CRGE pilot program improving farmers livelihood …………………………….. ……..

ADDIS ABABA — THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD Newspaper 22 April 2016: Taffese Gelamo is a farmer in Doye Gena Woreda of Bekafa Kebele, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State. He is sharing his experience and benefit from the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) program which has been implemented over the last two years.
Taffese has been able to earn better income ploughing his field thrice a year and improved his life through the program after receiving orientation and using the Green Resilient Climate sensitive agriculture which is being implemented nationwide. Taffese and other farmers as well as people engaged in other sectors are expected to benefit from the project which has closer government and donor support.
He lauded the efforts of professionals in providing support to farmers as he got practical experiences on ways of utilizing a maximum potential from the climate resilient green economic development.
“Now I am earning a better income following the implementation of this pilot project and got recognition becoming a model farmer who is coaching other farmers in the area to work in line with CRGE after receiving a closer support from the program by cultivating fruits and vegetables,” Tafesse added.
At a consultation workshop held at the Ethiopian Red Cross Society Training Center Tuesday, Ministry of Farming and Natural Resources Development Natural Resource Development Protection and Use Directorate Director Tefera Taddese said: “Our country has designed Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy in a bid to keeping its promise to meet its vision of becoming a middle income economy by 2025 by decreasing carbon gas emissions.”
“The pilot project has been making remarkable progress in all states so far and we have learned a lot in that regard to further strengthen the project jointly with donors and countries which are keen to support the program.”
Ministry of Livestock and Fishery Sub-regional Pastrialst Livelihood Project Coordinator Sertse Sibu said that the pilot program has so far made achievements so far with a vision of protecting the country from climate change impacts so as to maximize farmers productivity and prevent drought.
He added that CRGE was designed by the Ethiopian government in 2003 and under implementation over the last two years in a bid to taking the country to the middle income economy within 15 years through conserving the environment side by side with maintaining the economic development is showing much progress. “This would be realized by making the environment healthy and pass on to the next generation properly.”
Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation CRGE Facility Expert Elmi Nure on his part that these projects are under implementation in other sectors too in addition to the agriculture sector like forest and environment, urban development, transport and other sectors.
Ministry of Farming and Natural Resource Development CRGE Unit Coordinator Birhanu Assefa in his presentation said that the pilot project has been implemented in 27 woredas since the last 18 months in all states in a bid to addressing problems related to climate change.
He added: “Capacity building programs have been organized for 7,000 stakeholders on climate change and concrete results have been achieved, among others, on seed variety, soil fertility, and the development of improved animal and plant species.
BY YARED GEBREMEDEN