick Climb, and has signed on to walk hosted ‘Strictly for Africa’ in Dublin in Ethiopian Run to support our work this ‘Changemakers Ball’ in New York in Spain’s picturesque north-west. The the Camino Way, in September. A big March, and attracted a full-house for an Autumn, and has also recruited friends November, and between both events week-long expedition will take place ‘thank you’ to Siobhan for her support. event that raised in excess of €60,000.

4 5 DIAGEO Medhanit Getachew Miko, Dirma Village, Oromia, Ethiopia. JOINS IRISH PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA

orta-Self Help Africa has Diageo, through its local subsidiary “Farmers throughout Ethiopia are linked up with global Meta, is supporting the partnership struggling with poor quality seed, which drinks company Diageo by providing participating farmers with results in poor harvests. has been G training, fertiliser, crop insurance and our long-term partner in addressing this in an historic new partnership improved barley seed. problem, and having Diageo join this team that is set to boost the income to help lift incomes for poor smallholder of smallholder farming Diageo is also purchasing significant farmers is what good public-private communities in Ethiopia. quantities of barley seeds from these partnership is all about. The result will farmers, and will distribute their good see improved incomes for these farmers, The agreement sees Gorta-Self Help quality seed to its existing network of achieved in an environmentally and Africa connecting small-scale barley farmer producers - so that they can economically sustainable way”, Gorta-Self farmers with the brewing multi-national, grow the barley that the Meta company Help Africa CEO Ray Jordan said. and thus establishes a secure new needs for its brewing process. market for nearly 4,000 rural poor Diageo’s head of sustainability, David farming families. Croft said that their company hoped “The result will see to source all of its raw ingredients for Under the plan, barley seed is being it’s Ethiopian operations locally, within produced, multiplied and distributed by improved incomes for the next two years. “By sourcing farmers who are working with Gorta- more ingredients locally we are able Self Help Africa. Their efforts will drive these farmers, achieved in to invest and support the growth of an increase in barley production across an environmentally and local economies, contribute to the the region, and provide a reliable source development of those communities, of barley for the brewing company. economically sustainable way.” and support long term sustainable business and growth.” Linking farmers to markets, so they can earn more from their crops

6 7 Supporting Africa’s enterprising women SUNFLOWER POWER or members of the Sunflower Group have adopted a Chalimbana Sunflower range of crop management best FGroup in Eastern , practices, including early planting, the future is bright. weed management and crop spacing. The 22 group members from Lundazi These factors, together with District have not just increased the access to better quality seed, productivity of their small plots, but have contributed to their increased have also more than doubled their yields. earnings from sunflower production since they were organised into a In a region where just 10% of producer group by Gorta-Self Help sunflower growers access seed Women’s rice production group, Africa. Tonte village, Dapaong, . from formal channels, and most farmers either multiply their own The income boost is a direct result of seed or purchase low-grade seed the increase in production alongside from their neighbours, the potential the purchase of a diesel-powered seed Add value - earn more for increased yields from better press that has enabled them to add seed access is considerable. from farm production value to their crop by processing their seed harvest into cooking oil that they RICE LITTLE EARNER Chalimbana Group members say bottle and sell in local markets. that they are paid more than twice With their increased income members Today, thanks to your support, Gorta- A women’s group has been formed that or the women of Tonte the amount for oil than they received of the group have bought bicycles, Self Help Africa has assisted 100 is parboiling and processing the grain A popular supplementary crop that has village in the savannahs previously when they sold raw seed to televisions and telephones, have carried local households to earn a living from into white rice, which earns a premium significant earning potential for rural of Northern Togo, rice has middle-men who in turn sold their crop out improvements to their homes, F growing, processing, marketing and poor farming households across the in the marketplace. The main sales are become an important part of on to processors. invested in livestock, and paid school trading rice across the region. More made in the regional capital Dapaong, region, the members of Chalimbana life. fees for their children. than 90 of the farmers are women. which is 30 miles away, and the home of over 80,000 people. Rice first became commonplace in Villagers are using the additional income the regional when the UN distributed member of the Binyungu Savings and these have grown to adulthood, she they are earning along different stages Other women in Tonte have started emergency rice rations during a series Loans group, supported by Gorta-Self hopes to breed her pigs, and profit by of the rice ‘value-chain’ to buy livestock, a separate business producing and of food crises in the early years of the Help Africa in rural South-West . selling their offspring. improve homes and send children to selling rice seed to others across the WIDOW’S new millennium. Since then the grain school. The evidence is plain to see. region, mini-businesses have sprung has become as popular as maize and The group meet on a regular basis, and For the first time since she lost her up to trade and transport the rice, millet to the local diet. And its become encourage each other to save small husband Justine says that she can plan 60 farming families in Tonte are while elsewhere, women are growing BUSINESS much more than that for the people of amounts, which they collect at their for the future. “Being a single mother producing rice commercially in a low- vegetable in the rice paddies during the Tonte village. meetings. By adding constantly to a is a struggle but I will continue for my lying wetlands area close to the village. hot dry season. BOOSTED communal pool of money, individual children. It will be okay.” group members are now able to gandan farmer Justine take out small loans on a revolving process it into white, and sell the it for Tumwesigye has had a basis, from the fund that has been FARMER IN FOCUS accumulated. more than double the buying price,” tough few years. With the she explains. U death of her husband she was 38-year-old Sanwogou Lalle is a Having shown themselves to be mother of five. She says that she never left alone to feed four children. Adding that she uses the extra income committed savers; Justine and her attended school. But she believes from her work with the women’s group fellow group members became eligible that her own children will get a better Owning only a small one-acre plot, to pay school fees for her older kids. to access a Gorta-Self Help Africa chance. it has been a challenge at times for ‘booster fund’ - an initiative that ‘tops Justine to keep her family fed. She up’ the pool of money saved, to explains: ‘We would like to have food Sanwogu is a member of one the “My four older children are enabled members to access larger, women’s group in Tonte supported by to eat three times a day, but that isn’t more impactful loans. Gorta-Self Help Africa who process all now at school, and my son always possible. We eat when we can; and sell rice. sometimes that means eating the same In 2015 Justine borrowed 300,000 wants to be a doctor when he thing once or twice, day after day.’ Ugandan shillings (just €90) from the Savings & Loans - “We can buy a bag of brown rice, fund, and bought four piglets. Once grows up.” Justine was encouraged to become a Supporting enterprise

8 9 Creating opportunities for Africa’s rural youth IMPACT IN NUMBERS The support that YOU provide to Gorta-Self Help Africa is having a real impact on the lives to rural poor households across sub-Saharan Africa. Here are a few examples of the effect that your backing is having:

SEED PINEAPPLE DAIRY POULTRY Across sub-Saharan Africa 3,000 pineapple farmers in There’s been an unexpected 144 community-based improved access to quality Uganda are being supported dividend for dairy farmers in poultry vaccinators in seed is essential to improving to ‘go organic’, so that ’s Rift Valley, following Uganda are at the forefront yields and bringing an end they will earn more from the establishment of a local in a fight to eradicate the to hunger. The household the sale of their fruit to a dairy plant in Keringet. While deadly Newcastle disease incomes of more than 2,000 local processor. With more the plant is currently buying affecting bird flocks in the smallholder farmers in the productive and greener raw milk from 1,200 local country. More than 300,000 Oromia region of Ethiopia farming practices the farmers farmers, the wider market birds were inoculated last increased by over 50% last will be paid up to double the price being paid has also year. The enterprise is a win- year, as a result of improved 25-40 cent that they receive increased – meaning that win, as the poultry virus is seed increasing the yields of at present for a piece of fruit. close to 10,000 dairy herders being stamped out, while barley and other cereals. It all Pineapple plants give fruit are being paid more for their vaccinators are earning begins with a seed. twice a year. milk. supplementary income.

Mohamad Saidou, son of Kongo Saidou, from Ziniare village, . He has built a home in his village with money earned from growing FUTURE OF FOOD and selling vegetables.

Africa’s land is the key to ending hunger and poverty - NEEDS YOUTH OF AFRICA permanently. Most farm land in Africa can grow much more, and farmers simply need advice and support to unlock this potential. By remembering Gorta-Self Help Africa in your will, New projects that support young farm population as one of the major involved in the future of food production you can help to make the world a better place for Africa’s people in Africa to become involved challenges to ending hunger in the in Africa. poorest people. in farm activities are vital to the region. The head of a leading farmers work of Gorta-Self Help Africa in association in Malawi, Dyborn Chibonga Legacies help us to expand our work the years ahead. says that the average age of farmers in A modest sum that is left to Gorta-Self Help Africa will allow his country is 65 years, while in Kenya us to invest more in the tens of millions of farming families who are the future of Africa. A small sum left to us in your will 40% of the population in sub-Saharan the average age is 60. allows us to replicate again and again some of the stories of Africa is aged under 15, while the progress and success that you can read about in this review. average age in the region is just 19 “We cannot improve farming and meet years. the challenge of producing enough food A SMALL LEGACY CAN MAKE for a growing population unless we A BIG DIFFERENCE IN AFRICA What to do next The vast majority of farmers are involve young people,” says Gorta-Self Legacies have helped us to achieve incredible things in the If you could do one thing to make the world a better place, significantly older however, as young Help Africa Director in Malawi, Amos past. Yours will too. Speak to your solicitor and get his advice what would it be? Would you help to feed people, not just for people leave their communities in Zaindi. on making a provision in favour of Gorta-Self Help Africa in today, but for tomorrow? your will. Alternatively call our offices and we will assist you search of opportunity elsewhere. This further. A bequest to Gorta-Self Help Africa is also exempt happens for various reasons - limited Gorta-Self Help Africa’s newly launched For too long, people in Africa have been dying for want of from Inheritance Tax. access to land, a negative view of five-year plan puts rural youth at the enough to eat. farming, and an absence of jobs centre of new programmes, with agri- Find out more included. enterprise, horticulture, beekeeping, For too long, they have been unable to earn enough to To find out more contact us at our offices in Ireland protect their children from diseases that do not need to kill. artisan skills and farm training 01 677 8880 and speak to one of our advisors. We will be For too long, they have struggled while the rest of the world Leading African farmer representatives programmes all identified as methods has prospered. happy to send you our legacy information pack. have identified the continent’s ageing of supporting young people to become

10 11 FOR FARMING AFRICA’S FUTURE

Gorta-Self Help Africa is a signatory to the Dochas NGO code of conduct on the responsible use of images and messages.

Kingsbridge House, Cover: Sambiani Telate, leader of the Tigba Kidi Women’s 17-22 Parkgate Street, Group, Togo. Back: Timothy and Christine Mtonga with Dublin 8. grandchildren Memory, Agnes, Diless and baby Issac, Tel +353 (0) 1677 8880 Chiwayu Village, Zambia.