ataye field day trip report -...

Page | 1 “One seed for a big harvest”

Ataye Field Day Trip Report

Compiled by: Mulugeta Habtemichael

Field day program organized by Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Technology Institute (EMDTI) in

collaboration with EDEN FIELD AGRI-SEED ENTERPRISE (EFASE) & International Livestock Research

Institute (ILRI)

Venue: Ephiratana Gidim Woreda Ataye Village, North Shewa Zone, Ataye prison farm, Amhara

Regional State

Date: October 25, 2012

Ato Tadesse Ayane of the EMDTI welcomed the participants and the opening speech was

made by Ato Gidey G/Medhin, Director of the EMDTI.

In his speech Ato Gidey thanked all the participants and emphasized the importance of

livestock fodder development as part of the agricultural sector which contributes 85% of

the nation’s GDP. He moreover expressed that the country is aiming to shift to

industrialized economy within 5 years of the GTP using agriculture as a ladder towards the

intended goal. He confirmed that EMDTI, his organization is committed to support the

efforts towards livestock production and productivity including fodder development and

improved feeding systems. The support includes creating market opportunities and

capacitating local investments and investors in the livestock sector. The organization

aspires to maximize the foreign export of live animals, meat, hides and skin to different

countries.

Ato Gidey appreciated the effort of Eden Field Agri-Seed Enterprise which is working

aggressively on fodder seed development in an integrated approach which considers soil

and water conservation while developing livestock fodder. According to the explanation,

Eden field started its activities in 2008 in collaboration with a number of stakeholders


including ILRI, EMDTI and EIAR. The forage seed production field which the participants

will be visiting today has been established in collaboration with Ataye prison

administration. Ato Gidey thanked ILRI for its continued support both technically and

financially including sharing the costs of this very field day.

Ato Gebru, the farm manager of Eden Field Agri-Seed Enterprise on his part made brief

speech by mentioning some of the key issues of the farm. According to his speech, the

enterprise is working both on livestock fodder seeds development and forest tree seeds

development. The enterprise has seed multiplication plots across three agro ecological

zones in Ethiopia: High land (Holleta and others), mid altitude (Ataye), and lowland (Afar)

areas.

The enterprise sells forage seeds to farmers all over the country based on demand and

request. Opportunities of the enterprise include: shortage of livestock feed both in quantity

and quality, low level livestock productivity and backward livestock production systems

which the enterprise wishes to improve. The enterprise doesn’t have its own land and the

seed production is done with out -grower farmers such as Kara Logoma and Sar Amba

kebele farmers on their own land and Eden Field buys from the farmers. For this to happen,

various stakeholders helped in so many ways. To mention some of them, ILRI (also

provided technical & financial support) and EIAR helped in provision of basic seeds, EMDTI

provided training.


In addition to the out-grower farmers, the enterprise also has a contractual agreement with

Ataye prison to grow forage seeds on the land of the prison administration and the

enterprise buys from them. Eden Field provides basic seeds and technical support to the

prison. The activity is also anticipates to equip the prisoners with skills of fodder

development for contribution in their future life after prison. The duration of the current

contract with Ataye prison administration is for three years. The farm uses both rain and

irrigation water and uses labor from Ataye prison.

Speech of Commander Temam Kedir, representative, Ataye prison administration

The representative thanked all participants for coming for the field day and briefly

explained the joint forage seed production business between Eden Field Agri-Seed

Enterprise and Ataye Prison Administration. According the explanation, the joint fodder

seed production work started in January 2012 on 4.9 hectares of the Ataye Prison

Administration by planting Lablab, Alfalfa, Pigeon pea and Siratro, all improved forage

legume species. The mission of the business is:

1. To alleviate fodder scarcity problem in the country

2. To train the prisoners in fodder production to provide them with skills of income

generation when they go out of the prison

3. To generate income for the prison administration

So far training to the prisoners and the surrounding farmers on fodder seed production and

management was given by EMDTI. The prison administration has earned a total of

Ethiopian Birr 60,000 within this short period of time by selling improved forage seeds to

Eden Field Agri-seed Enterprise and the community with modest price.

Speech of Ato Tefera Chanyalew, Coordinator of woreda AGP

Ato Tefera on his part thanked the participants and Eden field Agri-seed Enterprise for

arranging the occasion. He mentioned that the work of Eden Field and partners has a great

deal of contribution to the national AGP in that it provides the farmers with better fodder

options through improved forage seed multiplication to improve livestock productivity and

also help to mitigate problems of soil erosion by integrating the fodder in the national

program of SWC work. He mentioned that they can already see some promising results of

the work of Eden Field and partners.


Field Visit

The field visit was made to the 4.9 hectares of forage plots at the Ataye Prison

Administration farm.

The following forage species which have been visited include:

1. Pigeon pea – Siratro mixture

2. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

3. Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana)

4. Blue panicum (Panicum antidotale)

5. Lablab pupureus

Most of the forages are at flowering stage while some are maturing.


Final Remarks

The field visit was terminated with remarks from the visitors. One participant mentioned

the extent of care that the farm needs by telling a traditional tale “Farm needs a greeting –

Good morning! And not How was your year?” to explain that a farm has be visited every

day and not after a year time.

Break and recreation time

The lunch break was accompanied by watching poems, songs and traditional dancing

organized by “Hidase Kinetibeb” artists from the prisoners.

Power Point Presentation by Eden Field Agri-Seed Enterprise

The presentation included experience of Eden Field which is mentioned below:

The country has a large potential of livestock but did not benefit much

There is high need for livestock feed and the need for improving feeding systems

The current feed resources include: Natural pasture – 61.89%, crop residues – 27%,

straw – 6%, by products – 1%, improved feed – 0.008%, various others – 4%


Eden Field doesn’t have its own land but works with out-grower farmers and promote the

approach for multiplying fodder seeds. However, there some challenges of this approach.

The farmers are not willing to engage in to contract to grow perennial forages, but there is

no problem to grow annual forages like Lablab and Oats.

Eden Field has a big seed processing laboratory in Addis Ababa which makes it unique in

the country. The lab services include: cleaning, fumigation, germination test (viability test),

labeling of % germination and viability of seeds.

Eden Field’s stake holders include:

1. Ministry of Agriculture

2. AGP

3. EMDTI

4. ILRI

5. EIAR

6. IFAD

7. IPMS/LIVES

8. Oromia Livestock Agency

9. Ethiopian Animal Feed Industry Association

10. Forage Seeds Out-growers

11. Woreda Offices of Agriculture

The main activities of the enterprise include:

Supply of fodder/forage and tree basic seeds to the out – grower farmers

Provision of technical support to the out – grower farmers

Provision of laboratory services like germination test

Training and workshops

Purchase of seeds from the farmers

Available seeds for sale in the enterprise:

Grasses:

Buffle grass

Panicum coloratum/maximum

Rhodes grass

Phalaris


Herbaceous legumes:

Siratro

Desmodium ( green leaf)

Medicago sativa (alfalfa)

Fodder trees:

Sesbania

Pigeon pea

Leucaena

Tree Lucerne (Tagasaste)

The demand and production quantity of all forage has been increasing over times since the

enterprise started the operation. However, it has been noted there is still shortage of basic

seeds for some varieties and it is only ILRI and EIAR supplying the basic seeds in small

quantities.

The market/users of the fodder/forage and tree seeds include NGO, GOs and private

sectors.

Challenges faced by the enterprise include:

Lack of land to grow forages and tree seeds

Lack of adequate knowledge on improved forages

Limited seed processing facility including seed cleaning

High price of seeds for farmers

High production cost

Shortage of basic seeds

Lack of adequate transportation

Lunch break


Discussions after lunch

Points of discussion include:

Is the business profitable? The response was that there is high demand and that the

firm couldn’t be able to meet the demand

Suggestion to open more branch offices in regional capital as the enterprise the only

certified forage seed producer in the country

The need for forage seeds became very high (in Amhara region alone requested for

200,000Kg of various forage seeds). The increase in demand is associated with the

control of free grazing across the whole region.

In addition to the current approach of working with the out-grower farmers, the

firm is advised to have its own core farm

Need to maximize the knowledge of students at the university level about improved

forages

It is good to have competitors to grow forage seeds in order to decrease prices of

forage seeds

Need for quality assurance regulations because seeds can sold by individuals in the

market and there is no way to know the source of basic seeds

Eden Fields should request the relevant government office for obligatory regulatory

system to be imposed in order to ensure quality standards. Such regulatory system

exists for crop seeds and forages but not for forage seeds at the moment

ILRI’s role in forage seeds: Is it going to continue? Or what? The response was, ILRI

is a research institute and supplies only few quantity basic seeds for research

purposes. It is advisable if other relevant institutions play the role of supplying

seeds in large quantities.

The Development Bank of Ethiopia is happy and positive to provide loan service to

any one working the forage seed business

Closing Remarks by Ato Yirdaw Woldesemayat -Ethiopian Animal Feed Industry

Association (EAFIA) -chairman

Ato Yirdaw thanked Eden Field and partners for the wonderful work and the field day

arrangements. He also mentioned that Eden Fields is one of the active members of the

association which was established in 2000. The association which has over 70 members

composed of various stake holders operates nationwide but mainly in Oromia, Addis

Ababa, South and Tigray regions. He said that the EAFIA is going to launch a new book

on feed issues in Ethiopia. Ato Yirdaw pointed out that in order to have more

enterprises like Eden Field; there should be land and capital.

The program ended at 4:00pm


Note:

All program and discussions was presented in Amharic language.

Ethiopian Television and Radio observed the field day.


Annex 1: List of participants

Fodder Round Table Meeting Participants

On

Forage seed Multiplication and Forum Field day

N-Shewa, Ataye woreda

Producer-Eden Field Agri seed Enterprise

Oct 25, 2012

No. Name Responsibility Organization Telephone 1 Diriba Geleti Researcher DZ.Research Center 0923262786 2 Yohanis Shiferaw North Shewa

Investment office 0911777100

3 Birhanu Alemu Reporter ERTA 0910164023 4 Getenesh Bekele Expert MoA 0911917311 5 Getachew worku coordinator N/Sh/Zone AGP 0911718242 6 Gashawu Debela Reporter ERTA 0911751053 7 Zenbaba Telila Coordinator N/Sh/Zone LDHMA 0922461312 8 Tefera Chanyalew Coordinator Woreda AGP 0910668227 9 Demeke Mezmur Expert Oromia Bureau of

Agriculture 0911926688

10 Beletewu Asefa Coordinator Woreda Environmental Protection

0911024211

11 Gosim Beyene Coordinator Efrata Woreda Agriculture Office

0913305090

12 Legese Tsige Expert Ataye Prison 0913358568 13 Tesema Belete Livestock

Expert Sar Amba kebele 0928324333

14 Temam Kedir Police Ataye Prison 0912907467 15 Betelehem Bizuneh Forage Expert Efrata Woreda

Agriculture Office 0911077523

16 Birhanu Sase DA Efrata Woreda Agriculture Office

0923423748

17 Ens.Hileleul W/Semaiat Police Ataye Prison 0912911298 18 W/Agegn T/Mariam Prisoner Ataye Prison 0913059597 19 Zinabe Mamo Police

Administrator Ataye Prison 0913408072

20 Yitayale Shita Driver Ataye Prison 0913218957 21 Siyamregn Leykun Expert Efrata Woreda 0911035190


Agriculture Office 22 Ketsela Debebe Administrator N/Sh.Police 0913049580 23 Negash Taye Driver N/Sh.Police 0921743897 24 Amtataw Simechew Farmer Kara Logoma Kebele 0922924389 25 Mekuria Tsige Farmer Kara Logoma Kebele - 26 Zewudu Gesesse Farmer Fereduha Kebele - 27 Asebe Abdena Forage Expert ILRI 0911400137 28 Mulugeta Habtemichael Research

Technician ILRI 0912937580

29 Miliyon Getaneh Coordinator ACDI/VOCA 0913153116 30 Belihu Belayneh Farmer Fereduha Kebele 0920787107 31 Asaminew Arkise Prisoner Ataye Prison - 32 Zenebu Gorfu Prisoner Ataye Prison - 33 Dr.Esayas Tesema Coordinator NIC 0917243523 34 Teshome Lakewu Director MoA 0913004761 35 Moti Cheru Expert MoA 0913077092 36 Dereje Tefera Expert OLDHMA 0911653360 37 Alemu Aklilu Manager Ataye Prison 0913604357 38 Yusuf Ahmed Coordinator Ataye Prison 0914601852 39 Sagen Tewodros Dev.Coordinator Ataye Prison 0913116229 40 Tasew Derege Dev.Coordinator Ataye Prison 0912208853 41 Girma Worke Vice President Development Bank 0911840999 42 Shambel Kebede Police Ataye Prison 0914649045 43 Muhamed Zeyinu Mechanic Ataye Prison - 44 Gesesse Kitawu Prisoner Ataye Prison - 45 Mehammed H/Hasen Sen.Expert MoA 0911341563 46 Sileshi Welde Police Ataye Prison 0921966917 47 Getachewu Asefa Police Ataye Prison 0912425432 48 Ayeltch Demisse Police Ataye Prison 0921129932 49 Worku Endale EXpert A/A/Communication 0926717449 50 Mekasha Zenebe Prisoner Ataye Prison - 51 Belete Teka Police Ataye Prison 09210037602 52 Bayu Addis Police Ataye Prison 0920765196 53 Mindahun Jekale Police Ataye Prison 0910694386 54 Sisay Mamo Police Ataye Prison 0922891833 55 Asegid Tamiru Police Ataye Prison 0920799585 56 Tareke Asefa Police Ataye Prison 0920786967 57 Birhanu W/Afrash Prisoner Ataye Prison - 58 Cherinet Mamo Prisoner Ataye Prison - 59 Teshome Ashenafi Prisoner Ataye Prison - 60 Fitawok w/Hana Prisoner Ataye Prison -

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