Month: / July2014
Region: / Tigray
Activities on Capacity Development / Observations/action required
Central zone
- MSc studies:Four MSc students (3M/1F) registered in summer course at Mekelle University (MU).Three students were registered for irrigation and one for livestock VC courses.
- Coaching and mentoring: Regional and zonal LIVES staff provided follow up support to private fruit seedlings and fodder fields in central zones of Tigray. The visited sites include Dura PA, LaelayMaitchew; Bet Hans and Mariam Shewito PAs in Adwa district. The team also visited AKC in Adwa and discussed the services provided by the center to the district OoARD staff.
- MSc studies:Four MSc students (2M/2F) registered in summer courses at MU. Two students registered in livestock and two in irrigated crops VCs.
- Coaching and mentoring: Regional and zonal LIVES staff provide follow up support from 21 to 24 July 2014. They provide technical support in vegetable and fruit VC in the field. The LIVES staffs also provide follow up support to Agricultural Knowledge Centers (AKC) in KilteAwlaelo, GantaAfeshum and SaesieTsaedaEmba districts visited. The LIVES staff provided some directions on proper AKC management practices, data handling and widening the knowledge centers service beyond what exists.
Thesis write upsLIVES full sponsored students: Three MSc students (1M/2F) previously enrolled in livestock VC studies at MU completed their regular courses and are now on the stage of thesis write up under the close supervision of DrYayneshetTesfay.
Only thesis sponsored MSc students: Three MSc students from TARI submitted their proposal in irrigated vegetables for sponsorship to LIVES project. The three submitted proposals are under review. / Will follow the enrollment and performance of the students. The other students will be registered by next September 2014.
Follow up support of field activities will continue as normal activities.
Activities on Knowledge Management / Observations/action required
Eastern Tigray zone
Experience sharing visit to dairy shops in Mekele: Private milk collectors and milk and milk product distributor shops have been well established and functioning in Mekele. The private milk collectors and milk and milk product shoppers are youngsters. They collect milk daily in a radius of about 40-50 km from Mekele. The private shops supply milk and milk products to consumers in the different corners of the town including at MU campus. In eastern zone, dairy owners mostly within the periphery of the major towns such as Adigrat suffer from lack of access to reliable market. At the same time,the demand for milk in the town is very high. There is a need to bridge the linkage problems between milk producers and consumers. The experience around Mekele is considered as a good practice to capture. For this purpose, six private youngsters (4M/2F) willing to bridge the collection and distribution of milk were visited and discussed with the specialized private dairy shops in Mekele, 16-17 July 2014. The visited private dairy products shops include Hosaeena, Abeba, Sami, Enat and Sematic.Under the facilitation of LIVES project, the visitors from Adigratgainedsome experiences on milk collection and distribution business and also access to credit arranged in collaboration with district OoARD and Small and Micro-Enterprise (SME).
AKC:LIVES staff discussed on the effective use of knowledge center with GantaAfeshum district experts (2M/2F) and zonal AKC in Adigrat.
Central Tigray zone
- 25 experts (22M/3F) used the AKC in LaelayMaichew district.
- 12 experts (10M/2F) used in the zonal AKC.
- 94 experts (91M/3F) used the AKC in Adwa district.
- 15 experts (10M 5F) used the AKC in Ahferomdistrict.
Attach summary reports of study tours, field days, meetings, workshops / Follow up support will be provided to establish function milk shops in Adigrat. Similar activities will continue in other towns.
Activities on Promotion / Observations/action required
Activities on Value Chain Development by commodity / Observations/action required
Eastern Tigray zone
Livestock VC
- Transfer of honeybee colonies into Ethio-Ribrab hive were discussed and arranged with beekeeping experts in Sendeda PA.
- Follow up support were provided for livestock experts (4M/2F) on dairy VC in Saz,Guilaabenea andHadushiwotPAs.
- Follow up support for experts (4M/2F)were provided on small ruminant VC inGuilaabeneaPA,SaesieTsaedaEmba district.
- The LIVES zonal coordinator visited and provides support livestock private input suppliers (3M) in Adigrat.
Forage,fruit and vegetable interventions
1. Urea application grazing land sites were selected in HadushHiwot and GueMise PAs
2. Three forage sites selectedfor urea top dressing in Habes, Barkaadisebha and Felegeweyni PAs,Atsbi-Womberta district.
3. LIVES staff discussed on intensified forage production in support of dairy development with dairy farmers in Sasun and Dibla PAs,GantaAfeshum district.
4. LIVES staff discussed on the progress follow up needs of motor pump training tofarmers with relevant experts (2M/2F) in GantaAfeshum district.
5. Follow up support provided in the fruit and feed development inKilteAwlaelo, GantaAfeshum and S/T/Emba districts. The follow up support include:
- Integrated fruit, feed and vegetable development in Bench terraced steepy area of Tsebela watershed, Sendeda PA, SaesieTsaedaEmba district.
- Possible plantation of fodder legume trees in support of small ruminant fattening discussed with DA (1M) and 8 farmers (4M/4F) in Negash PA, KilteAwlaelo district.
Fruit VC interventions
- Six farmers (5M /1F) planted100 grafted avocado seedlingsin Bet Hans PA, Adwa district.
- Thirteen farmers (8M /5F) planted 18 graftedavocado seedlings and 129 grafted mango seedlingsin TahtayLogomti PA, Adwa district.
Beciumgrandiflora /Tebeb/ seedlings planted as backyard as close sources of bee forage in support of beekeeping in the three districts of central zone.
- Six farmers (5M/1F) planted 1500 Tebebseedlings in Bet Hans PA, Adwa district.
- 350 Tebebplantedas demonstration for farmers in Bet Hans FTC, Adwa district.
- Eleven farmers (9M/2F) grouped as Beekeeping Youth Association planted 1800 Tebebseedlings in the communal lands in MariamShewito PA, Adwa district.
- Nine farmers(9M) planted 2500 Tebebin LaelayMigrayaTsemri PA, Ahferom district.
- Nine farmers (8M/1F) planted 2200 Tebebin Lesalso PA, LaelayMaichewdistrict.
- 300 Tebebplanted as demonstration for farmers atLesalsoFTC, LaelayMaiychew district.
Farmer sown alfalfa in the irrigated plots (20m by 20 m) in support of dairy development:
- Twelve farmers(11M/1F) sownalfalfa on irrigated plots (20m by 20 m) in Bet Hanes PA, Adwa district.
- Three farmers (1M/2F)sown alfalfa in irrigated plots in MaryamShewito PA, Adwa districts.
- Eight farmers (7M/1F) farmers’ sown alfalfa in irrigated plots in LaelayMigariaTsemri PA, Ahferom district.
- Three farmers (3M) sown alfalfa in irrigated plots in Sero PA, Ahferom district.
- Five farmers (5M) sown alfalfa in irrigated plots in DuraPA, LaelayMaychew district.
- Five farmers (4M/1F) plantedalfalfa in irrigated plots in Medego PA, LaelayMaichew district.
Intensified follow up and support will continue as usual.
Activities on Documentation/Research / Observations/action required
Attach updated Regional Annex 3B
Attach any draft/finalized research reports
Activities on Project Management / Observation/action required
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Additional information on crosscutting issues – gender & environment:
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Any other relevant update not captured above:
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Report prepared by: Tigray LIVES team
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