Agroecology for a sustainable livehood in Ethiopia

Tamene Bekele, an eco-responsible farmer, has opted for sustainable practices in his wheat growing because of the high costs and health concerns associated with chemical fertilisers. With the support of local NGO PELUM and the Ministry of Agriculture, he is exploring techniques such as the production of vermicompost, a green fertiliser. His experiments have shown that agroecological methods give better yields. He is now committed to extending these sustainable practices to all his fields. Tamene's story underlines the importance of sustainable farming practices in meeting economic and environmental challenges. By working with other farmers and benefiting from the support of Humundi's local partner organisations and the authorities, he has adopted a more ecological and efficient approach, preserving his health and the fertility of his soil. Gura Arricho, Oromia region, Ethiopia, November 9, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Wossene Worku Fayyee working in her wheat field with her family. She has saved money in a savings and credit cooperative in her village supported by a local NGO Wise whose mission is to boost women entrepreneurship in rural zone. Thanks to this savings and credit cooperative, she has accessed to a loan and was able to buy seeds and fertilizers for family farming activities. She is running her own agriculture. She holds a wheat, corn, and other vegetables crops (beans, cabbage, onions) which she also sells at the market to make a living. She also has a livestock. In addition to her family farming activity, she owns a small bar in the village and a shop that is an extension of her living house. Today, she is able to draw income from those activities and has improved her quality of life. in the Ticho District, Arsi zone, region of Oromia, Ethiopia. November 8, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Bizunesh Dadhi, 36, mother of 3, a daring agro-entrepreneur, joined a savings and credit cooperative 5 years ago to realise her ambitions. Today, she has a thriving business raising and selling sheep, as well as growing a variety of vegetables such as maize, peppers and beans to feed her family. and beans to feed her family. She also markets vegetables produced by local growers and other suppliers. The management training provided by the cooperative gave her the knowledge and confidence to launch her business and become financially independent. Bizunesh is now encouraging Ethiopian women to follow her example, assert their rights and seize the opportunities available to them. Arsi, Ethiopia, 7 November 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Wossene Worku Fayyee working in her wheat field with her family. She has saved money in a savings and credit cooperative in her village supported by a local NGO Wise whose mission is to boost women entrepreneurship in rural zone. Thanks to this savings and credit cooperative, she has accessed to a loan and was able to buy seeds and fertilizers for family farming activities. She is running her own agriculture. She holds a wheat, corn, and other vegetables crops (beans, cabbage, onions) which she also sells at the market to make a living. She also has a livestock. In addition to her family farming activity, she owns a small bar in the village and a shop that is an extension of her living house. Today, she is able to draw income from those activities and has improved her quality of life. In the Ticho District, Arsi zone, region of Oromia, Ethiopia. November 8, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Aster Negusie Deres, a 36 years-old housewife and mother of 3 children, keeps her herd of goats in the highlands of Ethiopia, 5 years ago, Aster joined a SACCO (savings and credit cooperative). She received several loans to buy sheep and attended different training to develop skills and learn how to better manage her resources. She was able to make profit with her sheep livestock and went into farming a variety of vegetable crops to ensure the food security of her family. Her entrepreneurship allowed her to have her own income so that she is not anymore dependent on her husband financially. She feels today more confident, and she can contribute to the household incomes. Ticho district, Arsi zone, Oromia region. November 8, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Aster Negusie Deres, a 36 years-old housewife and mother of 3 children, cooking an injera pancake-like flatbread, traditionally made of teff flour, a tiny, round grain that flourishes in the highlands of Ethiopia. 5 years ago, Aster joined a SACCO (savings and credit cooperative). She received several loans to buy sheep and attended different training to develop skills and learn how to better manage her resources. She was able to make profit with her sheep livestock and went into farming a variety of vegetable crops to ensure the food security of her family. Her entrepreneurship allowed her to have her own income so that she is not anymore dependent on her husband financially. She feels today more confident, and she can contribute to the household incomes. In the Ticho District, Arsi zone, region of Oromia, Ethiopia. November 8, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Abebu Wondimu, she is 38 years old and mother of 4 children. She is a vegetable seller in Ticho town, zone of Arsi, Ethiopia. November 8, 2022. Few years ago, she joined a cooperative and took many training courses to develop management and business skills. She says that the training gave her the confidence to start a business and be self-employed.
She was able to get funds through the savings and credit cooperative to which she belongs. She received two loans from 3000 and 5000 Ethiopian birr that enabled her to start her own vegetables marketing business. Even though she has achieved her goal, today she is facing difficulties because marketing in Ethiopia remains a challenge particularly due to the limited supply of products, long supply chain, unfair pricing, and insufficient product handling techniques. The seasonality and perishability of vegetables adds a difficulty but thanks to the training she works to overcome those constraints. © Olivier Papegnies

Tsige Kasu Tesema, a 57-year-old farmer, proudly stirs her precious vermicompost, a natural fertiliser obtained by composting organic waste with the help of with the help of earthworms. Trained in agro-ecological practices by the NGO PELUM in partnership with Humundi, Tsige now favours organic fertilisers for her crops. Forgoing expensive chemical fertilisers that are harmful to the soil and productivity, she has been preparing her own compost for the past five years. Her crops have become more resilient thanks to improved yields and better quality. The use of compost has increased her self-sufficiency by reducing her dependence on chemical fertilisers. In the future, Tsige plans to increase its production of vermicompost. The consequences of the war in Ukraine have underlined the vital importance of reducing dependence on imported fertilisers - innovative experiments such as these are strengthening the resilience of the communities supported by Humundi, promoting their autonomy and sustainable development. In Hurt Town, zone of Arsi, Ethiopia, November 9, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies SYNOPSIS Ethiopia is the second largest country in Africa in terms of population, the vast majority of whom live in rural areas. 31% of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day and there are recurrent problems of undernourishment. Although the government is beginning to focus on the development of the agricultural sector, its growth is very slow and the problems of poverty and food insecurity remain a major challenge for the country, especially for small producers. Family farming, in order to develop, faces many obstacles such as recurrent droughts, lack of irrigation infrastructure, dysfunctional markets and difficulties in accessing financial services. This of course worsened with the various horrible internal conflict the county is passing through. Yet in the field, small family farmers are fa

Genet Girma, a smallholder farmer, is threshing grains with her family. Apart from grains, she grows vegetables for her own consumption and sells the excess at the market. Recently, she has embarked on more ecological and sustainable farming practices and learned how to prepare organic compost. As a result, its agricultural production has increased, and she is no longer dependent on expensive chemical fertilizers. So, she can produce a good quality of vegetables and her land has been restored thanks to organic fertilizer and agroecological praticises. She feels more resilient in her food security. In Lode Itusi district, zone of Arsi, Ethiopia. November 9, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

A cattle farmer gazing at the horizon of the village of Gura Arricho, zone of Arsi,Ethiopia. November 9, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Kibu Tura, a 38-year-old cattle farmer, serves tea to her guests in the village of Ido, zone of Arsi, Ethiopia, November 10, 2022.© Olivier Papegnies

Genet Girma, a small-scale farmer, cooks the maize she grows with her daughter. As well as maize, she grows cereals and vegetables for her own consumption and sells the surplus at the market. She has recently embarked on more ecological and sustainable farming practices and has learned to prepare organic compost. As a result, her crop production has increased and she is no longer dependent on expensive chemical fertilisers. She can now produce good quality vegetables and her land has been restored thanks to organic fertilisers and agro-ecological practices. She feels more resilient when it comes to her food security. In the Lode Itusi district, in the Arsi zone, Ethiopia. November 9, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

With access to financial services to develop their farming businesses, farmers can build a promising future, promoting fairer and more sustainable food systems. They can make deposits and obtain loans, giving them the means to buy a house with storage space, land to farm, etc... Access to finance plays an essential role in sustainably improving the food, economic and social situation of those involved in food systems. It provides farmers with the means to invest in their farms, improve their farming practices and develop their resilience in the face of economic and environmental challenges. In Robe Town, in the Arsi zone, Ethiopia. November 7, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

A group of women smallholders sifting grain in the village of Ido. These small-scale producers have been given access to financial services and credits through a microfinance institution (Busaa Gonofaa), which especially targets women and landless youth. This support enabled them to start and develop their agricultural activity. This microfinance institution implemented in their village a rural savings and, especially credit facilities which is managed by rural communities who have a fundamental role to play in decision-making This local implantation which allows for a more detailed analysis of credit requests and appropriate management of repayments, explains their success: decision-making members have knowledge of each applicant, and payment defaults are extremely rare. Isolated areas in Ethiopia are often forgotten by traditional banking and financial institutions, as they are deemed unprofitable due to their remoteness. Access to rural savings and credit facilities is an essential lever in the fight against poverty. In Ido Village, in Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Farming family is about to grind their cereals in the Lemu Bilbilo district, zone of Arsi, Ethiopia. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Tikia Guta, a 55-year-old famer and mother of 9 children in the village of Ido. Wheat cultivation and a horse-drawn carts business are her main activities to generate income. She has recently undertaken a petty trade activity and still plans to engage in other agricultural activities to diversify her income sources. These livelihood activities were made possible by the funds and support she received from the rural savings and credit union to which she belongs. In Ido Village, Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Tiki Guta’son carrying family sugar cans yield with his horse-drawn cart, in the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

A farmer explains to the children that they cannot dig up the wheat on the edge of his field.in the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

A group of women go to the Ticho market to sell their harvest produce. In Ticho town, zone of Arsi, Ethiopia. November 8, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Kaba Bakala, a 50-year-old farmer and stockbreeder, has overcome the obstacles associated with access to agricultural inputs thanks to her inclusion in financial services. Previously excluded from savings and credit services, her situation changed when she received support from the microfinance institution Buusaa Gonofaa MFI (a Humundi partner). This institution focuses on supporting women, farmers and landless young people by providing credit and savings collection services. With the help of Buusaa Gonofaa, Kaba has been able to develop her farming activities and considerably improve her living conditions. Today, she proudly looks after her herds of cows, goats and much more. Her access to quality seeds has also strengthened her farming practices. Working as a family, Kaba has achieved financial self-sufficiency by generating profits from her farming activities. Not only does his family now have enough food, but they also enjoy a stable income. Kaba's story illustrates the transformative power of inclusive financial services and the resilience of individuals and organisations determined to fight inequality. In the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone, Ethiopia. November 11, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Foro Hadji Ismaël, 30, three children, is a farmer and stockbreeder whose situation changed when she received support from the microfinance institution Buusaa Gonofaa MFI (a Humundi partner). This institution focuses on supporting women, farmers and landless young people by providing credit and savings collection services. Thanks to Buusaa Gonofaa's support, Foro has been able to develop its farming activities and considerably improve its living conditions. Today, she proudly looks after her herds of cows and much more. Her access to quality seeds has also strengthened her farming practices. Foro has achieved financial self-sufficiency by generating profits from her farming activities. Not only does her family now have enough food, but they also enjoy a stable income. In the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone, Ethiopia. November 11, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Abudur Jabar Ibrahim, an agro-entrepreneur in poultry farming, succeeded in establishing his poultry farming business thanks to access to credit and savings services. Today, he earns his income from buying and selling chickens on the local market. However, his aspirations go beyond this initial success. Abudur Jabar Ibrahim has even greater ambitions and aspires to develop his business further. He is seeking additional credit in order to seize new opportunities and expand his business. His entrepreneurial spirit and determination are living testimony to the positive impact of financial services on small businesses, which are key players in the food systems chain. Abudur Ibrahim's story highlights the crucial importance of financial services in supporting entrepreneurs and fostering the economic development of local communities. In the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

A group of women sell dried rush straws on the main market in the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone, Ethiopia. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

Gadise Tola sells its cereals on the local market . In the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone, Ethiopia. November 10, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies

A young woman returns from the local market in the Lemu Bilbilo district with organic and sustainable produce. In the village of Ido Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi zone, Ethiopia. November 11, 2022. © Olivier Papegnies