Brief+Report+on+the+Trip+to+NBDC+Site,+Jeldu+Wereda

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 * BRIEF REPORT ON THE TRIP TO NBDC SITE, JELDU WOREDA

West Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State


 * Project: ** Challenge Program - Water and Food


 * Date: ** June 30, 2010


 * Travelers: ** Table annexed at the end


 * Rationale: ** The CPWF Nile BDC project has selected three project sites in the Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia to implement its activities on Rainwater management systems. One of the sites selected is Jeldu woreda in west shoa zone of the Oromia regional state, which represents high rainfall (about 1300 mm per annum), land degradation and high level of poverty, but with a potential to reverse resources degradation and improve agricultural water management.

The purpose of the trip was:

1. To meet local officials and briefing local partners about our NBDC research for development agenda; 2. To make a rapid site visit and transect walk to identify sites of specific interest in the district; 3. To acquaint the partners to the intervention site

Prior arrangement for the visit has been made by Seleshi and Tilahun. The project team comprising members from ILRI, IWMI, IFPRI, and EIAR started the trip from ILRI campus, climbed through the dense Juniper-dominate natural forests of Chilimo from 2200 masl of Ginchi to 3300 masl of Galessa plain in only 20 minutes of drive. We had a short site- seeing downwards from the hills of Galessa, 3300 mask to the plain of Gin chi. The chilimo forest is know for it high biodiversity and wildlife. The Galessa plain is the source of the Awash River, which is the most important river in the country in terms of agriculture as it flows through the flat plains of the Rift valley and used for all the large scale sugarcane farms and the lower awash state farms producing fruits and other produces. On the other side of the plain starts the Guder River, which is the major tributary to the Blue Nile. We have also a brief stopover in the plain where the African Highlands Initiative (AHI) used to work on NRM issues together with the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR). Tilahun, who was a staff AHI, explained some of the good experiences and possible NRM-related interventions that could be scaled up to the new NBDC site. These include collective action in eucalyptus management, potato seed systems, soil and water conservation, land use changes etc. One of the success stories is on farmer field schools in potato seed production and pest management. The area is now the major supplier of potato seed for the whole country thanks to cool climate for storage and the skills of the farmers to produce and manage good potato seeds.

Late in the morning at about 11:00 AM, the team arrived at Gojo town (38 Km from Gin chi and 127 Km from Addis), capital of Jeldu woreda at an elevation of about 3000 masl and met the district officials (Ato Ajame Tolesa, Jeldu woreda administrator and the representatives of different departments from the woreda BOARD and the executive director of Integrated Development Program of Hope 2020)..

After self introduction Tilahun and Seleshi brief introduced our institutions and plans of NBDC and the need for closer partnership with the district actors. They further mentioned the reasons why Jeldu is selected to be one of the project sites, what type of skills we will bring, who will involved and expectations from our side for closer collaboration. Ato Ajame, on behalf of the woreda administration office and the rest of the woreda team expressed his excitement to meet the project team and assured that team that they are more than willing to cooperate and work with the team in any activity in the intended research context. He further mentioned some of the existing problems in the woreda are:
 * 1. Briefing session in Ato Ajame’s office **
 * The woreda’s potential for crop and livestock development but budget constraint to achieve pertinent development goals
 * Undulating landscape, deforested ecology, vulnerability to growing erosion and land degradation & consequent yield reduction and upsurge of food insecurity.
 * There is adequate river and rain water which could be used for crop growth during dry seasons but not developed irrigation system
 * Serious livestock feed shortage and that the animals and herders are forced to travel long distances in search for feed in swampy areas far away from the farms

On his final note, Ato Ajame pointed out that they are interested if the project could also consider research in the area of environmental management and soil conservation issues. He also said that the woreda has its own short and long term plans and both plans (the project’s and the woreda’s plan) could be reviewed together for cohesiveness and complimentarity.

Finally it has been agreed that the next step will be to identify and characterize stake holders in the woreda and beyond who could work together. There is a plan to organize a brain storming workshop for the stake holders after the Launching workshop in September.

After a drive of about 12 Km from Gojo town, the team arrived at a bridge crossing the colored (due to erosion) Melka River at Gurgi village. The landscape on both sides of the river is undulate, with out conservation structures and very few trees. Soil erosion is apparent all along. The team extended the visit to the melka valley located at Kabi (Chobi –Sirba) village. This gave the opportunity to conduct a reconnaissance and/or rapid assessment to the prospective intervention site. During the visit observation rock out crop & shallow soils attributing to frequent cultivation & long years of land mismanagement as justified by local people was observed. The farmers informed the team that the area was dense forest some 15-20 years a go and the vegetation diminished gradually due to deforestation and expansion of crop land to the hills.
 * 2. Visit to Melka watershed & Chobi-Sirba Kebele **

Tilahun asked team members to brainstorm, from the perspective of experts, on the challenges and the opportunities that we may encounter when embarking a research agenda on RWMs in the area. Every team member was asked to share their views and the following issues were suggested as important modality of intervention and implementation arrangement/practices necessary to arrest and reverse land and water degradation and improve system productivity.
 * 3. Situation analysis of the watershed and brainstorming: **


 * Observations **


 * The water shed is completely deforested and soil erosion is very severe;
 * Unlike districts elsewhere, there is very limited soil, water, land management activities underway;
 * There is no attempt made to protect soil degradation by farmers: Farmers believe that soil conservation may reduce the size of cultivated land (local information);
 * Widespread land degradation in the area indicates that the woreda will become entirely food insecure if it continues without intervention
 * Valley bottoms are more fertile/ productive than hillsides;
 * Crop yields are as low as 0.4 Ton/ha/year (according to local information);
 * Livestock feeds are so scarce that animals and herders travel long distances in search for feed
 * Availability of proven intervention for this area from EIAR and AHIs experience in the neighboring communities of the same agroecology, Gallessa watershed is learned
 * Very few NGOs or other actors


 * __ Suggestions __**


 * The entry point is to minimize erosion effects through soil and water conservation. Save soil first by biological control measures like planting dual purpose trees (fruit, fodder, etc) will improve access to food and feed and improve water productivity. There are lots of stones in the cultivated field which can be used for making terraces in association with planting trees on bands to protect the soil: -
 * Resource mapping and diversified intervention with focus on crop & livestock productivity. Intensification of high value tree crops (fruit orchard) and forages in combination with small-scale or micro water harvest at farm level (on about 50 m2) in association with mulching practice and supplementary irrigation during the dry spell period would bring change on the income and livelihood of the users, in addition to the ecological role.


 * Market opportunity for agricultural products may motivate the up take of NRM interventions. Capitalize on what comes in to the farmer’s pocket at the end of the day. Rhamnus prinoides (gesho) and sugarcane plantation suggested as effective practices in some areas to generate income and retard soil erosion


 * Exploit local knowledge and prioritize concerns of the farmer to identify entry points: - Consultation meeting comprises of experts, stakeholders and development partners that involve various institutions would enable to identify and capture ideal technologies/practices for collective action. It seems that the last suggestion leads to the necessity of conducting participatory planning for development where the ultimate users could have significant role in identification of problems and suggesting remedial measures.


 * Establish baseline to understand current scenarios


 * 4. Visit to Hope 2020 Project at Chancho Kebena Village and Gobata (Goro) valley ( ** the other side of Melka valley)

After a quick lunch break (lunch boxes were arranged from ILRI/IWMI) on top of the Melka valley, the team extended its visit to Chancho Kebena village about 20 Kms on the west of Gojo town to see the rural water supply activity of Hope 2020 organization. Ato Gudeta Gelache, the executive director of the Integrated Development Program of HOPE 2020, made a brief explanation of the project and the water development activities in Jeldu, Ambo, Woliso, etc. The potable water development activity started in October 2009 in Jeldu with renewable solar water pumping system from streams and is now benefiting about 120 house holds in the area .By the end of July, about 6000 people are expected to benefit from the water with the additional reservoirs being operational. In Ambo they are using solar-wind hybrid system to pump the water. The project, in addition to using streams, also practices drilling shallow water in other villages and implements integrated water management systems which involves women self-help group. It is only the solar unit which is imported and the rest of the construction materials are local and the labor free contribution from the community. According to Ato Gudeta, the organization has a mandate of reaching about 10 Kebeles within 5 years of its budget plan as part of the Millennium Development Goal.

The visit was then extended to Taso village on the road to Gindeberet to see the other side of the watershed. This specific watershed that is situated 28 kms away on the west of Goja town (woreda capital) in Goro valley and Melka watershed on the rear lower river basin system is the most degraded land where food insecurity and forced eviction of the residents is experienced. It is severely degraded area of the woreda with peripheral intervention.

The team returned to Addis after having quick coffee break at about 4:00 pm in a small hotel at Gojo town.

Thanks to Aberra Adie and Gerba Leta for compiling the information.


 * Annex 1. List of project team members who traveled and Jeldu woreda team **


 * ** Ser. No. ** || ** Name ** || ** Organization ** || ** Title(Profession) if necessary ** ||
 * 1 || Erkossa, Teklu || IWMI ||  ||
 * 2 || Seyoum, Solomon || IWMI ||  ||
 * 3 || Duncan, Alan || ILRI ||  ||
 * 4 || Adie, Aberra || ILRI ||  ||
 * 5 || Habte Michael, Mulugeta || ILRI ||  ||
 * 6 || Rebelo, Lisa-Maria || IWMI-Ethiopia ||  ||
 * 7 || Amede, Tilahun || ILRI-IWMI ||  ||
 * 8 || Schmidt Emily || IFPRI-Ethiopia ||  ||
 * 9 || Leta, Gerba || ILRI-IWMI ||  ||
 * 10 || Sharma, Bharat || IWMI-Delhi, India ||  ||
 * 11 || Bossio, Deborah || IWMI ||  ||
 * 12 || McCartney, Mathew || IWMI ||  ||
 * 13 || Bekele, Seleshi || IWMI ||  ||
 * 14 || Ajame Tolesa || Jeldu Woreda || Administrator ||
 * 14 || Tolesa Dabele || Jeldu Woreda OoARD || Deputy head ||
 * 15 || Dagne Dache || Jaldu Woreda OoARD || Head of natural resources and land administration ||
 * 16 || Mahetsent Tibebe || Holeta Agricultural Research Center || Soils and Natural Resource Management ||
 * 17 || Gudeta Gelalcha || Hope 2020 || Executive Director, Integrated Development Program ||