Draft Field Report to Bale zone Sinana Woreda

Draft Field Report to Bale zone, Sinana Woreda Purpose: • Introduce the Africa-RISING project to the zonal and woreda partners (government line departments) • Site selection for the intervention Travelers: Dr. Peter and Gerba 1

Visit to zonal/woreda offices and Research Center Activities: • 26 Nov. departed from Addis Ababa and arrived at Robe at 1: 45 pm • Visit to Bale Zone office of Administration: They were unfortunately occupied by meeting as a result we went again on 27 th and met Mr Dejene Tesema (public administrator). He agreed to convey our support letter from ORBA to respective officials on the next day. • Visit to Bale Zone office of Agriculture: We met Mr Beyene Zembaba (deputy head) and Mr Chalsisa Zewde (Food Security Process owner) then Peter briefly introduced the project and talked about the importance of partnership. As a result, Mr Chalsisa warmly welcomed the project and promised to offer any assistance required at anytime. The zone appreciate any intervention supporting the government plan. He ultimately suggested the necessity of familiarizing the project to zonal and woreda partners so as to make sure the partners/actors know well their roles and responsibilities.

Visit cont… Activities: • Visit to Sinana woreda office of Agriculture. We met Mr Delayehu Manyahle (head) and Workalegn Asefa (deputy head). Similarly Peter briefed about the project, the partnership and requested the office to engage on site selection. They warmly welcome the project and suggested candidate kebeles and assigned facilitators Mr. Gezahegn Tefera (Crop Production expert) for site selection.

Visit… • Visit to Sinana Agricultural Research Center (late in the afternoon). We met Mr Ayalneh Tilahun (Center Manager ) and Mr Sultan Usman (Socio-economic researcher and contact person). • Peter briefed about the project, the significance of working together. . . As they have already been involved in the quick win project study they were happy for the coming of the Africa RISING project that encompass both crop-livestock intensification research. • The center manager wanted to see the framework of the project and was curious about whether the project has capacity building components or not. • He assigned two researchers to engage on site selection ( Sultan & Mohammed) and jointly suggested potential candidate kebeles with the intention to include those kebeles where earlier studies conducted.

Visit… • On 27 Nov. in the morning we visited Sinana Woreda Livestock Agency. We met Dr. Mamo Geleta (Veterinarian) , Mr Eshetu Adugna (Fattening expert) and other staffs. • As usual Peter made the briefing to the group. • Similar to the other offices they were happy for the coming of the project in to Sinana. They also mention their long term partnerships with ILRI like facilitation of different studies most recently the OPEC and the Quick-win projects. • Brief debate was made on the suggested candidate kebeles and they added another candidate kebeles from the perspective of considering proactive kebeles inline with the setup criteria. • They assigned Mr Eshetu Adugna to join the site selection team.

Site Selection The team comprises: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Sultan Usman (SARC) Mohammed Abinasa (SARC) Eshetu Adugna (LA) Gezahegn Tefera (OA) Dr. Peter Thorne (ILRI) Gerba Leta (ILRI)

Site selection… I. Selka kebele: First visit was made here, it is the largest kebele in the woreda about 33 kms to south-east of Robe. Observation: • From visit made to framers homestead, we noted farmers in this kebele learned to reduce number of livestock largely forced by lack of grazing land they tether and stall feed their animals. • They practice blending legumes and cereal straws and also use linseed cake (concentrate) to feed their animals but the price of concentrate is high about 8 birr/kg.

Site selection… Selka kebele features: • Total land cultivated under two seasons is 7, 110 hectare • Number of Households 1, 602 (185 are women) • Furnished with 4 DAs from all division (crop, Livestock, NR and cooperatives) • Majority of livestock are local breeds • Wheat, barley and few legumes (mainly Faba bean) are the major crops in that order. • Eucalyptus is the dominant tree species but Euphorbia is the common live fence around home. • Has local market and all weather road. • It is one of the intervention kebele for ICARDA legume seed multiplication and intensification.

Site selection… II. Visit to Gamora kebele • Adjacent site to Selka kebele • Have similar cropping and livestock production system • Nearly 35 kms to south-east of Robe • Has no local market • Intervention site for ICARDA legumes intensification • Has all-weather road • Face periodical scarcity of drinking water

Site selection… III. Ilu_Sanbitu kebele • Situated about 13 kms away to the north of Robe • It is one of the OPEC project HH survey and quick– win project study site. Features: • 1, 254 HH (1080 men and 174 women) • Total area of farmland (aggregate of both seasons): 5, 121 ha • Crops: wheat, barley, Emer-wheat (oat), field peas, maize, linseed and tef, produced in that order.

Site selection… Features… • Diverse tree species notably Eucalyptus sp. , cupresses lustanica, Vernona amegdolina and others grown. • Small holder dairy, fattening and bee keeping initiatives are there. • Proactive resident farmers (according to the Team). • Has three reliable DAs (Livestock, crop and cooperative) • Inspiring grain crop, pulses, animal feeds, vegetable and spices are being demonstrated by DAs on FTC site. • Peter remarked the necessity of information stock-taking from the former studies for this site.

Consensus and subsequent action points • Selka and Ilu_sanbitu kebeles are the two ideal sites for the Africa. RISING project intervention based on the crop diversity, variable farming practices and proximity to the market • Site selection team was happy at the decision made. Peter agreed: • To send the research center the research framework and implementation plan for the project. • To organize workshop in Addis Ababa that engage partners to finalize/plan/ the research approaches during last week of January and then following by zonal familiarization workshop to relevant stakeholders. • On 28 th Nov. travelled back to Addis and arrived at about 4: 30 pm 12