Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) is working with different partners. Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP approach) is among its partners that have been crafted by JICA (Japan) to support the small-scale farmers. As to evidences, this approach was originally started in Kenya and now spread all over the world. In Ethiopia, Ethio-SHEP project has been started since 2017 in Amhara and Oromia. So far, totally eight woredas are targeted in the nation.
Ethio-SHEP aims to practice farming as a business, which enables farmers to strategize market oriented production plans and change their values from “Grow and sell” to “Grow to sell”. The concept of the SHEP i.e “grow and sell” to “grow to sell,” is to achieve a sustainable income generation from horticultural crops. To this effect, Ethio-SHEP focuses on three needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) to encourage or promote farmers as motivation.
One other element in the Ethio-SHEP is “the mutual sharing of information between farmers and market actors for understanding. Off course, the goal of this project is to have farmers conduct their own market surveys and obtain understanding of salable crops (when and where to sell or who wants to sell as well as production costs). Ethio-SHEP has been playing a signif icant role in promoting natural fertilizers like “Bokashi” to improve microorganisms in the soil.
“Bokashi” (Japanese term) means organic fermented fertilizer, which is made up of wheat bran (furshika), molasses or sugar, dry yeast, yogurt, over ripen fruits and water. This organic fertilizer has dual role i.e. as organic fertilizer and as soil fertility improvement factor .
Tadesse Beyene is a farmer in Jabi Tehnan woreda at Arbaetu Ensesa kebele. He told to this writer Ethio-SHEP is supporting him and fellow farmers via trainings on how to utilize “Bokashi” through demonstrations before they applied on their land. “Not only “Bokashi” but also they have showed us how to use charcoal and ash to prevent pests and diseases; Then, we spry ash on our farm every week,” Tadesse said. The other farmer is Girma Daba, who lives in Degeluna Tijjo woreda at Ashebeqa kebele in Arsi zone. He said Ethio-SHEP has trained him how to utilize “Bokashi” instead of chemicals.
This farmer indicated that “Bokashi” makes the soil fertile.It is so productive. “Moreover, they have recommended us to use ash to prevent diseases like WAG; as a result, we learned a lot from the project about utilizing natural fertilizers and protection methods rather than the artificial ones,” Girma said.
“Supporting by Ethio-SHEP we have produced 90 to 120 quintal onion per hectare; then, we have become beneficiaries,” said the farmer and added ” In addition, this project has been supporting us through making market assessment and market linkage. It has facilitated to us discussion forums to directly discuss with merchants. Other farmers are scaling up EthioSHEP’s experience observing the performance of exemplary farmers.
For instance, youth Yechalesew Taddele is a model farmer who has scaled up taking lessons from the other ones in his village. Yechalesew said, “Last year, I had seen how my friend handle horticulture activities; then I tried to emulate him. As a result, Ethio-SHEP has been supporting me in training. Training has more significant value than money. But many youths haven’t understood the value of training. They wrongly take it as a source of payment or peridem; but I strongly disagree with this idea”. As a bottleneck, he indicated the shortage of improved horticulture seeds.
Tekeba Tebabal, Amhara State deputy head of agriculture bureau (former mayor of Gondar city), Ethio-SHEP is working with the state in increasing the production and productivity of horticulture on selected crops utilizing chemical-free fertilizers through building the capacity of farmers which is significant for the state. This project is striving to achieve the principle of “Grow and sell” to “Grow to sell” through organizing demonstrations to teach the farmers, as to him.
According to Tekeba, input shortage is one of the main bottlenecks in the state; the basic one is shortage of improved seeds; for this reason, more seeds are imported from outside. As to the deputy head, research centers in the state have done their best to tackle this task especially producing indigenous seeds, which are proofed and multiply on farmers land. In addition, the state has organized seed program policy to tackle the deficiency, Tekeba reminds. Fumiaki Saso is the chief advisor of Ethio-SHEP project here in Ethiopia.
According to Saso, Ethio-SHEP is working targeting farmers who are mainly focused on horticulture production in irrigation seasons. The chief advisor sated that the contribution of the project in agriculture sector especially in horticulture sector is strengthening the capacity of farmers on the ground to come up with quality production, required from market side. In addition, we try to make the market linkage between farmers and customers said, Saso.
“There is a call for serious commitments to change the horticultural sectors; now horticulture is at a very important stage in Ethiopia; the government is very much serious focusing on the horticulture sector to strengthen”. Finally, Saso said, it is time to do on horticulture sector; it needs more gradual and continuous support because chang does not happen in one night. Ato Tekeba Tebabal: Deputy head of Mr. Fumiaki Saso: Chief advisor of Amhara sate bureau of agriculture Ehio-SHEP project
Herald FEBRUAR 3/2019
BY BAHIRU SETEGNE (From MOA)
