ADDIS ABABA-Save the Children and Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) penned Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the latter to use former’s 8028 Framer’s Hotline to disseminate nutrition sensitive agriculture information to farmers.
The Hotline is an Interactive Voice Response/ Short Message Services system where smallholder farmers are provided with agricultural information with over 4 million registered users. The system offers farmers with advices and recommendation of agricultural practices, crop pests and diseases during pre planting, post harvesting seasons. According to the MoU signed yesterday, Save the Children would be able to reach out development agents in Oromiya, Tigray , Amahra and South Nations Nationalities and People’s states with nutrition related information using over 210 lines run by ATA.
The agreement is critical for the betterment in the livelihood of the communities already linked to the Hotlines by providing, said Fkin Ogutogullari, Save the Children Country Director. Nutrition related problems have been having great impact on lives of the community with increasing need for healthy diet, hence the agreement enables convey nutrition related messages to reach out most vulnerable peoples through development agents, according to Ogutogullari.
“The platform helps update skills and knowledge of developments agents to reach more people with few resources.” Indicating that the Hotline is helping to bring impact on the livelihood of farmers by boosting production and productivity, the integration of nutrition-sensitive agriculture messages contents will, therefore enhance the health and nutritional status of farmers linked to the services stated, ATA Chief Executive Officer, Kalid Bom. Timely information distribution has a vital role to play in addressing challenges of smallholder farmers, he added. It was noted that The Hotline is accessible in five local languages.
Herald February 1/2019
BY DESTA GEBREHIWOT
