Implementing Agency:
Department For International Development (PAND)

Managing Institute:
Actionaid UK

Contractor:
Actionaid - Ethiopia

Project Code: 020-680-026	Start Date: 01/04/1993	End Date: 31/03/1997
Commitment: £294,932	Status: Completed	Type of Funding: Bilateral - JFS

Project Background:
Koysha Awraja Rural Development Area (RDA) covers an area of 451 square kilometres. It ranges in altitude from about 800 metres above sea level at the River Omo (in the east of the area) to 2,400m at Waka town (in the west of the area).

It is estimated that the current population of the project area is 58,000, with a density of 127 per sq km; over three times higher than the national average.

Generally, all the crop varieties in the area are indigenous and no improved varieties have been introduced. Local government administrations are very weak and their roles and responsibilities are unclear. Yields of the main field crops are generally estimated to be 30-50% lower than the national average. There is a significant variation in the level of agricultural productivity between households in any given ecological zone. This variation is largely due to the inputs used and the management practices followed.

Very difficult terrain and long distances render formal health services inaccessible to most people. These problems are exacerbated by respect for local spirit healers with little or no understanding of medicine. These spirit healers, or Kalichas, rarely alleviate problems, and frequently add to them.

Most people in the RDA are a considerable distance from a school, a one-way trip taking up to two hours in the rainy season. These distances, coupled with responsibilities in the home and on the farm, mean that few children ever enrol in formal education.

Many schools are in a very bad state of repair, lacking most essential educational materials and equipment.

Project Objectives:
The aim of the project is to raise the living standard of the population by increasing agricultural production, improving access to water, health care and education, and increasing access to credit. Most of these projects are experimental as it is the first year of significant operation. The commitment is to increase the capacity of the poor themselves to design and implement development projects. Group formation, organisation and training is thus the factor on which the success of the programme hinges.

Intended Outputs:
As indicated above, 45 villages (out of a total of 105) will be covered by the agricultural programme in year one. Further expansion is planned in 1995 with total cover anticipated by the end of 1995.

Nurseries will be set up to cultivate berry disease-resistant varieties of coffee bean and seedlings provided to groups that grow coffee.

To deal with other pests and weeds affecting crops such as sorghum and maize, AAE will select ten "lead" farmers and set up demonstration sites on their own land.

A system for savings and credit will be designed and agreed with groups.

To protect livestock from disease, a pilot community-based para-vet project is to be established. Five Community Veterinary Agents (CVAs) in five separate areas will be trained in essential animal care and will be given a drug kit that will be replenished on a revolving basis.

Four sub-groups for soil conservation will be formed in the most affected villages. Two plant seedling nurseries will be established in order to supply these groups with tree saplings.

To improve access to markets and to provide wages during the lean season, a cash-for-work programme will be set up. Access roads, bridges and footpaths will be improved.

AAE will train 20 TBAs and 10 CHAs in the ten PAs targetted who will be provided with basic medical kits.

In each PA, health committees will be established at village level.

Health education programmes will be conducted at health tukuls on a regular basis and during EPI programmes.

A coherent family planning strategy is to be designed for future use.

Low cost pit latrines will be constructed at each of the health tukuls to enable CHAs to promote the merits of using latrines to patients.

Eight springs will be protected and four hand-dug wells excavated in year one.

Non-formal education centres will be set up at locations convenient for children between the ages of 6 and 11. Twenty literate people from within the community will be identiified and trained as LFs.

Vacant tukuls will be turned into literacy centres where possible, and each will accommodate about 30 students and offer 3-4 hours of classes a day, five days a week.

The Community Skills Training Centre (CSTC) in Waka will be revived to initiate skills-training activities.

Six schools located in the RDA will be rehabilitated in year one.