Month: July, 2015
Amhara Region
Activities on Capacity Development / Observations/
action required
Dairy
· Six veterinary experts two each from North Gondar, South Wollo and West Gojjam zones of Amhara region trained on Epidemiology at ILRI campus in Addis Ababa. Following the training, epidemiology survey planned and necessary logistics arranged to conduct the survey in two districts of each zone.
· Coaching and mentoring service provided to two dairy farmers of Dessie town on Nano milking machine operation.
Small ruminant
· Coaching & mentoring service provided to 4 extension (1-F) workers and 7 (0-F) sheep farmers on forage production & sheep fattening at Abasso Kotu PA of Dessie Zuria district on July 17, 2015. Similarly, coaching & mentoring service provided to 18 goat rearing farmers (4-F) of Abicho PA at Kalu district and 4 experts (1-F) on different forage crops propagation methods on July 18, 2015.
Irrigated fodder
· Coaching & mentoring service provided to 12 (0-F) famers & 3 (1-F) DAs of Kete PA at Tehuledere district on propagation and planting methods of improved forage crops. Similarly, coaching & mentoring service provided to farmers on planting methods and management of elephant grass, bracheria & Rhodes grass in Mecha & Bahir Dar Zuria districts. Likewise, coaching & mentoring service provided for intervention HHs on improved fodder production practices in Dembia, Gondar zuria & Lay Armacheho districts.
Fruit crops
· Coaching & mentoring service provided to avocado, mango & banana growers at Mecha, Bahir Dar zuria, Dembia & Lay Armacheho districts on planting site selection, size of planting hole, panting and other management practices.
Activities on Knowledge Management
· In this reporting period the knowledge center of Tehuledere district renovated by the district agriculture office with 30,000 birr budget. In addition, Dessie Zuria district agriculture office made an agreement with Ethio-telecom and installed broad band internet service for the knowledge center. Moreover, 230 books collected from different sources and provided to the knowledge center.
· Field day organized on July 12 to demonstrate forage development and goat fattening activity at Gerba PA of Kalu district. A total of 42 Farmers (4-F) participated. The adaptation and productivity of forage species demonstrated to participants. In addition, discussion held on the integration of fodder development with goat fattening and development of fodder planting material multiplication as a business.
· Field day organized to demonstrate Nano milking machine, cow mat, biogas electric generator, poultry cage, feed formulation, fruit seedling supply and irrigated fodder production practices to directors EIAR & 4 regional research institutes, ATA, and LIVES HQ staff at Bahir Dar Zuria & Mecha districts. In addition, experts and officials from ARARI, Andasa research center, Bahir Dar Agricultural Mechanization & food science research center, Bahir Dar town agriculture office, Livestock agency, Regional Women, Children and Youth Affairs Bureau, and poultry & dairy farmers visited the project interventions on dairy implemented in Bahir Dar town. Totally 41 participants attended the event.
· Demonstrated grilled chicken meat & grilling machine to promote chicken meat utilization and market opportunities to Bahir dar town and official of livestock agency, regional women and youth office and Bahir dar town administration, regional research institute and research centers (Andassa, mechanization, Adet research centers) staff and farmers. In addition, poultry cage housing, feed preparation, and incubator were demonstrated for 41 participants.
· Demonstrated tomato jam preparation & utilization to officials & experts of ARARI, regional livestock agency, regional women, children and youth bureau and Bahir dar town administration, Andassa research center, Bahir Dar agricultural mechanization and food science research center, and the public.
Promotion / Observations/action required
· LIVES regional experts shared interventions and lessons of LIVES project to officials DGs of EIAR, RARIs, ATA, regional Livestock agency, Regional Women, Children & Youth affairs Bureau, Andassa research center, Bahir Dar Mechanization & food science research center, and Bahir Dar town Office of agriculture officials & experts.
· LIVES South Wollo Zone coordinator contributed in drought adaptation strategies that include introduction of drought resistance forage crops (pigeon pea and cow pea) and high value crops mung bean to adapt moisture stress occurred in the intervention districts.
· Dr. Yigzaw Dessalegn attended and shared LIVES experience on the workshop organized by ATA to enrich regional feed roadmap document. Totally 18 (0-F) participants attended the workshop and participants were farmers and experts from regional livestock agency, BoA, LMD, SNV and other projects.
· Dr. Zeleke Mekuriaw attended national workshop on accelerated delivery of improved dairy genetics through OSMAI. Participants were livestock officials & experts from federal and regional research & extension offices. In addition, Dr. Zeleke attended consultative workshop organized by Mecha district office of Agriculture on grazing land management held at Merawi. Participants were experts, officials & farmers.
Value chain development
Dairy
· An effort made to link the grass split producers with LIVES targeted farmers. In this regard one vehicle splits of Bracheria Decumbes (Single grass) sold for North Gonder and West Gojam LIVES targeted farmers via LIVES project.
· Dairy farmers at Dessie town, Kete PA of Tehuledere district and Gerba PA of Kalu district sown different types of forage crops. In addition, monks at Haik Monastery started feed chopping for their own cows using the chopper being purchased last month as a result of linkage created by LIVES with chopper supplier company in Addis Ababa.
Small ruminant
· Hormone assisted Oestrous synchronization demonstrated on 65 ewes of Washera bred owned by 39 farmers at Aberomenor PA of Mecha district.
· In South Wollo zone deworming of 158 sheep and 120 goats provided with Albendazol in July 2015. 200 goats were also vaccinated with ovain pastrolosis. In addition, weighting of kids under taken on 22 sheep and 45 goats and grading and selection is undergoing with in the tagged flock. 12-15 local rams culled by selling and slaughtering for household use. It has been observed that the average Wt of sheep kids is about 2 KG while for goat is 1.5-2 Kg at first birth date.
Irrigated vegetables
· Two onion seed producer group one Tehuledere (Jare PA) and the other one at Kalu (Tekake PA) organized and prepared 4,500 Sq m of land to plant onion bulb for seed production.
· In South Wollo zone demonstration materials which include seed of Tomato (Roman VF and San Marzano) varieties, onion varieties (Bombay red and Red creole) and bulb of Adama red for seed production, seed of cauliflower, popcorn, mung bean, Cucumber and Carrot (Nanthus) purchased and ready for distribution to intervention HHs.
· In North Gondar zone, two vegetable seed suppliers were linked with onion seed producers from Mecha district. As a result of this linkage, seed suppliers purchased 600 kgs onion seed and started selling to farmers.
Irrigated fruits
· Introduced 100 grafted mango seedlings in Bahir dar zuria district at 3 kebeles (Yigoma, Wogelsa, and Wonjeta) for 15 farmers and 40 grafted Avocado at Wonjeta kebele for 3 farmers. Similarly, 255 grafted avocado seedlings provided to 18 intervention HHs of Wotetabay and Ambomesk PAs of Mecha district. Moreover, 4 fruit harvesting tools provided to 3 fruit producers from Mecha district and one fruit grower in Bahir Dar zuria district.
· In North Gondar zone, 100 grafted seedlings of four avocado varieties were purchased from Chagni nursery site and distributed to 5 intervention HHs in Lay Armacheho district. In Addition, three farmers farmers from Dembia district were linked to public fruit nursery site in Gonder zuria district and bought 28 grafted seedlings of mango improved varieties. Moreover, 200 suckers of four improved banana varieties (Butazo, Williams, Gaint Cavendish & Poyo) were distributed to two interventions HHs in Lay Armacheho district.
Irrigated fodder
· Introduced 3000 cutting of Napier grass for 5 farmers and 120 sods of Brachiaria for 3 farmers in Mecha district at Enguti PA. Likewise, introduced 60 sods of Brachiaria for 4 farmers in Bahir Dar zuria district at Zenzelima PA, and 3kg of Rhodes grass for 1 farmer at Wogelsa PA.
· Introduced 400 Bracheria splits from South Wollo and distributed to 12 farmers found in Dembia, Lay armacho and Gonder zuria districts for demonstration.
· In south Wollo zone the following improved forage crops purchased and distributed to intervention HHs as demonstration material.
No / Forage type / Purchased / Distributed
1 / Vetch / 40 Kg / 20Kg
2 / Lablab / 10 Kg / 4 Kg
3 / Oats / 230 Kg / 100Kg
4 / Peagon pea / 50 Kg / 20 Kg
5 / Cow pea / 5Kg / 3Kg
6 / Desmanthus / 5kg / 3Kg
7 / Alfalfa / 4Kg / 1Kg
8 / Bracheria / 4000 splits
9 / Napier grass / 4500 cuttings
Research and Documentation:
· Collected weekly market price and source of major vegetables sold at Bahir Dar market.
· Feed data of feed resource assessment in to the computer
· Advised MSc students on thesis research topic and treatment identification
Activities on Project Management
· Performance assessment & new KRA for all staff prepared and submitted during this reporting period.
· Organized Research institutes DGs and LIVES official meeting
· AKCs broad band internet connectivity payments and focal person payments settled.
· Petty cash expense & project advance settled
· Three zonal coordinators & two regional experts attended competency based interview training organized by POD of ILRI.
Prepared by: Amhara LIVES team