Traditional agriculture extension systems in Ethiopia are typically top down and maintain inequitable gender relations. The Foodgrains Bank’s approach to training seeks to avoid top-down transfer of knowledge and instead focuses on farmer experimentation and learning, while also seeking to address gender inequalities and ensure that training reaches and benefits both women and men, and vulnerable groups, so that all have access to trainings on conservation agriculture.
Building on the results of the prior two Building Capacity for Conservation Agriculture Adoption projects, this new phase will expand into new woredas of Jimma, Illubabor, West Shewa and East Wollega zones, Southwestern Oromia.
From May 2023 – April 2025, the project will train 120 government experts to strengthen the availability of extension support for smallholder farmers on conservation agriculture in Oromia. Each of these 120 CA-trained extension workers will train at least 12 farmers for a total of 1,440 farmers.
In keeping with the government of Ethiopia’s policy of promoting non-fertilizer solutions, this project phase will add a training of trainers module on vermicomposting and organic. Gender sensitivity training will be conducted jointly with experts from the Women and Children’s Affairs’ Directorate.