EU funded project records strides in livestock and forage conditions assessment

The implementation of the European Union (EU)-funded Support to Effective Food Security, Nutrition, and Resilience Programming (EU ProAct II) project in Ethiopia has made significant strides through the capacity building services in the use of Pictorial Evaluation Tools (PET) for assessing livestock and forage conditions.

The project was implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

With funding from the European Union (EU), Agritechtalk Africa (ATTA) successfully trained 20 trainers of trainers (ToTs), primarily Government and FAO officers, who subsequently trained 98 data collectors from Southern Ethiopia, Oromia, and Somali regions.

These data collectors, field experts from 30 woredas across 10 zones, began their monthly data collection activities, with each woreda having three data collectors working in rotation.

This structured approach ensures comprehensive coverage and consistent data collection across the regions. A joint supervision mission was conducted to oversee these activities, providing technical support and ensuring the quality of data collection.

The supervision mission, conducted between December 9th and 29th, 2023, aimed to evaluate the field data collection process, assess the capacity of data collectors in real-world conditions, and offer specific guidance to enhance data collection techniques.

The mission found that in most areas visited, livestock body conditions and pasturesituations were generally good, although some areas, such as the Fik Zone in the Somali region, experienced water shortages. In addition, livestock seasonal migration from one locality to another was an issue.  It was recommended to map seasonal livestock migration routes and destination sites and plan data collection schedules.

This initiative highlights the importance of continuous support and supervision to maintain high standards in data collection, ultimately contributing to effective food security, nutrition, and resilience programming in Ethiopia.

“To ensure the effectiveness of the data collection process, it is recommended to continue monitoring and providing technical support, making improvements as necessary” says Desalegn Gebremedhin, FAO Livestock Officer who was one of the trained (ToTs) who conducted the supervision mission.

Given the distances involved and the minimal changes in livestock body conditions and forage situations over short intervals, it was suggested that data collection be conducted every other month more intensively, he added.

According to him, mapping seasonal migration routes and planning data collection schedules accordingly was recommended to address the issue of livestock seasonal migration and also avoid double counting.

“Regular supervision with technical support from trainers is essential, along with planning and implementing regular refresher trainings for data collectors. The PET App is being configured to communicate with MoA server, with completion expected by March 2024,” he explained.  

The EU’s support was pivotal in this supervision mission, which aimed to oversee the field PET data collection activity, evaluate the capacity of data collectors in typical field situations, and provide technical support to ensure quality data collection through specific guidance on techniques and principles.  The project significantly benefited from the EU’s commitment and resources.

The implementation of the European Union (EU)-funded Support to Effective Food Security, Nutrition, and Resilience Programming (EU ProAct II) project in Ethiopia has made significant strides through the capacity building services in the use of Pictorial Evaluation Tools (PET) for assessing livestock and forage conditions.

The project was implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

With funding from the European Union (EU), Agritechtalk Africa (ATTA) successfully trained 20 trainers of trainers (ToTs), primarily Government and FAO officers, who subsequently trained 98 data collectors from Southern Ethiopia, Oromia, and Somali regions.

These data collectors, field experts from 30 woredas across 10 zones, began their monthly data collection activities, with each woreda having three data collectors working in rotation.

This structured approach ensures comprehensive coverage and consistent data collection across the regions. A joint supervision mission was conducted to oversee these activities, providing technical support and ensuring the quality of data collection.

The supervision mission, conducted between December 9th and 29th, 2023, aimed to evaluate the field data collection process, assess the capacity of data collectors in real-world conditions, and offer specific guidance to enhance data collection techniques.

The mission found that in most areas visited, livestock body conditions and pasturesituations were generally good, although some areas, such as the Fik Zone in the Somali region, experienced water shortages. In addition, livestock seasonal migration from one locality to another was an issue.  It was recommended to map seasonal livestock migration routes and destination sites and plan data collection schedules.

 This initiative highlights the importance of continuous support and supervision to maintain high standards in data collection, ultimately contributing to effective food security, nutrition, and resilience programming in Ethiopia.

“To ensure the effectiveness of the data collection process, it is recommended to continue monitoring and providing technical support, making improvements as necessary” says Desalegn Gebremedhin, FAO Livestock Officer who was one of the trained (ToTs) who conducted the supervision mission.

Given the distances involved and the minimal changes in livestock body conditions and forage situations over short intervals, it was suggested that data collection be conducted every other month more intensively, he added.

According to him, mapping seasonal migration routes and planning data collection schedules accordingly was recommended to address the issue of livestock seasonal migration and also avoid double counting.

“Regular supervision with technical support from trainers is essential, along with planning and implementing regular refresher trainings for data collectors. The PET App is being configured to communicate with MoA server, with completion expected by March 2024,” he explained.  

The EU’s support was pivotal in this supervision mission, which aimed to oversee the field PET data collection activity, evaluate the capacity of data collectors in typical field situations, and provide technical support to ensure quality data collection through specific guidance on techniques and principles.  The project significantly benefited from the EU’s commitment and resources.