PROJECT REPORT To: Austrian Development Agency NGO Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Zelinkagasse 2, 1010 Vienna E-mail: [email protected] Project progress reports are to be presented by e-mail as contractually agreed. Originals of additional documents can be sent to the NGO Cooperation desk. Final Report1 Contract number: 2679-00/2016 Contract partner in Austria Local project partner Name: Name: CARE Österreich CARE Ethiopia Address: Address: Lange Gasse 30/4, 1080 Vienna, Austria Telephone, e-mail: Telephone, e-mail: +43 1 715 0 715 +251 911 237 582 [email protected] +251911819687 Project officer/contact: Project officer/contact: Stéphanie Bouriel Teyent Taddesse [email protected] [email protected] Worku Abebaw [email protected] Project title: Emergency Seed Support to Smallholder Drought- Affected Farmers in South Gondar Ethiopia Country: Ethiopia Region/place: Amhara /South Gondar Duration from: 29 Feb 2016 to: 30 November 2016 Report as at (date):November 30, 2016 submitted on: March 7, 2017 Invoicing as at (date) in euros Submitted for Total project costs Invoiced to date Outstanding verification as at (date) 430,000 EURO 424,598.14 EURO 424.598,14 EURO 5.401,86 Date, report written by CARE Ethiopia, February 2017 1 Delete as applicable NGO individual projects– version: January 2009 | 1 PROJECT REPORT 1. Brief description of project progress2 (German, max. 1 page) A drought due to the effect of El Niño phenomenon had impacted 10.2 million people in various regions of Ethiopia. South Gonder administrative zone located in Amhara region and comprising seven livelihood zones, was amongst the areas most affected. The Abay Beshilo Livelihood Zone (ABB) is a food insecure area with a very long history of relief assistance where most of the affected woredas are located. Communities residing within the Abay- Beshilo Livelihood zone suffer from chronic food insecurity due to a combination of various factors including erratic rains, small landholdings, highly degraded farmlands, infertile soil, pest infestation, livestock disease and malaria. Coupled with the El Niño induced drought 147,188 people were identified as most affected and food insecure in the four interventions woredas namely Tach Gayint, Lay Gaint, Simada and Ebinate, Woredas. Emergency Seed Support Project was designed to contribute to the livelihood recovery of drought affected small scale farmer households in the four Woredas of South Gonder Zone of Amhara Regional State. Funded by ADC for the period of nine month (29 Feb 2016 to 30 Nov 2016), the project addressed the agricultural input needs of targeted beneficiary households. During the project implementation period, the planned activities were successfully implemented in all project Woredas. These activities included distribution of various agricultural seeds and a capacity building training to women farmers in the four project woredas. As a result, 18,522 households that originally suffered from a shortage of agricultural seeds have benefitted from the distribution of seeds. A total of 347.3 metric tons (MT) of different types of crop seeds (teff, wheat, haricot bean and lentils) had been distributed by CARE. Moreover, CARE trained 191 female farmers on good agronomic practices; organized two stakeholder review meetings (at start and end of the project period); conducted post distribution, pre-harvest and post-harvest assessments. The post distribution monitoring verified that the seed support was delivered to the intended beneficiaries on the right time and that the highest majority of the beneficiaries planted the seed received. This emergency seed response has enabled drought affected small holder farmers to resume their farming activities; their plots would have otherwise been remained fallow for critical seed shortage. In addition, the appropriate and sufficient rainfall and suitable weather condition throughout the growing season was the main reason for better harvest compared to last year. However, there were localized hazards like hailstorm and pests that had impact on the expected yield. As a whole, the project had a remarkably positive impact on improving the livelihoods of the vulnerable households in the project area. Thus, access to agricultural seeds during the critical time was possible through the distribution of different crops by the generous support from ADC. 2 The brief description must be submitted in German. The other parts of the project report and any additions may be written in English. Consultation with the NGO Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid desk is required for documents in other languages. NGO individual projects– version: January 2009 | 2 PROJECT REPORT 2. Project progress by activities Expected results Reason for deviation control measures (as per funding Results achieved / indicators Activities for achieving goal (anticipated / achieved (in the event of application) results) deviations) 1.Availability of sufficient Indicator 1: Activity 1. Selection and targeting of 1. Many factors influenced CARE submitted two quality seeds for targeted • Number of households receiving project beneficiaries the success of crop modification requests to households for self- seeds (target 15,172) production, including the ADA (see reasons in sustaining agricultural 18,522 HH (122% of the plan) were timely availability and the previous column) production during the Achieved result : selected by the Kebele level food suitability of crop seed types which were approved Meher season 2016 18,522 households (122% of the security task force and community and specific varieties. Initially by ADA. This gave assured original plan) received seed representatives. Women were well- the project plan was based on more flexibility to the support to cover 0.25 to 0.5 represented in the selection committee. the needs identified by the local context and in turn hectare of their farm land. zonal office of disaster enabled the project to Activity 2. Procurement of high preparedness and food reach more A total of 347.3 MT metric tons of quality seeds (327.5 metric tons crop security coordination office beneficiaries than crop seeds were distributed and seeds) which were officially originally planned. as a result, a total of 7,079 ha A total of 347.3 MT seeds (124.5MT communicated to CARE. land was cultivated. Without the teff, 58.6 MT wheat, 124.3 MT haricot project support, most of the bean and 39.9 MT lentils) were In this regard, 7 crop types farmland owned by the drought procured from both formal and non- were identified for distribution, affected households would have formal seed sectors. All teff and wheat however subsequent been remained fallow due to the seeds were procured from government assessment and review lack of own seeds available to owned seed enterprise (formal sectors) revealed that the low land cultivate them. and are improved variety seeds. parts of the woreda had the Whereas haricot bean and lentils were highest need and therefore Access to agricultural seeds by bought from local farmer’s cooperative needed only four out of the the drought affected small union and are of local variety seeds. seven crops listed in the farmers was possible in a timely Seed quality test was done and verified proposal. manner and with good quality by the regional bureau agriculture seeds. before distribution. 2. Due to saving in budget it The required type of crop seed varieties was possible to purchase were selected and purchased based on additional seeds against the beneficiaries preference and agro– proposal plan, which ecological adaptation. contributed to meet additional unmet needs for seeds. NGO individual projects – version: January 2009 | 3 PROJECT REPORT Activity 3. Distribution of seeds to targeted households (15,172 households) A total of 347.3 MT crops seeds were distributed among 18,522 households (122% increase). Distribution was made based on the agreed seeding rate for specific crops. Accordingly, 12.5 kg teff, 25 kg haricot bean, 37.5 kg wheat and 20 kg lentil was given to targeted households. A beneficiary household received only one type of seed crop. Seeds were distributed in adequate amounts to cover the land size owned by the targeted households, which was approx. 0.25 - 0.5 hectare. Accordingly, teff seeds were given to cover 0.5 hectare of land and the other three crops seeds were meant to cover 0.25 hectare of land. This was in line with the national emergency seed guideline. Indicator 2: Post distribution monitoring (PDM) Level of satisfaction by Proper follow up and • % of households satisfied with assessments were conducted. targeted beneficiaries was smooth working the quality and quantity of seeds higher than planned as environment with local (target: 80%) CARE conducted post distribution quality seeds were distributed government monitoring assessment survey aimed to on time. counterparts was very Achieved result: ascertain the effectiveness of seed positive, which in turn Majority of respondents (92%) distribution to the intended vulnerable contributed for the answered the seeds given was households and assess the satisfaction timely implementation based on their preference. level of beneficiaries in terms of of the project. targeting, timeliness, quality and About 92% of the beneficiaries quantity of seed provided. expressed that the seeds they received were good or of Post distribution assessment data were excellent quality; collected from 50 HHs living in the three target woredas. Methodologically the Overall, cumulatively more than assessment employed qualitative