Ethiopia in depth

Rural families in Ethiopia are extremely vulnerable to shocks such as drought and rising food prices. Yet with Send a Cow support, thousands are overcoming the odds and starting to produce food all year round. That means they can eat well and sell any surplus produce to pay for homes, education, and healthcare. They can also begin to save money to cushion themselves against shocks in the future.

Strengthening people

We work with mixed groups of men and women in Ethiopia, including many widows. Women in Ethiopia have a particularly low social status. Through our projects, they discover they can play a fuller role in the economic life of the family and community, and men develop respect for their input.

By sharing workloads and responsibility, and by introducing new farming practices, families can increase yields and income. Importantly, family harmony can also improve. In the Highlands, where men are often forced to seek work away from home, Send a Cow provides support to their wives and families so that the men frequently return to their land full-time.

Our social development teams also raise awareness of health issues such as HIV/Aids which is on the rise in Ethiopia, and female genital mutilation, which is still widespread. Find out how Send a Cow's work goes beyond food security.

Farming and animals

Ethiopia suffers frequent droughts which leave millions on the verge of starvation. Yet by integrating land and livestock, families can keep their crops growing. Ethiopian smallholder farmers tend to grow mainly staple crops, but through our training in techniques such as building and maintaining a kitchen garden, they discover that leafy greens and other vegetables can add much-needed vitamins to their diets. And by selling the produce, farmers can also tide themselves over between harvests of main crops.

Most families in Ethiopia own some livestock, so we give few animals here and focus instead on training in animal management. For example, farmers learn how to control grazing, so that animals do not damage land and crops.

What local livestock there is however, tends to be of poor quality. So we distribute some ‘village bulls’ – good quality animals used for stud purposes to improve the genetic stock in a given area. We also provide some poultry, sheep and local cows, as well as donkeys, which enable families in the highlands to access markets on the plains.

Caring for the environment

With our support, farmers in Ethiopia are learning how best to protect their land from the severe environmental challenges the country faces.

Climate change is causing more frequent droughts and heavy rains, which make soils even more fragile. In the highland areas where many of our projects are located, those valuable topsoils are then washed away down the steep slopes. It’s a devastating cycle.

Our projects train people in how to conserve the soil. Tree planting, for instance, is crucial, as the roots bind the soil together. And by terracing steep land, farmers can prevent soils being eroded away. Families also learn how to harvest water, to keep their crops flourishing through times of drought.

Our natural agricultural techniques (see above) also enable farmers to get more out of their land. That means they do not have to encroach on forests and marginal lands in order to feed their families. Read more about how Send a Cow's work helps to care for the environment.