Federal democratic republic of ethiopia ministry of agriculture
Sub component 1.1 : Institutional Strengthening and Development
Download 0.99 Mb.
|
- Navigate this page:
- 1.1.1Establishing and Strengthening Agriculture Development Partners Linkage Advisory Councils (ADPLACs)
- 1.1.2Support to Agricultural Extension Service
- 1.1.2.1Rehabilitating and equipping Farmer Training Centers (FTCs)
- 1.1.2.2Demonstration of Improved Agricultural Technologies
- 1.1.2.3Capacity Development of extension services
- 1.1.3Support to Animal Production and Animal Health Services
- 1.1.3.1Establishment/strengthening animal production services
- 1.1.3.2Establishment/strengthening animal health services
- 1.1.3.3Capacity Development
- 1.1.4Crop Production and Plant Health Services
- 1.1.4.1Promotion of crop productivity enhancing technologies
- 1.1.4.2Strengthening Plant Health Services
- 1.1.4.3Capacity Development for crop production and plant health services
- 1.1.5Support to Natural Resources and Soil Fertility Management Services
- 1.1.5.1Local Level Participatory Land Use Planning
- 1.1.5.2Support Productivity Enhancing Interventions of community Watershed
- 1.1.5.3Support to Soil Fertility Management Services
- 1.1.5.4Capacity Development for Natural Resource and Soil Fertility Management
- 1.1.5.5Strengthening Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization Services
Sub component 1.1 : Institutional Strengthening and DevelopmentFor effective agricultural transformation, there is a need to have efficient extension service delivery as well as well-built institutions that provide agricultural support services. Such services are imperative for promotion of yield increasing technologies as well as providing services for ensuring plant and animal health’s. Poor crop and animal management practices and inadequate extension support services as well as soil fertility decline and natural resource degradation are among the major factors contributing to agricultural productivity decline. Besides, linkage among actors is vital for effective and efficient technology promotion and to provide adequate support services to the smallholder. The objective of this sub-component is to improve public agricultural delivery services to make more effective, efficient and demand-driven. Activities under this sub-component are thematically discussed in the following sections. 1.1.1Establishing and Strengthening Agriculture Development Partners Linkage Advisory Councils (ADPLACs)The lack of a close working relationship between national agricultural research and extension organizations, and with different categories of actors, is one of the most difficult institutional problems confronting agricultural transformation in Ethiopia. To solve the linkage problem ADPLAC was established to ensure the collaboration among all agricultural development actors. The purposes of the ADPLAC are to identify problems and set research and development agenda, assign tasks to pertinent partners to solve research and extension problems and administrative matters constraining agricultural development and to involve partners in scaling up of best practices as well as to link agricultural products with market, agro processing industries and consumers. It is also a forum for exchange of information and feedback gathering on the performance of released and adopted technologies so as to improve further technology generation process and market linkage. In AGP I, ADPLACs have been strengthened and established at various administrative levels of the country. The linkages have been playing significant role in enhancing rural development and in transforming smallholder agriculture. This program is therefore to build on lessons and experiences of AGP I. Accordingly;
Vertical and horizontal linkages among ADPLAC stakeholders enable to create efficient, effective and synergistic linkages and partnerships to improve the services given to smallholder farmers and value chain actors. It helps to exchange information, share lessons, and identify opportunities for providing services to each other and innovating on how to provide advisory services in their domains of work. Horizontal integration of the ADPLAC will be ensured through regular meetings conducted at each level to discuss on set agenda and to promote dialogue, learning, decision making and collective action, to develop partnerships and strengthen relationships among the actors. Representatives of the relevant institutions will attend the meeting on regular basis. Vertical linkage is ensured through participation on regular meetings by representatives of heads of agricultural offices and bureaus. Information and communication is in two ways that is from federal to kebele level ADPLACs and the vice versa. The vertical and horizontal linkage of ADPLAC at all levels is schematically indicated in the following figure. Federal ADPLAC Regional ADPLAC Zonal ADPLAC Woreda ADPLAC Kebele ADPLAC Members
Members Members
Members Members
Problems and challenges Federal level organizations plus regional agricultural bureau heads Regional level organizations plus zonal agricultural office heads Zonal level organizations plus woreda agricultural office heads Woreda level organizations plus kebele chairperson Kebele level organizations Implementation of decisions Figure : Vertical and horizontal linkage of ADPLACs 1.1.2Support to Agricultural Extension ServiceOne of the most important opportunities of the agricultural extension system is the strong commitment of the Government to developing a strong and effective agricultural extension system mainly by strengthening public agricultural extension services as part of the general agriculture development. In order to transform smallholder agriculture some of the measures the government has taken include: training of large number of agricultural professions and establishing of Farmers Training Centres (FTCs) in each of the kebeles so as to provide effective and efficient agricultural extension service. However, extension service delivery is constrained by numerous factors such as lack of innovative technologies, lack of adequate agricultural skills and knowledge and weak capacity of the FTCs to provide farmers training as well as demonstrating improved technologies. In Ethiopia agricultural extension provides services in the area of awareness creation, Agricultural Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (AKAPS) of the small holders. It also supports technical and skill gaps improvement through capacity improvement and making available agricultural technologies and inputs required for demonstration of improved practices. Extension service delivery requires adequate monitoring at time of demonstration, training and experience sharing visits to ensure that women and men are given equal chance. It needs to encourage women to involve in committee through extension purposively designed for improvements in tasks usually carried out by women. In regards to CSA the program will support inclusion of climate advisory service in to the existing extension system through access to meteorology information and mini station development at FTCs and on model farmers’ fields. In addition crop, animal and natural resource technology packages will be revised to include climate smart agricultural technologies and practices. Extension will advice promotion of controlled grazing and the establishment of plots of permanent forages for direct grazing that reduce disagreement between soil organic matter accumulation and grazing needs and significantly contribute to CSA. Nutrition promotion will focus on demonstrating and advising men and women farmers to undertake homestead year round production of fruits, vegetables, nutritious root crops, cereals, oil crops, bio fortified crops (like QPM and sweet potato) and pulses to improve consumption of diversified diet at household level. It also includes demonstrations on improved milk production, poultry production, small ruminant rearing and fish production. Promotion will also include capacity building on proper utilization of animal source foods (dairy, poultry, sheep and goats) including increased consumption of fish. Development of locally adapted Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) materials topics to include food processing, cooking demonstrations, preparation, hygiene and sanitation during food preparation, nutrition value of foods will be adapted to local culture, language, crops produced in each Region. Coordination of work between MoA and MoH by building links between DAs, and Health Extension Workers (HEW) is imperative. 1.1.2.1Rehabilitating and equipping Farmer Training Centers (FTCs)AGP I has rehabilitated and equipped most of the FTCs in the program woredas with essential facilities and furniture. For the FTCs in the new AGP II woredas, the program will focus on equipping FTCs’ classroom, office and demonstration materials. In the existing AGP I woredas, the program will continue strengthening of the FTCs with farm mechanization (that addresses women and men) audio visual aids and digital green facilities with an aim to take FTCs to the next advancement level. As part of provision of climate information and advisory service, the program will support purchase and distribution of the plastic rain gauges to establish mini meteorology station in selected FTCs. FTCs will also be provided with cooking facilities for demonstrations to enhance knowledge and skill of men and women on nutrition. Rehabilitating and equipping FTC will be the responsibility of AGP CUs at all levels in collaboration with extension offices from federal to woreda level. 1.1.2.2Demonstration of Improved Agricultural TechnologiesThe program will support demonstration of improved technologies both in FTC compound and on-farmers plot. It will support demonstration of research proven yield increasing crop and animal technologies, climate smart agricultural practices, improved farm machineries and gender sensitive labor saving devices, and promotion of nutrition dense crops and animal products as well as demonstration of food preparation, utilization and preservation methods. Demonstration at FTC will be linked to value chain commodities identified in component IV. In addition, in FTCs with improved irrigation agronomic practices and efficient irrigation water management will be demonstrated. To speed up technology adoption by farmers, improved technologies demonstrated in FTC compound will be aliened to on-farm demonstrations. On-farm demonstration will be carried out simultaneously with FTC demonstration to enable women and men farmers to create awareness and knowledge about new technologies and best practices demonstrated. On-farm technology demonstrations will be supported with provision of inputs, training and experience sharing visits to reduce attitudinal change and encourage them to adopt improve practices and technologies. Demonstrations at FTCs will also emphasis on innovations-based on location-specific needs, identified by male and female farmers. Technologies specifically designed to enhance and benefit tasks frequently performed by women in the agricultural value chain such as food processing and weeding will be assessed and demonstrated. Moreover, this activity would include assessment and demonstration of labor saving mechanized technologies to female farmers. More emphasis of women’s involvement in appropriate technology to aid utilization of foods produced, particularly high nutrient foods such as fruit and vegetable using solar driers and energy efficient stoves. Post-harvest handling, cooking demonstrations and nutrition knowledge needed & this could be delivered through FTC, WDA, CIGs and other groups by DAs following training. The program will also support yield improving CSA technologies and practices that are known for soil carbon sequestration. Such activities include FTC and on-farm demonstrations of composting, crop rotation, crop residue management, intercropping, bio fertilizers, agro-forestry, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies. Soil carbon sequestration can also be enhanced through improving nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) by applying precise amounts of nitrogenous fertilizer or manure to crops. Methane emissions from agriculture can be decreased by reducing emissions from ruminant livestock by adjusting the portions of animal feed to decrease digestion time using feed additives to reduce metabolic activity of rumen bacteria that produce CH4. Applying manure to the soil as a nutrient source rather than storing it as waste will also help to reduce GHG emission 1.1.2.3Capacity Development of extension services
The focus of this activity will be on bridging skill gaps for farmers, FTC MC, development agents (DAs) and subject matter specialists (SMS). The program supports first training need assessment to identify skill or knowledge gaps and type of training need required at all level for SMS, DAs. Need assessment should also include gaps in extension materials. Furthermore, the existing curriculum and training module of FTC lacks key cross cutting issues like nutrition, climate smart agriculture, gender concerns and agricultural mechanization. The existing curriculum and training module of FTC requires revision so as to incorporate nutrition, climate smart agriculture, gender concerns and agricultural mechanization in the training. Specific nutrition training needs should be identified and joint trainings on nutrition organized and conducted for BoA and BoH staff at all levels. Training needs of women farmers will be assessed and detail planning conducted to address women training needs. It also includes identification of appropriate location and time that is suitable for women farmers. The program will also pilot provision of childcare services during training sessions as well as organizing women extension groups and encourage a more decentralized training mode during which trainings are provided by model female farmers to women's groups. Extension training shall focus on constraints that affect sustainability issues like attitude and behavior, gender equality, skill and leadership commitments, as well as on building implementation capacity, which is a pivotal for over all transformation of agricultural development. Training of farmers, DAs and SMSs will emphasize on practical skills in the areas of participatory extension management, improved crop and animal production technologies, postharvest handling, market-oriented agricultural commodities (identified in component IV), promotion of farm mechanization and natural resource management. Besides, experience sharing will be supported to capacitate farmers, FTC MC, DAs, SMS, with special emphasis to women and youth. Training at FTCs will be supported with audio visual aids. Strengthen capacity of SMS and DAs to advise farmers on the post harvest technology, production of nutrient dense crops, food preparation, nutritional value of foods and nutrition practices. This activity will be coordinated by Federal Agricultural Extension Directorate and implemented jointly with Crop, Animal Production and Feed Resources Development, Horticulture, Agricultural Mechanization, Soil Fertility and Natural Resources Management Directorates at federal level in collaboration with regional, zonal and woreda, respective responsible institutions. Gender and nutrition experts in the agricultural office at all levels will also provide support in their area of expertise.
The program will provide support to furnishing and equipping offices at different levels as well as mobility support (vehicles and motor bycles) for the new woredas while Kebel will be provided with motor and pedal cycles. Support will also be provided to establish IT centers that enable access to knowledge base to give effective technical backstopping for DAs and farmers to provide extension services in support of priority enterprises selected by farmers. One of the key roles is to assist extension staff in linking with research, higher education institutions and market information. The program will invest in the hardware needed to establish and maintain internet connectivity for federal, regional, zonal and woreda offices. It will also create a website and support information databases, and provide an interactive mechanism for DAs, SMSs, staff and other key stakeholders to share best practices with each other.
Among the many limitations to increase productivity and production of animals in Ethiopia are shortage of feed, shortage of improved breeds, prevalence of animal diseases and lack of knowledge and skills Attempts were made to address and improve the situation in the AGP I, but the problems are still prevailing. The prioritized activities indicated in the Livestock Master Plan and in GTP II will be taken care in the AGP II. Key areas of interventions in AGP II are proposed as described below. 1.1.3.1Establishment/strengthening animal production services
Honey is one of the strategic commodities listed for export and it is an exemplary value chains in the country working actively with actors. Among the actors honey producers, smallholder farmers, landless women and youths organized in CIGs are claiming about the shortage of queen bees/honeybee colonies. There is no queen rearing center that supplies queens or nucleus colonies to the needy beekeepers and would-be beneficiaries. Effort was made to encourage private sectors to involve into this business but, the ending was nil mainly due to lack of knowledge and information on the profitability of the business. It is therefore, highly required to establish commercial level queen rearing centers that will raise queen bees from selected honeybee colonies with desirable traits. Rearing centers will be established in Tigray, Amhara, Oromiya and SNNP regions. The centers will distribute fertile queen bees to smallholders and would- be beneficiaries in all AGP II target woredas. These also serve as centers for organizing training of trainers (ToT) on commercial queen rearing both for selected apiculture extension staffs and private sectors. The bred queen bees will be distributed to beneficiaries with reasonable price and the payment can be made in cash or on credit bases depending on the agreement made between the parties. The sales price will enable to sustain the operation of raising queen bees for the centers. The activities required include setting up of queen rearing apiaries, providing queen rearing set of equipment’s, tools, artificial insemination apparatus and its accessories, honeybee colonies and technical assistance. The centers will be staffed by the implementers but will be capacitated by the AGP II. The MoA, Regional Agriculture Research Institutes and the Regional Livestock Agencies and/or Core processes will be in charge for the establishment and execution of the activities of the centers. The rearing centers shall be privatized when awareness on the profitability of the business is created and interest is showed by the private sectors.
Fish farming is one of the agricultural businesses that has a direct contribution and benefit for national food security of the large segments of the rural poor communities residing lakesides, diversion dams, and along large river banks. From points of its nutritional value, the regional governments are encouraging households to start pond fish farming and many have started farming and utilization. However, there arises a problem of fish fingerlings for introduction to ponds. So far fish fingerlings were scavenged from the existing lakes but the lakes were found depleted because of excessive exploitation by fishermen. This resulted in deficit of fingerlings. There is no institution that has instigated production of fish hatchery unit in the country. Effort was made to attract private sectors to involve in this venture but the interest showed was nil. Hence, this has drawn attention of the government to establish a centre where fish fingerlings will be produced for distribution to the needy households chiefly to increase the production of fish meat and to improve the nutritional status of the households. The pioneer fish hatchery centre is planned to be established in Amhara region, where pond fish framings are largely exercised by smallholders. The hatchery centre is intended to supply about 5 million fingerlings annually with reasonable price so as to encourage the operating farmers and the CIGs as well. Pond fish farms will be harvested every 4-6 months and users are replacing the fingerlings in each cycle. This will generate adequate income for the hatchery unit that will allow sustaining its operation. The program will support the pond system which consists of various compartments with specific uses such as nursery or fry pond, transition or holding stunting pond, production or rearing ponds and other features (catching, food-growing ponds, etc.). The water control structure or gates, pipes and water supply or drainage canals are also parts of the system. Other support facilities consists of farm buildings, farm roads and road dikes, fish tanks, storage shed (for feed and equipment) and ancillary structures. The centre will be under the auspice of the Livestock Agency of the Amhara region. The center at the end can be transferred to private operators provided that they are interested to be engaged in the activity and willing to extend its services.
The NAIC is the only center mandated to undertake breed improvement program of low genetic potential indigenous cows for milk production through artificial insemination. However, the center is stranded by a couple of constraints of which lack of a system for performance recording and selection of better milk producing animals and lack of easy and timely access for farmers to better dairy genetic material (semen) are the major ones. Hence, there is need to address these issues through the AGP II. (a) Dairy Herd Performance Recording Sustainable increase in milk production cannot be guaranteed without centralized system for dairy herd performance recording and analysis. This ensures the identification and selection of superior dairy sires from which semen for breed improvement will be collected. To bring this in to effect, it is vital that a central dairy herd performance recording system equipped with modern computerized data base management and analysis be established at NAIC. Earlier attempts towards this end have resulted in data base development and analysis for dairy cattle in and around Addis Ababa has promising results. This initiative, therefore, needs to be scaled up in the four major AGP regions. Thus, there is a need to support capacity building in these regions for the initiative to be sustainable. Accordingly, AGP-II is envisaged to support in purchasing ear tags, applicators, recording cards, motorcycles for data collectors, ICT database management, facilities and global or cyber communication systems. Support under this intervention will be implemented by the NAIC. (b) Electronic data management at semen production centers Semen processing facilities constructed in each program regions is not linked to the national AI center and information interchanges and modern data management system is not in place. To bridge this gap it is planned to use electronic data management at production centers. The integrated system is a network of computer workstations and other hardware, beginning at the collection barn encompassing all aspects of processing and quality control. This network links all aspects of semen identification and semen processing. Primarily, an integrated system will improve the speed and efficiency of processing. This ultimately will reduce the labor requirements of processing. In organizations where large numbers of ejaculates are managed simultaneously, an integrated system will smooth the process flow by eliminating redundancies. Since all ejaculates, batches and samples are identified by bar code technology, the opportunity to misidentify samples is eliminated. The possibility for human errors is greatly decreased since manual data entry is reduced by the use of electronically interfaced equipment and bar-coding. Database upkeep is eliminated at the barn and laboratory levels. It is designed to use electronic data management at NAIC and in all 4 semen processing centers (Bahir Dar, Mekele, Hawassa and Nekemte) already established by AGP I. Electronic data management facilities will be procured by the AGP II. Support under this intervention will be technically assisted and coordinated by the NAIC. However, the overall responsibility for the implementation will lie on the Regional BoAs/Livestock Agencies. 1.1.3.2Establishment/strengthening animal health servicesEthiopia's livestock suffer from a wide range of diseases that affect smallholder livestock production and productivity. Poor husbandry practices and inadequate veterinary services are major factors favoring the expansion of livestock diseases. Besides reduced animal production, the prevalence of many infectious diseases excludes Ethiopia from many lucrative international markets or directly influences the quality of export products and thus limits the foreign exchange earnings. In order to overcome such challenges efforts are underway to support smallholder livestock production system through improved veterinary services. However, services provided in this regard are not adequate due to shortage and insufficient laboratory facilities for diseases diagnosis and management. It is known that the Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Program (RPLRP) supported the pastoral areas in implementing regional surveillance and networks, upgrading of the national veterinary laboratory network, scaling up of the national livestock epidemiology unit, strengthening and harmonizing animal identification/certification systems, etc. However, AGP II targets the development of over 12 million smallholder producers in the highlands and semi arid areas through establishment/strengthening of animal health services. AGP II also supports the national institutions in activities which are not considered by the RPLRP.
Medium to large scale poultry farms around urban and per-urban areas and smallholder poultry backyards which have substantial impact on food security and income are highly suffering from poultry diseases when an epidemic of diseases such as New castle disease, Mar ekes, Fowl cholera, etc takes place. Development of the poultry sub-sector is a major component of the Livestock Master Plan and both village-level backyards and commercial producers require an accurate and prompt laboratory service for surveillance and diagnosis to optimize disease management. This is one of the biggest challenges of the industry. Every year about 56.5% of the population is wiped out mainly due to the aforementioned diseases. The capacity of the professionals and the facilities at the recently organized poultry disease diagnosis laboratory in the country under the National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Centre (NAHDIC) is not sufficient to make diagnosis of poultry diseases. Development of facilities and specialized training are very important to be considered as part of capacity building. Hence, there is pressing need to strengthen the poultry diagnostic laboratory with the financial support of AGP II. The laboratory will be equipped with the necessary facilities and a standard poultry disease diagnosis manual. The NAHDIC will be responsible for the establishment and implementation of the diagnosis. The laboratory will provide diagnostic services to all clients with reasonable price.
One of the documented and important problems of the animal health delivery system is generally poor quality of veterinary drugs supplied / used throughout Ethiopia. The newly established national Veterinary Drug and Feed Administration and Control Authority (VDFACA) has been regulating the import, distribution, sale and use of veterinary drugs and feed and the central quality control laboratory will be an essential tool for this. Post marketing surveillance, including collection of drug and feed samples from markets (for testing for purity and active ingredient content), checks on the storage of drugs, vaccines, feeds, etc. and licenses will be an important activity of the VDFACA. The main aim of strengthening the central quality control laboratory is to support smallholder farmers by regulating veterinary drug and feed products as well as quality assurance of animal products with compliance to international standards. It also ensures provision of safe zoonoses as well as chemical/biological residue free food animals and animal products for human consumption fulfilling established sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) norms, and ensures provision and utilization of quality assured veterinary drug and feed related equipment. Currently, the existing quality control laboratory is not providing the required services since support provided to strengthen the laboratory was not adequate. Hence, it is planned that AGP II to supply additional quality control and residue analysis facilities. The veterinary drug and feed administration & control authority (VDFACA) under MoA is responsible for the implementation. Financial support will be required from AGP II to furnish the laboratory with the necessary equipment to enable the laboratory to become fully operational.
Trypanosomiasis is the most economically important livestock disease in Ethiopia affecting areas infested with tsetse flies (cyclically transmitted Trypanosomiasis) and non-tsetse infested areas (mechanically transmitted trypanosomes). Various tsetse flies infest over 220,000 km2 area of the country and currently Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is used to eradicate the tsetse flies. Although tsetse flies can be morphologically recognized at a species level, identification of the flies at a strain level is not possible, and a very sensitive technique is needed to help the identification of the flies in different areas of the country. The technique will help to identify the population in different valleys and the presence and absence of population movement (gene flow) between the valleys. This is important in the identification of genetically isolated population to plan the SIT operation accordingly. Likewise the efficacy of trypanocidal drugs can be checked using laboratory animals but this method could not provide full information since it is not very sensitive to detect the presence of resistance at a lower level. Generally Trypanosomiasis has a massive negative impact on smallholder agricultural production in Ethiopia through its direct effects on animal health and productivity and indirect effects on crop production by depriving farmers the use of oxen. It can be said that it is the most critical constraint to smallholder livestock- production system in Ethiopia killing a large population of cattle and disposes animals from production. Therefore, the diagnosis of Trypanosomiasis, identification of tsetse fly strains and the presence of drug/insecticide resistance will only be made possible through undertaking the test in molecular biology which is a very sensitive diagnostic tool to provide the appropriate information. AGP II will support the establishment of the molecular biology laboratory through construction, and provision of laboratory equipment’s and office facilities. The laboratory will enable to undertake efficient diagnosis of trypanosomes, drug/insecticide resistance, and knowledge of target tsetse populations at a strain level to take the necessary action. This will make possible to design and implement effective strategies for sustainable tsetse and Trypanosomiasis control and eradication contributing to a sustainable increase of agricultural production. The overall establishment and operation of the laboratory will be managed by the National Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Control Institute (NTTCI).
In Ethiopia, the diagnostic test performed at NAIC is limited to two animal diseases, Tuberculosis and Brucellosis. The Office International des Epizooties (OIE) has, under its international animal health code (2001), detailed recommendations for collection and processing of semen and testing of Bovine Viral Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease, Infectious Bovine Rhionotracheities, Infectious vulvo vaginitis, Camplyobacter Fetus Sub sp.Veneralis, and Tricomonas Fetus. Bulls and teaser animals can enter an artificial insemination center only if they are free from the above stated diseases. There is still much test to be undertaken to raise the quality of NAICs’ genetic material against OIE standard. Provision of seven diagnostic kits and ELISA-reader to undertake disease testing technical assistances is required from the program. Support under this intervention will be implemented by NAHDIC and NAIC.
Animal diseases continue to cause considerable economic losses in Ethiopia. Eradication and/or control of these diseases is essential to improve food security and the incomes of farmers. Cost-effective control strategies require accurate and rapid diagnosis of causal agents, detailed epidemiological knowledge, and well designed and implemented monitoring and evaluation programs, for which assistance of regional laboratories is indispensable. Laboratory output is currently well below capacity, due to lack of capacities in terms of staff training and basic inputs. For this reason animal health laboratories will strengthen the diagnostic and investigation capability of regional laboratories in the highlands and lowlands, respectively, so that they can provide essential technical support for epidemiological investigations, and establishment of effective regional disease monitoring and surveillance through active field studies, village-based disease monitoring, disease outbreak investigations and serological surveys. The animal health clinics and health posts play a crucial role in the prevention and control of economically important diseases and AGP II will continue providing support based on the experience from AGP I. It is directed towards the improvement of the livelihood of the smallholder farmers through delivery of prompt animal health services. Through the financial support of AGP, it is planned to strengthen regional animal health laboratories with lab equipment and facilities, equip animal health clinics and animal health posts of new woredas with essential working equipments& devices. Support under this intervention will be implemented by the Animal Health Directorate, regional animal health laboratories, NAHDIC and the Regional Livestock Agencies and/or Core Processes /Bureau of Agricultures.
Disease in farm animals cause annual losses of billions of dollars, a large portion of which is attributable to death, treatment costs and reduced feed efficiency and growth rate. If a disease can be detected very early in the phase of epidemic development, there could be a possibility to arrest and eliminate before it actually inflicts high damage and stop the spread of pathogens to new areas. Therefore, periodical reporting of information on disease outbreaks is paramount to take actions in controlling the incidence. A timely delivery of quality information on out breaking diseases through passive surveillance and established diseases reporting using Smart Phone will strengthen the disease control capacity. The reporting will be collected from all programs woredas out of which some will be confirmed by laboratory tests. The AGP II support requested here is for those expenses in the highlands of Oromia, and SNNP regions and for other AGP II regions and for interventions not considered by the RPLRP at the national level (for example additional hardware is required, use of the web-based data base management system must expanded and integrated with the smart phone notification system. This will enable a progressive move from the current paper-based system to an innovative and efficient electronic system. Animal disease surveillance includes active and passive data collection, data management, and diagnostic capability. An accurate and timely surveillance system is critical for early detection, identification, monitoring, prevention and control of TADs and important zoonoses in livestock populations. Ethiopia has a NADSS that includes active and passive data collection, data management, and diagnostic capability. The Veterinary Service Delivery is currently upgrading NADSS by:
To ensure sustainable impact of these activities, provision of extensive training and infrastructure development in highland areas of Oromiya& SNNP regions and other AGP II regions is very important. In this program surveillance and control strategy for export sensitive diseases such as foot & mouth disease (FMD), contagious bovine pleuloropneumonia (CBPP), lumpy skin disease (LSD), peste des petits ruminants (PPR), sheep and goat pox and others outbreak investigation and animal export will be conducted, risk analysis method and risk based animal disease surveillances to effectively safeguard the livestock trade value chain and securing the export market will be capacitated. Moreover, AGP II will support purchase of the smart phones and developing of guidelines to strengthen disease information system and for surveillance. This will be implemented by Animal health Directorate, NAHDIC and regional animal health laboratories, regional livestock agencies/core processes and public abattoirs. 1.1.3.3Capacity Development
Lack of knowledge and skills on specialized animal production and animal health has become a critical problem that hinders the rapid improvement of farm animals and increase of their products. This has initiated the need to capacitate animal extension experts at all levels. The intended capacity building focus on training of trainers of animal production, products processing, animal disease surveillance & health management and good manufacturing practices of veterinary drugs and animal feed. Moreover, package will be developed and awareness creation will be organized on young stock mortality reduction system. Furthermore, study tours to abroad will be organized on machine maintenance for semen production & liquid nitrogen, feed lot operation, silk processing, forage seed production, veterinary drugs and feed quality standards, quality analysis of veterinary drugs, feeds and animal products & poultry disease diagnosis techniques. Local experience sharing will be arranged on animal fattening and meat productions, small scale dairy production, cocoon production & management. Valuable workshops are proposed to be organized of which the major ones are on shoat ecto-parasite control & hide and skin extension, improved beekeeping package and diversification of bee products. All trainings, workshops and experience sharing visits will encompass nutrition and climate smart agriculture that will be tracked for provision of equal chance for men and women participants.
Manual and documentary video film production for delivering extension services will also be an area of intervention. On top of these, motor cycles, office equipments and facilities will be supplied by the AGP II. The, Animal Production and Feed Resources Development Directorate (APFRDD), AHD, NICETT, NAHDIC, NAIC, VDFACA and Regional Livestock Agencies/Core Processes/ BoAs are responsible for organizing and executing all the capacity building activities. 1.1.4Crop Production and Plant Health ServicesIncreasing crop productivity and production through improving access to yield increasing crop technologies and access to adequate support services can be an option for farmers to ensure food, income and nutrition security. The use of high yielding crop varieties and combating crop yield decreasing factors facilitates crop productivity improvement leading to the growth of agro-processing enterprise and stimulates the transition from low productivity subsistence agriculture to a high productivity commercial agriculture. Interventions under this activity will, therefore, aim at improving crop productivity through access to improved crop extension services. Two major activities that are considered under this intervention are promotion of crop productivity enhancement technologies and strengthening plant health service. 1.1.4.1Promotion of crop productivity enhancing technologies
The aim of this intervention is to access improved innovative crop productivity improvement technologies that are proven in terms of addressing the needs of men and women including market preference. One of the activities of ADPLAC is to create favorable environment to create linkage between research and extension to make easier access to research findings that benefit smallholder farmers. Emphasis will be made to assessment of technologies that are climate smart and are suitable for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Crop technologies and practices such as composting, crop rotation, intercropping, bio fertilizers and agro-forestry, and IPM are some of the CSA technologies to be considered in the assessment and demonstration of improved crop technologies. Technology assessment will be given a focus to nutrient dense crops including postharvest handling techniques.
This activity is design to achieve the objective of agricultural growth towards improved fruits and vegetables production and productivity and employment generation of the selected areas in a sustainable manner with special focus on women and youth group. Currently a number of such nurseries are established with a support of Mashave and such existing experiences will be pursued. Fruits and vegetables play considerable role in ensuring food, nutrition and income security of smallholder farmers. Fruits and vegetables are the most important sources of vitamin A, a nutrient important for several metabolic activities in the body. It is noteworthy mentioning that Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in Ethiopia predisposing children to increased risk of morbidity, mortality and disability. Thus, it is evident that sustainable improvements in vitamin A status, and other micronutrients and minerals require interventions aimed at enhancing availability, access and promotion of consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, in Ethiopia fruits and vegetables consumption is among the lowest in the world. Households must be deeply aware of about the importance of consumption of fruits and vegetable for human health and nutrition, particularly in the growth and development of infants and children. Empowerment of communities in terms of awareness creation and technical knowledge must be strongly pursued to enable the cultivation of fruits and vegetables in their backyard gardens and other suitable areas. In view of this, the AGP II will assist establishment and operation of modern nursery sites for, fruit and vegetables depending on suitability of agro ecological zones in the target woredas. The program will support for design and construction, provision of farm tools and equipment and root stocks. Furthermore, this activity will be aliened to component IV to technically support youths including men and women CIG and facilitate to manage or to own the nurseries. The group will be assisted to produce high economic value and quality seedlings of the intended and demanded crops. The youth group will be trained on nursery management. The program will assist for labor cost at least for one year. The Woreda Crop Extension coordination unit, together with the respective SMS, will be responsible for organizing and technical assistance and follow-up of the nurseries. 1.1.4.2Strengthening Plant Health ServicesWith the fast development of the market-oriented agriculture in Ethiopia, the demands for a well-functioning phytosanitary inspection and control system has gained increasing importance. As a precondition for sustained market access and export growth it is essential that Ethiopia’s’ phytosanitary services are in compliance with the international standards and regulations. However, the existing plant quarantine stations at all levels are not capable to provide such services due to lack of adequate laboratory facilities and furniture. Effective and transparent pesticide registration and control system is an important prerequisite for agriculture development for both production and export. The establishment of such laboratory is also vital for residue monitoring and analysis of export crops. This intervention is targeting plant health services with an aim to reduce smallholder crop loses, ensure the supply of safe food for the citizens and also to realize the significance of plant health in domestic and international trade of plants, plant materials and their products. . Key activities to be conducted include: crop loss database development, strengthening plant quarantine stations, installing federal plant protection laboratory, equipping seed analysis laboratory, strengthening plant health clinics and establishing international standard pesticide laboratory as well as conducting studies and promotion of IPM. The Plant Health Regulatory Directorate of the MoA, together with regional offices, is the responsible organization for the implementation of intervention.
1.1.4.3Capacity Development for crop production and plant health servicesThis activity will focus on improving the capacity of agronomists, entomologists, pathologists and in crop production and protection professionals. Emphasis will be made for equal participation of men and women farmers, DAs and SMS. To achieve these goal trainings, workshops, awareness creation activities and experience sharing visits (local and abroad) will be carried with the support from the program. Responsible body for the implementation of these activities will be the Plant Health Regulatory and Agricultural Extension Directorates. 1.1.5Support to Natural Resources and Soil Fertility Management ServicesIn Ethiopia land degradation caused by soil erosion, wind erosion, over grazing and mono-cropping are some of the major causes of low and declining natural resource and agricultural productivity. The country has continuously faced challenges in conserving its soil fertility which is mainly caused from fragile soils, undulating terrain, and highly erosive rainfall. The main objective of this intervention is to build the productive assets of rural communities in selected community watersheds, in ways that sustainably increase productivity and curtail degradation of fragile lands and ecosystems. The key areas of eligible intervention activities include: local level land use planning; support productivity enhancing interventions of community watershed as well as support to soil fertility management services. 1.1.5.1Local Level Participatory Land Use PlanningThis is to support the preparation of community land use plans for decision making on the best uses of the land and its resources for improved, alternative, sustainable development at the grass root level and individual plots. It helps to improve the proper use of land resources and minimize land use competitions through developing and implementing legally supported land use planning. This will improve the land productivity and hence the living conditions of a particular community and environment based in general. The most important milestone activities are data collection (Bio physical and socio economic), land use mapping, and preparation of Local Land Use Plan. 1.1.5.2Support Productivity Enhancing Interventions of community WatershedKey activities expected to increase the productivity of agricultural lands by reducing soil erosion and improving in situ moisture conservation. This activity will support implementation of best practices for soil and water conservation to improve soil fertility and soil moisture in the system. Soil and water conservation activities performed by the program will include construction of soil bunds, stone bunds, artificial waterways, cut-off drains, check dams (gully rehabilitation), bench terraces, hillside terraces, trenches, area closure, plantation of multipurpose trees, groundwater recharge interventions in areas where groundwater development is ongoing or planned and the like. The implementation of sub-programs under this activity will be carried out within the larger framework of sustainable watershed development and management. Thus planning and priority setting for implementing these subprograms will be based on optimizing the overall objective of the watershed rather than individual holdings. Support under this activity will focus on protecting and rehabilitating watersheds where small-scale irrigation, water harvesting and micro-irrigation schemes are envisaged.
1.1.5.3Support to Soil Fertility Management ServicesIn Ethiopia, crop production and productivity is affected by a wide set of soil fertility issues. Core constraints include topsoil erosion, acidity-affected soils, depleted organic matter due to widespread use of biomass as fuel, depleted macro and micro-nutrients, depletion of soil physical properties and soil salinity. As a result, smallholder agricultural production and productivity has been seriously affected. The aim of this intervention therefore is to support the whole process of soil mapping, strengthening soil testing laboratories, management of problematic soils, and promotion of organic soil fertility management practices.
1.1.5.4Capacity Development for Natural Resource and Soil Fertility Management
Note that in areas where the Sustainable Land Management Program and other similar programs are operating, these interventions will be coordinated and allied with the existing operation of natural resources development. Activities under natural resources and soil fertility will be implemented by the Natural Resources Directorate, Land Use and Administration Directorate, Soil Information & Fertility Management Directorates, National Soil Testing Center, Regional Soil Testing Laboratories and Regional Land Administration and Environment Authorities. .
Farm productivity is positively correlated with the availability of farm power coupled with efficient farm implements and their sustainable utilization. Agricultural mechanization not only enables efficient utilization of various inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, plant protection chemicals and water for irrigation but also it helps in poverty alleviation by making farming an attractive enterprise. In Ethiopia, nearly all small farmers are still using traditional hand tools and oxen plow, which greatly is restricting crop productivity and production. The aim of the agricultural mechanization intervention is to support supply of appropriate machines with accessories for pre and post-harvest agricultural production systems that can increase labor efficiency and adoption of the yield-increasing technologies, reduce post-harvest losses and create value addition. Agricultural mechanization promotion will give emphasis to labor and time saving technologies to overcome women and men derogatory work. Agricultural mechanization activities that will be implemented in AGP II include:
The implementation of the above indicated activities will be the responsibility of the Agricultural Mechanization Directorate of MoA in collaboration with Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and Regional Research Institutes. Directory: archives archives -> PriceWaterhouseCoopers Archive 148 linear feet in 98 record cartons and 4 flat boxes. Biography/History archives -> In this issue archives -> - archives -> Contents Subgroup I. Photographs 2 Subgroup II. Artwork 72 archives -> In this issue archives -> School Name: Agape’ Christian Academy Class archives -> A. general information archives -> Johnny O'Connell Biography archives -> April 13, 2009 The Digest archives -> School Name: Pembroke Pines Charter Class Download 0.99 Mb. Share with your friends:
|