Learning Brief: Irrigation Development

LEARNING BRIEF: ENHANCING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND DISASTER RESILIENCE October 2018

BEST PRACTICE: Irrigation Development

1. Summary CAFOD, SCIAF and Trócaire (CST) are the Catholic development and humanitarian organisations from England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively. All three organisations have worked in Ethiopia with partners since the mid-1970s and together in a joint country programme since 2009. CST works with national NGOs under its Women’s Empowerment and Resilient Communities

programmes.

CST has been implementing a three year DFID UK Aid Match (UKAM) funded resilience project entitled ‘Enhancing Climate Change and Adaptation and Disaster Resilience in Rural Communities of Northern Ethiopia’ since November 2015. The project focuses on the most pressing poverty concerns and longer term climate change challenges in Tigray.

Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat IRRIGATION DEVELOOPMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN TIGRAY

The Northern regional state of Tigray exhibits one of the highest overall poverty rates (31.8%) and food poverty rates at 37.1%i.

Increasing temperature and declining rainfall has exacerbated Tigray’s vulnerability to drought, land degradation, overgrazing and deforestation, and water pollution. The calamities of increased climate variability and change have had adverse impacts on the local communities’ livelihoods. Environmental problems such as loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services are already taking place. Food insecurity, outbreaks of water borne and respiratory diseases associated with droughts indicate the exceptional vulnerability of the region to drought.

As such, the programme aims to increase production and productivity, diversify production and income opportunities, improve year round access to safe and clean water, improve sanitation and hygiene practices, and protect and rehabilitate natural resources.

The project is implemented through a consortium of three Ethiopian local non-governmental organizations, namely Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat- Adigrat Branch (ECC-SADCO Ad), Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat-Mekelle Branch (ECCSADCO, ADCS-M) and Relief Society of Tigray (REST) are implemented in sixteen ‘Tabias’ (sub-districts) in five ‘Weredas’ (districts), the projects aim to benefit 17,078 households, of which, 4430 are female headed households with land, 2307 female headed landless households and 2755 male headed landless households. The programme will also have 45297 indirect beneficiaries of which 21653 are female headed households.

2.

Catholic Secretariat- Social and Development Commission Adigrat Diocese Catholic SecretariatMekelle Branch (ECC-SDCO, ADCS-M).

The calamities of increased climate variability and change in Northern Ethiopia have made adverse impacts particularly on households’ livelihood and living conditions. Food insecurity, outbreaks of water borne and respiratory diseases associated with droughts have resulted in malnutrition. Men and women in Tigray region exhibit the lowest mean body mass index at 19.0 and 19.8 respectively in Ethiopia.

In order to overcome the aforementioned vulnerabilities and calamities, ECC-SDCO, ADSCS- M is implementing this project in Hintalo-Wajirat, and Enderta Woredas of South Eastern Tigray Zone. 5471 poor and vulnerable households in six ‘Tabias’ (subdistricts)- are expected to benefit from this project which seeks to increase and diversify productivity and income. The project ensured that female headed, and landless youth headed households were included in the project.

One of the major strategies employed by the project to build household resilience to climate change was to harvest water through small scale structures such as check dam ponds and river diversions. These measures have raised household’s preparedness to withstand ramifications of climate change, and restore habitable eco-systems. Moreover, vulnerable communities were able increase and diversify their productions, productivity and consequentially, their income.

Project Context and Background

This learning brief presents the results small scale irrigation programmes which enhance climate change adaptation and disaster resilience. The project was implemented by CST and the Ethiopian Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat IRRIGATION DEVELOOPMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN TIGRAY

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A. Constructing Irrigation Infrastructures Small scale water harvesting technologies such as constructions of stone bunds, hillside terrace, trench bunds, micro basins and check dams on arable and unproductive lands. Three river diversions and two check dam ponds have been constructed by the project.64 m3 of dry stone masonry check dams, 117.5m3 of gabion check dams, 173.4 m3 sand bag check dams within gullies and 13.71 km of hillside terraces and trenches were constructed Until April 2018.

Project Implementation Cite

3.

Key Activities

Due to rainfall variability, and moisture stress South-Eastern region of Tigray is a highly drought prone region characterized by low productivity of land. High rate of population growth have exacerbated environmental degradation. In turn, this has affected food security and consumption patterns of residents in the region. The following activities have been undertaken in Hintalo-Wajirat, and Enderta to strengthen local community’s food and income security, and strengthen their resilience and adaptation to climate extremes.

These structures were built to enhance soil water retention capacity by reducing runoff and soil erosion. Consequently, production and productivity of land have significantly increased. To date 346.9ha of communal land has been rehabilitated and reclaimed through different physical and biological conservation techniques.

These interventions have provided landless youth and female headed households with access to cultivable land where by various cereals, high value crops, and vegetables are grown.

Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat

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IRRIGATION DEVELOOPMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN TIGRAY

C. Capacity Building Trainings i. Improved Agronomic practices Theoretical and practical trainings on improved agronomic practices and water management were provided to 357 households (64FHHs).

This was imperative as modern agronomic practices were relatively new to the region and farmers didn’t have the required knowledge and skills to apply the techniques on their farms.

Pic: Photos of physical water and soil conservation techniques done

B. Provision of Horticulture Seeds and Improved Fruit tree seedlings 2162 Improved and grafted seedlings of orange, avocado, guava and coffee, and 55.75 Kg of horticulture seeds were supplied to 328 HH(77FHHs) to improve production amounts. Selection of seeds and seedlings was done in consultation with farms and the Regional Bureau of agriculture and rural development.

Trainings focused on improved irrigation techniques, agri-business assessment, marketing, and business plan and by-law development.

Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat IRRIGATION DEVELOOPMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN TIGRAY

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4.

Impact and Achievements

A. Increasing Production and Productivity Availability and utilization of irrigation water from constructed infrastructures have increased production from once a year to three times a year.

Project Participants consulted during a focus group discussion disclosed that supplementary irrigation has enabled them increase their crop production by 50%. Moreover, availability of water has allowed them to diversify their outputs. Participants currently produce high value crops and fruits such as onions, cabbages, potatoes and carrots.

to afford school fees for their children, consume nutritious foods and meet other basic amenities.

Mrs. Asegedech Kassa, a project participant testifies that in 18 months, she has been able to increase her sheep flock to 9. Seven of the sheep have been sold for 7500 ETB. She has now bought an ox for 11500 ETB to support her farm ploughing.

Pic: Mrs. Asegedech with her ox.

C.

Construction of water harvesting technologies, and irrigated farm lands have created seasonal job opportunities for unemployed people. During harvesting seasons an average of 6-8 people are employed to work on 0.5 hectare of land.

Pic: Onion production

B.

Employment opportunities

Income Diversification

Dependence on rain-fed agriculture had limited participant’s ability to increase and diversify their incomes by engaging in agricultural related business ventures. However, increased availability of water made possible through irrigation infrastructures have allowed them engage in livestock production.

Such income diversification has increased average annual household income of 2736 ETB to 20,000 ETB. Farmers with larger farm plots have managed to gain an annual income of 145,000ETB. Increased income is also changing households’ consumption pattern. They are better empowered

Pic: Wage labourers of Chelekot river diversion Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat

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IRRIGATION DEVELOOPMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN TIGRAY

With the five irrigation structures the project has created, 2294-3060 individuals are seasonally employed to work on a total of 382.49 hectares of land.

D.

Food Security

Irrigation infrastructure construction and utilization has increased food availability for households, and reduced risk of crop failure. The wage employment opportunities have also allowed landless members of the community to earn some income.

Pic: Improved housing/accommodation Survey results of the mid-year project review indicate Fitsum Mehari, a 34-year-old farmer with five family that children under 18, and 63% of adults eat three members narrates the benefits his family gained or more meals per day. As such, the project has made from engaging in irrigation practices. a significant improvement on food security.

The capacity building trainings have significantly enhanced participants’ knowledge and skills on adopting improved farming techniques. Their success is motivating other members of the community to engage in similar projects. Participants also state that they have adopted improved their food consumption patterns. Increased dairy production has enabled them to consume more milk. In addition, 25% of the vegetables produced under this project are consumed by the households participating in the project.

E.

Welfare improvement

Pic: Fitsum working on irrigated land

Project participants state that the overall increase in production and productivity, income, consumption, and employment opportunity has ensured food security for their households. Moreover, increase in disposable income has also translated into increased resource allocation for health and education services. Household’s living conditions-housing, dressing, and health-have improved.

‘Because I used to rely on the rain to cultivate my vegetables, I had inadequate amount of production. So I used to travel to Mekelle city to work as a guard, so I can support my family. Since the river diversion begun, I’ve begun to grow variety of fruit and vegetables such as tomato, cabbage, carrot, onion, potato, wheat and maize all year round. I’ve harvest three times on my 1ha of land. I’ve earned 145000 ETB by selling the vegetables. I’ve also diversified my income by starting livestock production. This is very motivating. My family now consumes fresh and nutritious vegetables, and our health has improved. We’ve also constructed a new house. I’ve became self-reliant. I plan to do many things in the future.’

Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat

IRRIGATION DEVELOOPMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN TIGRAY

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and arable land, employment opportunities, and the various capacity developing trainings have been instrumental in building household resilience to climate change and disasters.

Increased and diversified income has enabled participants to improve their overall welfarefood consumption, education, health and living conditions • Increased societal awareness: The improvements in participants’ livelihood and living standard have positive externalities whereby non-participants of the project are interested to adopt such techniques. Such motivations provide conducive social context to expand such resilience building interventions either by CST or other stakeholders.

Pic: Fitsum opining his new house Welfare improvement has also reduced risk of human trafficking, and migrant smuggling from the Weredas.

• Reduces vulnerability to migrant smuggling and human trafficking: Increased and diversified source of income amongst previously landless households will attribute to withstand the economic expediency of outmigration, and reduce vulnerability of human trafficking.

5. Challenges • Access to Market: As value chain study and proper linkage to market was not well established, farmers remained as price takers.

Their price negotiating capacity with traders is at its infant stage.

• Poor infrastructure Development: There is no constructed road that passes through or nearby the irrigation site. This has created difficulties for farmers to easily take their produce to nearby markets.

• Unavailability of temporary storages: Vegetables are perishable agricultural products.

They need to be properly stored in sheds until they are sold or marketed. But, the cooperatives don’t have sheds. As a result some portion of their production is wasted because of this problem.

6. Learning

7. Sustainability Farmers’ capacity development in terms of adopting improved agronomic practices has raised land productivity and in turn increased and diversified income ensure sustainability of the project. The formation of six irrigation cooperatives also facilitates sustainability of the improved agronomic practices, as farmers continue to witness the positive developments in their, and others’ lives.

Trócaire. (2014). ‘Feeling the heat: How climate change is driving extreme weather to the developing world’. Ireland: Trócaire. i

FDRE Central Statistics Agency. (2017). Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey 2016, pg. 213 ii

• Building Local Capacity to enhance resilience: Construction of irrigation infrastructures, increased availability of water

Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat

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IRRIGATION DEVELOOPMENT IN SOUTH EASTERN TIGRAY

Adigrat Dioceses Catholic Secretariat

BENCH TERRACING AS A RESILENT APPROACH TO LANDLESS YOUTH

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