A workshop on best practices on adoption of new technologies and systems for resilience building in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of Ethiopia was held today.
The validation workshop organized by the Addis Ababa University discussed about how the technologies adopted by pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of Ethiopia were effective and the community’s acceptance to the technology as well as the significance in improving the livelihood of the communities.
In an exclusive with ENA, Project Principal Investigator Meskerem Abi said various technologies had been adopted in various parts of the country during the last 2 years.
Accordingly, the respective action researches have been conducted with the view to finding out the best practices on adoption of new technologies and systems for resilience building in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of Ethiopia, particularly in the areas where the project was implemented.
She further explained that assessments were conducted to investigate whether the project had met the target, whether they were effective and productive, can be practical, and the community’s interest to accept or adopt new technologies, among others.
The research results indicate that the best practices show hopeful results in improving the livelihoods of the community and the people are also interested in technologies.
The principal investigator stated that digital technology for pastoral information systems was implemented in Borena, Oromia Region, by using a kind of mobile application that enables the pastoralists to easily access where food for their livestock is located.
Also, the insurance scheme for livestock has enabled the community to survive when they faced drought by enabling them to establish resilient livelihood.
Furthermore, the research result indicates that 99 percent of the users are interested in adopting the technology, according to Meskerem.
The other best practice that had been implemented was the provision of vaccines for goats and sheep in the Siti Zone of Somali region.
The research on the provision of vaccine found out that over 70 percent of the beneficiaries accepted the project because it enables them to improve their livelihood in reducing the long distance they had to go to get vaccination service.
Besides, the vaccine given in specific areas was delivered by trained local women and enabled the women to generate income as well.
Similarly, the best practice on adoption of new technologies around Gondar, Amhara Region, for resilient food production in drought affected areas.
In the best practice of technologies implemented in Gojam, Amhara Region, service for protection of flooding from upper to low areas in which restoration of the ecosystem took place was adopted.
She recommended that the service be expanded to other areas of the region so as to offer the service to others as well.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency