LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / July 1-7, 2013
Location: / Amhara Region
LIVES Regional staff/Zonal staff: / Zeleke Mekuriaw
Partners: /
  1. BOA
  2. ARARI
  3. West Gojjam zonal and district offices
  4. Zonal coordinators

Farmers
Activities on Capacity Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Awareness creation on the status of LIVES project to partners (to Ato Tesfaye Mengistie-Regional irrigation process owner, AtoAlemuAdmasu-Director of LRDPA)
  2. Facilitating demonstration of forage establishment in FTCs of West Gojjam Zone
/
  1. Setting up of platforms of input suppliers, farmers and marketing agents
  2. Organizing farmers visit to day-old chick suppliers in all zones
  3. Preparation and/or gathering of training materials for farmers and Development agents
  4. Planning capacity development interventions to be carried out in the coming six months period

Activities on Knowledge Management / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Facilitating establishment and strengthening of zonal and district level knowledge centers
  2. Facilitating identification of e-reader users in all zones
/
  1. Distribution of e-readers to identified beneficiaries
  2. Provision of required facilities for knowledge centers
  3. Training of e-reader users on how to operate the devise

Activities on Promotion / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Activities on Value Chain Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Identification of input suppliers and marketing agents in the region and in the zones
  2. Establishment of required forage species on FTCs in West Gojjam
  3. Facilitation for farmers in North Gondar to access of forage seeds
/
  1. Formation of linkages among farmers, input suppliers, processors and marketing agents
  2. Identifying real gaps on the ground in value chain development and planning for interventions

Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
1. Developing action plans and budgets for research activities to be carried out in the coming year

Any other relevant update not captured above:

A draft the current annual plan (2006 E.C.) of the regional Livestock Resource Development and promotion Agency has been received and discussed in order to align it with LIVES action plans. Draft Planed activities of Agro-Big project in value chain Development of Potato and Onion in Mecha district has been shared so as to adjust LIVES intervention focus on some other irrigated fruits and vegetables.

Report prepared by:

Zeleke Mekuriaw-Amhara region Livestock Expert

LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / 2nd week of July (08-12/07/2012)
Location: / Amhara Region
LIVES Regional staff/Zonal staff: / Zeleke Mekuriaw
Partners:
Farmers
Activities on Capacity Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Clarification on selection of MSc Trainees to Regional Bureaus of Agriculture and Zonal coordinators
/
  1. Deadline for submission of list of trainees should be set
  2. Criteria for endorsement or rejection of trainees by Regional Lives office needs to be clear

Activities on Knowledge Management / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Activities on Promotion / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Activities on Value Chain Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
1. Reviewing related literature sources on Value Chain Development of selected commodities /
  1. Directions on the research budget allocation and sharing of responsibilities with regional Research Institute should be given

Any other relevant update not captured above:

As the vehicle has been under maintenance in MOENCO garage since July 10, 2013, it was not possible to go out and contact farmers and other partners. Activities have been limited to reviewing literatures in addition to involvement in interviewing (July 8 and 9/2013) candidates for the Regional Driver position. Office furniture was also received by our office and was installed on July 10/2012.

Report prepared by:

Zeleke Mekuriaw

LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / July 15-19, 2013
Location: / Amhara Region
Regional staff/ Zonal staff: / Zeleke Mekuriaw
Partners: /
  1. Dr. AwekeTsega –Male (Livestock process owner)

Farmers /
  1. AbynehTsega-Male (pullet producer around Bahir Dar town)
  2. YibeltalAssress-Male (pullet Producer around Bahir Dar town)
  3. AzalechKassahun –Female (pullet producer)
  4. ShegawMelaku –Male (broiler and pullet producer)
  5. Tsgaye Amare-Male (pullet producer)
  6. Sewhareg-Female (pullet producer)
  7. Fitnigus-Female (pullet producer)
  8. Abraham Mulu-Male (Broiler producer & processed chicken supplier)

Activities on Capacity Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Brief advice how to manage day-old-chicken
  2. Brief advice how to manage pullets, layers and broilers (in terms of health care, feeding, housing and sanitation)
/
  1. Organizing platform of poultry producers, day-old chicken and poultry feed suppliers, health workers, traders, and experts
  2. organizing training for producers on modern poultry management, processing of poultry feed, etc
  3. Creation of linkage among day-old-chicken suppliers, pullet producers, feed processors and farmers

Activities on Knowledge Management / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Activities on Promotion / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Activities on Value Chain Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Opportunities and challenges of organized youth groups and individuals involved in poultry production around Bahir Dar town (specific to above listed farmers) have been pinpointed.
/ 1.Further organized study covering larger number of poultry producers, input suppliers and marketing agents needs to be conducted.

Any other relevant update not captured above:

Most of the visited poultry farms near Bahir Dar town explained that they are very interested in the poultry business. However, they unanimously expressed that higher day-old-chicken mortality, in some cases up to 90%, shortage of day-old-chicken supply and processed feed, lack of medicine and its ineffectiveness, lack of appropriate and timely support from extension people as well as not getting land for poultry investment are limiting their capacities and lowering their aspirations.

Report prepared by:

Zeleke Mekuriaw

LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / July 1 – 7, 2013
Location: / North Gondar
LIVES Regional staff/ Zonal staff: / 1. Worku Teka
Partners: Woreda office of Agriculture, zonal office agriculture and small scale entrprise development office
Farmers / The work is done with Woreda level institutions not with individuals
Activities on Capacity Development
Activities on Knowledge Management / Further actiom Regional, zonal, HQ and partners
  1. Followup on construction of KC in Dembia
  1. Installing comunity development library software for Dembia, Gonderzuria and Lay Armacho woredas.
/ Materials to be placed in the KC is required urgently particularly for Lay Armacho
Knowldge resource CDs like that of Comunity development should be made available for the Woreda
Activities on Promotion / Further actiom Regional, zonal, HQ and partners
  1. Planning study tour program for Dembia farmers
  2. Input linkage between Tach Armacho and Lay Armacho banana grwers
/ 1.
2.
3
Activities on Value Chain Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Identification of platform members in Lay armacho and Dambia woredas
  2. Follow-up on planting of new forage planting materials (alfa-alfa and meno guaia) in Dembia and Lay Armacho woredas in FTCs and under farmer holdings
  3. Identifying youth who will be involved in water pump service provision and who will be involved in supply of improved tree fruit planting material with the Woreda small scale entreprise office
/ Many of the platform members are male and the woreda offices plan to make changes in this regard in the near future
Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / July 8 – 12, 2013
Location: / North Gondar
LIVES Regional staff/Zonal staff: / 1. Worku Teka
Partners: Woreda office of Agriculture, zonal office agriculture and small scale entrprise development office
Farmers / The work is done with Woreda level institutions not with individuals
Activities on Capacity Development
  1. Distributing gudelinesfor MSc student selection procedures for Zone and Woreda staff

Activities on Knowledge Management / Further actiom Regional, zonal, HQ and partners
  1. Installing comunity development library software for various departments of zone including the head of the zone
  2. Follow-up on construction of KC in Dembia

Activities on Promotion / Further actiom Regional, zonal, HQ and partners
  1. Proposal is under progress for panal discussion to promote milk on the event of world school milk day

Activities on value chain development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
Many of the platform members are male and the Woreda offices plan to make changes in this regard in the near future
Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)

Report prepared by:

Worku Teka, North Gondar Zonal Coordinator

LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / July 1-7,2013
Location: / South Wollo/Amhara region
Regional staff/ Zonal staff: / 1.Mesfin Tefera
2.
3.
Partners: / 1.Ato Ali Tegegn (Male) - Zonal focal person
2.Ato BirhanuMulu (Male) - Kalu district focal person
3.AtoAlebelMeseret (Male) - DessieZuria district focal person
4. AtoTegegnFantaw (Male) -Tehuledere district focal person
Farmers / 1.
2.
3.
Activities on Capacity Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
1.
2.
3 / 1. Training on synchronization and AI (regional support)
2. The training can be managed by the zonal coordinator and zonal staff
Activities on Knowledge Management / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Four knowledge centers established with above the required size
  2. Four knowledge center facilitators (all Female) identified and reported to region and headquarter.
/ Support from head quarter:-
1. Purchase and procurements of devices, computers and printing materials for the knowledge center.
2. Training provision to knowledge center facilitators prior to commencement of function of the KC is a compulsory.
3. One laptop with printer and CDMA required for the zonal coordination office.
Activities on Promotion / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
1. Two demonstration areas selected from each targeted Kebele (PAs) for demonstration purposes. The model sites were selected - one at FTC and the other one at the Agriculture office demonstration fields within the Kebele, for the purpose of multiplication of improved forage and vegetable seeds. / 1. Budget allocation for purchase of seed for demonstration purpose only (the required amount will be confirmed in the coming reporting week).
Activities on Value Chain Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Potential areas identified for each value chain. A total of 21 PAs selected from three rural districts and two urban towns (Dessie and Kombolcha)
  1. The value chain activities include livestock (Dairy, Apiculture and Small ruminants) and irrigation value chain (vegetable and fruit both low land & high land fruits) identified with specific sites.
/
  1. Budget allocation to conduct value chain training on the identified value chain commodities that include value chain actors, VC facilitators and VC service providers.

Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
1.
2.
3 /
  1. It would be important to have cameras at zonal level for the purpose of documentation from the very inception.
  2. Training on video film preparation is required.

Additional information on crosscutting issues – gender & environment:

The Zonal office has made an effort to have gender disaggregated data and women’s participation for each vale chain is expected to be 35-40% out of the total participants. In some cases around Dessie and Kombolcha town the number of women participants is about 60-70%.

Regarding the environment, even though it is early for reporting, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be mainstreamed within our plan in implementation of all value chain development work.

Any other relevant update not captured above:

The South WolloZone LIVES office is exerting maximum effort in facilitating the organization of Livestock and Irrigation value chain platform and organization of development agent sensitization training from LIVES targeted PAs. To this effect, the required budget will need to be transferred from head quarter to the office. However the required relevant organizations, government officials are highly engaged in the campaign to distribute fertilizer and improved seed. The campaign will last for a month (up to end of July 2013).

Although the relevant officials are with busy, the coordination office will attempt to organize the proposed consultative meetings and DA sensitization events at any available time, before end of July, 2013. Meanwhile, the project activities like sowing of forage and vegetable seeds on identified demonstration sites, and organization of commodity based House Holds (HHs) in clustering system will continue simultaneously.

Report prepared by:

Mesfin Tefera, South Wollo LIVES ZonalCoordinator

LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / July 8-15,2013
Location: / South Wollo/Amhara region
Regional staff/ Zonal staff: / 1.Mesfin Tefera
Partners: /
  1. Ato Ali Tegegn (Male) - Zonal focal person
  2. AtoBirhanuMulu (Male) - Kalu district focal person
  3. AtoAlebelMeseret (Male) - Dessie town agriculture office focal person
  4. AtoTegegnFantaw (male) - Tehuledere district focal person
  5. AtoAdisuDesalegn - DessieZuria focal person

Farmers
Activities on Capacity Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Sensitization workshop organized for Tehuledere district development agents on LIVES project approaches. A total of 40 (10 F) participants attended the workshop
/ 1. Training on synchronization and AI (regional support)
Activities on Knowledge Management / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
1. The Knowledge centers were prepared to provide services / Support from head quarter:-
1. Purchase and procurement of Library/KC computers and printing materials
2. Training for knowledge center facilitators prior to commencement of function of the KC is mandatory
3. One laptop with printer and CDMA required for zonal coordination office
Activities on Promotion / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Two demonstration areas selected from each targeted Kebele (PAs) for demonstration purposes. The model sites have been prepared for sowing improved forage and vegetable seeds.
/
  1. Budget allocation for purchase of seed for demonstration purpose only. The required budget will be submitted following this report
  1. It would be very helpful if LIVES project provides training to Dessie seed laboratory technicians on forage seed testing. Because their skill is limited to cereals testing only.

Activities on Value Chain Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Potential areas identified for each value chain. A total of 650 HHs (40%F) identified form all targeted PAs
  2. The value chain activities include livestock (dairy, apiculture and small ruminants) and irrigation value chain (vegetable and fruit both low land & high land fruits) identified at specific sites
  3. Searching of inputs were held in collaboration with District agriculture staff
/
  1. Budget allocation to Value chain trainings at various levels
  2. Despite the budget the training can be managed at Zonal level.

Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. It is important to have cameras at zonal level for the purpose of documentation from the very inception
  2. Training on video film preparation is required.

Additional information on crosscutting issues – gender & environment:

The coordination office, in collaboration with all focal persons and development agents, has selected House Holds (HHs) in considering female participants with an average of 35% female participants.

Environmentally friendly forage species were identified for multiplication at FTC and demonstration sites.

Any other relevant update not captured above:

Although some activities are under performance it would not be easy to implement all LIVES activities in the past reporting week due to over schedule of government staff in the area of crop sowing and fertilizer distribution campaign. Therefore we have to wait for them (until the end of July 2013) to complete the campaign.

Meanwhile the project activities like sowing of forage and vegetable seeds on identified demonstration sites, and organization of commodity based HHs clustering system will continue simultaneously.

Report prepared by:

Mesfin Tefera

South Wollo LIVES Zonal Coordinator

LIVES Weekly Field Activities Update
Week of: / July 15 - 19, 2013
Location: / South Wollo/Amhara region
Regional staff/ Zonal staff: /
  1. Mesfin Tefera

Partners: /
  1. Ato Ali Tegegn (Male) - Zonal focal person
  2. AtoBirhanuMulu (Male) Kalu district focal person
  3. AtoAlebelMeseret (Male) DessieZuria district focal person
  4. AtoTegegnFantaw (Male)Tehuledere district focal person

Farmers
Activities on Capacity Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Selection of candidates for post graduate training is underway at zonal and district level
/
  1. Training on synchronization and AI (regional support).

Activities on Knowledge Management / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Four knowledge centers renewed and prepared for operationalization
/ Support from head quarter:-
1. Procurement of KC equipment
Activities on Promotion / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Two additional demonstration sites selected from each targeted Kebele (PAs) for promotion of forage seeds. The model sites were selected at FTC and at farmers’ demonstration fields.
  2. Twenty kg of Alfa Alfa seed, and eighty Kg of Peagon pea (CajanusCajan) collected but the payment has not yet taken place
/
  1. Budget allocation to purchase forage and improved vegetable seeds for demonstration. To this effect the required budget will be submitted soon after collecting data on the required amount

Activities on Value Chain Development / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. HH selection completed for each value chain from 21 PAs
  2. The value chain activities identified by HHs
/
  1. Improved fruit and vegetable seeds

Activities on Documentation/Research / Further Actions required (by Regional, Zonal, HQ staff, partners, farmers)
  1. Some pictures captured in collaboration with Tehuledere district office

Additional information on crosscutting issues – gender & environment: