Youth artisans fabricating metal silos to reduce post-harvest losses
Addis Ababa - The occasional banging of metal from the fabrication workshop broke the silence of the compound. Four members of the “Ammanuel Abebaw and His Friends Company Limited” in Achefer Woreda, Amhara regional state are rushing to finish their fabrication before nightfall. They have to deliver 150 metal silos to a local organization in a few days.
Metal silos are cylinder-shaped containers for storing grain. The upper lid has an opening that serves to put grain inside the silo. The bottom part has an opening with a lid that serves to take the grain out. The technology protects harvested grains from attack not only from the storage insects but also from rodent pests. The traditional forms of storing grain including insecticides, granaries, and traditional bags have proven ineffective in maintaining the quality and quantity of grain.
Save for a few breaks, the youthful artisans are busy from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, from Monday to Saturday of every week. Their work involves cutting, welding, and assembling galvanized sheets to fabricate the metal silos.
Abebaw, 28, Ammanuel, 29, Asefa, 27, and Berihun, 27 are graduates of Technical Vocational Educational Training and specialize in metalwork. After giving up a short stint of formal employment, the friends started their own enterprise.
“We were working so hard yet getting very little income. We decided to come together, register as a Small and Medium Enterprise and grow with it”, said Abebaw.
Although they can do all metalwork, the group is well known in the community for fabricating the best metal silos that they sell to farmers and organizations. The prices range from 12 000 EBirr (USD 254) for1 MT silo to 7 000 EBirr (USD 148) for 0.3 MT silo.
In efforts to popularize and increase the availability of metal silos in the community, FAO trained the artisans to make the silos. Initially, FAO purchased the silos and distributed them to farmers to support the budding business. However, the artisans are now able to fabricate and sell using their own resources. The community now purchases the silos directly from the artisans. Some orders come from areas not targeted by the project.
Besides the income from the fabrication of metal silos, the artisans are proud of contributing to reducing postharvest loss which is a challenge, especially in rural areas. They also regularly conduct promotional activities to popularize the technology among extension workers, farmers, and urban dwellers.
“We receive positive feedback from the farmers that use the silos and this motivates us to do more. They tell us that the metal silos have prevented grain loss”, said Ammanuel.
Since 2015, the artisans have fabricated and sold over 600 metal silos. The income has enabled them to stock up on raw materials and construct personal houses. Asefa has enrolled for an accounting degree course and hopes to improve accounts management in the company with the new skills.
The youth artisans demonstrate how increased demand for safe and reliable food is creating new opportunities for youth, to create employment and make a contribution to building sustainable and resilient food systems. In recognition of their work, the Achefer Woreda (district) administration has provided the artisans with a workshop site, and the local district office of agriculture supports them with providing quality assurance before distributing/selling the metal silos to buyers.
“We are happy that we work in our own community. We invest our time and skills into our business, which we dream of transforming into an industry. Secondly, we learned new skills and are a part of the solution to a local problem, said Ammanuel.”
So far, FAO has trained 55 youth artisans in Ethiopia.
The interventions are funded by the Swiss Development and Cooperation. They aim to strengthen and promote improved postharvest management and household storage technologies in order to reduce postharvest losses of major grains.
Contact
Rachel Nandelenga
Communications Consultant
FAO Ethiopia
Tamiru Legesse
National Communication Officer
FAO Ethiopia