Ethiopia

Partnership For Food Security

Where:

Ethiopia

Who:

Organization for Rehabilitation and Development Amhara (ORDA) and CHF.

Funded by:

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Eric Sprott Foundation, CHF and generous donors.

Purpose:

To break the cycle of dependency on food aid largely created by successive droughts by contributing to efforts to improve the long-term food security of vulnerable or food-insecure households in the Bati district of Ethiopia.

Situation:

For decades, cyclical drought and famine has had devastating impacts on the livelihoods and food security of the rural poor. In early 2003, parts of Ethiopia experienced another hard-hitting drought which resulted in the wide-spread loss of livestock and crops.

An appeal for aid was made by the Government of Ethiopia. This time, the request was for a more comprehensive approach, which would not only meet the immediate food needs of those affected, but would also address the underlying causes of chronic food insecurity.

Project Description:

CHF and ORDA responded with the Partnership for Food Security (PFS) Project. The PFS project adopts a sustainable livelihoods approach for promoting food security in the Bati district.

The PFS project first focused on providing emergency food relief to 65,900 drought-affected people in Bati district. As well, productive assets such as oxen, seed and hand tools were distributed to replace those lost during the drought. This was necessary in order to resume normal livelihood activities as quickly as possible.

The current focus of the PFS project is on long-term sustainable development to improve food security and strengthen the capacity of communities to cope with shocks and stresses such as drought.

The Project works with 46,857 individuals in Bati, introducing techniques to improve and diversify agricultural productivity. It also supports alternative income-generating activities, promotes the participation of women and works with local government agencies to develop drought early-warning systems.

Some results to date are:

Creation of women's saving and credit groups. On average, each savings group has managed to save 2,640 birr (CAN $290) within a short period of time. One group has already paid back their initial project loan of 10,500 birr (CAN $1,160).
Development of small-scale irrigation schemes. Thanks to improved irrigation methods, a total of 118 households are harvesting two crops per year, while in previous years only one harvest was possible. Over 15% of these households are female-headed.
Research and training on improved farming techniques. Agricultural practices, such as the introduction of improved seed varieties and farming techniques, are being communicated to families and communities through farmerfield days, field visits, training and workshops. As a result, many farmers now produce vegetables, fruits and other marketable crops, like peanuts, which they sell at considerable profit. These farmers have succeeded in improving the nutritional status of their families, sending their children to school and increasing the productive assets of their households.

Ethiopia: The Path To Self-Resiliency

This study is the result of a research effort managed and coordinated by CHF on behalf of the 15-member Canadian NGO Network in Ethiopia (CANGO) to assess the factors that contribute to the vulnerability and resilience of communities and households in rural Ethiopia.

Studying the Better-Off to Learn About the Poor

Using a technique known as “positive deviance”, the study team surveyed 54 poor communities across rural Ethiopia to determine why some households defy the odds — rising to a state of self-resiliency, even in the face of challenges such as drought and flooding.

The results showed that the predictors of self-resiliency have as much to do with attitudes, expectations and power-sharing between men and women, as with access to physical or financial resources.

If these intangibles are factored into the design of policies and programs, we can significantly improve how we deliver aid.

Belief Systems and Power-Sharing Between Men and Women

When asked to identify success factors, better off households pointed to shared power and decision-making between the men and women in the home.

The study observed the influence of belief systems around fate versus self-determination. Those who believed that their own choices could affect their future were more likely to work harder and do better, which may have implications for the role of traditional beliefs, including religions.

The study also found that households with access to successful role models and outside information are more likely to raise their expectations and succeed themselves.”

Key Recommendations

The study concludes with key recommendations for governments, donors and aid organizations on how to improve the effectiveness of their programming and policies.

Involve “better-off” local households as role models and motivators
Empower women through role-modeling and experience-sharing
Improve access to credit and savings programs, especially for women
Base interventions on the types of livelihood activities already in the community
Expand and build upon established, local community groups

This report is the result of a research effort managed and coordinated by CHF on behalf of the 15-member Canadian NGO Network in Ethiopia (CANGO) to assess the factors that contribute to the vulnerability and resilience of communities and households in rural Ethiopia.