Despite much progress, Ethiopia remains one of Africa’s poorest nations with a third of the population living below the poverty line.

Increasing farm production, supporting new enterprise and developing market opportunities for farmers is at the core of Self Help Africa’s work in Ethiopia.

Current projects in the country also focus on strengthening community-based seed production, improving the resilience of local agricultural communities to changing climate, and on improving productivity and livestock value chains.

Last year, the organisation was involved in implementing close
to a dozen development projects, all of which are being undertaken in collaboration with local and/or international partners.

Full Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Population: 107.5 million (World Bank, 2018)
Population Growth (Yearly): 2.46%
Capital: Addis Ababa
Area: 1,104,300 SQ KM (426,371 SQ Miles)
Major Languages: Amharic (Official)
Major Religions: Christianity, Islam, Traditional Beliefs

EARLY SEED GENERATION II
Amhara Region
This project aims to increase the food security and economic development of rural
households in Ethiopia through wheat and maize seed production. The project promotes farmer-led seed production in order to make good quality seed available in the country. It is strengthening seed producer groups and linking them to unions, and is training farmers in seed production and management.

CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE
SNNPR
The objective of this project is to improve resilience, and food and nutrition security of smallholder households in vulnerable regions through climate-smart agriculture practices. SHA is working to improve resilience to climate extremes by building human capacity, strengthening market access, and developing community management systems for natural resources. These practices are useful to engage resource-poor farmers in production of high-value crops and seeds.

SMALLHOLDER SUPPORT SCHEME
Oromia Region
The smallholder support scheme is helping smallholder farmers to increase productivity and production of maize and soybeans. The farmers, through cooperative unions, are being supported to negotiate supply contracts, develop loan agreements, and secure collateral. This project aims to enable smallholder farmers to sustainably intensify production using improved seed varieties and crop rotation practices.

BOSET II
Oromia Region
Climate change is posing significant challenges to Ethiopian communities, affecting water and food security. The aim of this project is to improve the resilience of smallholder farmers by improving on-farm disaster risk management in drought-prone areas. This is being achieved through training courses on conservation agriculture; building local seed enterprises; creating a revolving fund scheme; and training members on cooperative management.

STRONGER TOGETHER
Amhara Region
This project is promoting community-based seed production through the development of farmer owned and managed seed producer cooperatives and unions to fill specific gaps in seed supply. It will also address the significant demand for affordable, improved seed when farmers need to plant it, which is not currently being met by existing formal seed systems.

SCALING UP RUSACCOS
The project aims to increase access to suitable financial services by rural communities. This is being delivered by improving the governance and operational capacity of unions and RuSACCOs; and increasing the outreach of financial services into rural and marginalized areas. Improving access to financial services is a means of assisting smallholder households to diversify their income generation activities

DAIRY FOR DEVELOPMENT
Oromia Region
This project focuses on boosting rural livelihoods and nutrition by enhancing production techniques, strengthening value chains and improving the genetics of dairy cows. The aim is to improve the income and nutrition status of smallholder farmer households from dairy production, by improving the skills, knowledge, and experience in dairy producers, local communities, and local governments. Sustainable gains for dairy producers will ensure an on-going legacy of impact with specific activities becoming self-supporting.