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Digitising climate-smart agriculture training

Photo: Farm Africa / Esther Mbabazi Photo: Farm Africa / Esther Mbabazi

The problem

Smallholder farmers living in southern Ethiopia are already feeling the effects of climate change. An unpredictable and volatile climate is pushing people into hunger and poverty.

Climate-smart agricultural techniques have the potential to sustainably increase yields, build farmers’ resilience to new weather patterns, and absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

However, traditional face-to-face agricultural extension services lack the practical means to train large numbers of remote farmers in climate-smart agriculture.

Despite the significant benefits they offer, climate-smart agricultural approaches are often not adopted by farmers. Off-the-shelf techniques fail to take root with rural communities as they don’t cater to the cultural, agricultural and economic realities smallholders operate in and farmers don’t feel a sense of ownership over them.

A dearth of accurate and timely market and weather information stops farmers from making informed decisions.

What are we doing?

Farm Africa is harnessing the power of technology to equip 20,000 farmers with the agricultural knowledge and market and weather information they need to thrive in a changing climate.

Farm Africa will use radio shows, SMS texts, a mobile app and a bespoke website to deliver a blend of information that matches agricultural techniques with weather events and market trends.

We will identify 1,000 lead farmers to test, adapt and refine climate-smart agriculture techniques so that the new approaches work for and appeal to farmers. Each lead farmer will train 19 of their neighbours in climate-smart agriculture techniques and inform them about weather and market information.

Who are we working with?

The project is working with the SNNPR Bureau of Finance and Economy Cooperation (BoFED) and The Regional Agricultural and Natural Resources Bureau.

This project is funded by CTA (The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation) through the European Union. This project is co-funded by the European Union.