Achievements

There have been a number of achievements by the bureau during the past 14 years. These achievements are in the areas of performance capacity building, crop development, livestock development, natural resource conservation and development, food security and farmer cooperatives.

Performance capacity building

The bueau has scored a remarkable achievements both at individuals and organizational level. Some of these achievements are:

  • Since the development agents are the key personnel to improve farmers' skill and system of production their number is increased from 996 in 1995 to 6205 in 2005. As a result, farmers to development ratio is reduced from 2800 to 515. Moreover their level of education has been raised from certificate to diploma level.
  • The number of regional, zonal and woreda experts is raised from 2331 in 1995 to 4417 in 2005 (189 % growth).
  • The system of extension has changed from PADET to TVT system. The system mainly focuses farmers’ attitude and skill change, instead of focusing on changing their plot and hence great performances have been resulted from the system. Moreover, the extension system of the region is based on both market and agro ecological based interventions. For instance, great results have been obtained regarding bread wheat, cotton, paper, corn productions. These products are great potentials and marketable products of the region.
  • The system is mainly focusing on FTC institutions as training institutions at farmers' level. Hence these institutions have been built in 1881 kebeles.
  • Farmers of the region are organized in 75,253 farmer groups and 429,048 sub groups

Crop development

The major crops of the region are cereals, pulses and oil seeds and a remarkable achievement has been made in the production of these crop types.

  • Crop production has been increased by 196% from 1992 G.C (base year) to 2005 G.C. 
  • The productivity (qt per hactar) during the main seasons has also increased 8 to 15. The productivity of the belg season has increased from 6 to 9. Concurrently, productivity through irrigation has increased from 35 to 47.
  • Area covered by irrigation has increased from 16 thousand hectars in 1992 to 234 thousand hectars, which is 14 fold, in 2005.
  • Per capita income has increased from 3.48 qt in 2000 to 3.71 qt in 2005, which is 7% growth.
  • Total agricultural product annual income of the region has increased from birr 6.07 billion in 1994 to birr 7.8 bilion in 2001.
  • Fertilizer consumption has also increased from 278 thousand qt to 900 thousand qt during the past 14 years.

The following table shows achievements regarding food supply and demand situations of the region within the years 200 - 2004.

2000
Production year Cultivated Area(Ha) Production(Qt) Productivity Year
3,307,580 30,533,690 9.3 1992
2001 3,459,370 33,038,450 9.5 1993
2002 2,880,425 32,913,797 11.4 1994
2003 2,894,219 23,131,680 8 1995
2004 2,990,217 34,108,798 11.4 1996
TOTAL 3,106,362 30,745,283 9.9

The following table shows self sufficiency ratio according to BoFED development indicators of the year 1995.

Self-Sufficiency Ratio (Net Production / Demand) 1992 1993 1994 1995
based on 2.04 per capita 75.4 101.6 76.8 53.1
based on t 2.25 and above 68.3 92.1 69.7 48.1
Aid Dependency Ratio 9.2 7.7 5.1 11.8

Livestock development

Apart from crop production livestock is the other prinicipal source of income to the farmer. The livestock population in the region constitutes 29.4 5% of the country. In this regard cattle, goats and equines are the most important sources of traction power, meat, milk, skins and hides. Cattle constituent the largest proportion (i.e 85.2 % of the total TLU). The per capita TLU for the rural household are about 0.53 againest 0.23 hectar of cultivated land.

The following are some of the achievements regarding livestock.

  • Vet service coverage has raised from 20%, in 1993 to 57% in 2005.
  • Regarding to the livestock bread improvement, regional AI nitrogen production center has established and annually not less than 20 thousand cows have inseminated. Not less than 100 thousand day old and three months old chickens have also produced from three poultary multiplication and research centers and distributed to the farmers every year.
  • Improved forage area coverage hase also increased from 1152 hectares, in 1993 to 16147 hectares in the year 2005.
  • Modern bee hive distribution has increased from 172, in 1993 to 6380 in the year 2005.
  • Supply of hide and skinn to the market has also increased from 2.5 million, in 1993 to 4.1 million in the year 2005.

The following table shows the livestock population and holdings in the region.

Type of Livestock Quantity TLU Percapita TLU %
cattle 105,127,777 8,388,144.7 0.486 82.5
sheep 5,320,330 474,573 0.027 4.7
goat 3,815,859 267,110 0.015 2.6
horse 306,443 398,376 0.023 3.9
asses 1,570,536 607,720 0.035 5.9
camel 28,475 34,739 0.002 0.4
poultary 13,434,878
total 34,989,298

Additionally, the animal health area coverage of the region has grown from 77% in 1992 to 85% in 1996 E.C.

Natural resource conservation & development

The region is seriously affected with soil erosion and it is high risk zone of the country. To minimize this risk efforts have done to this sub sector.

  • 50% of the farmers farm land have undertaken soil and water conservation and development activities.
  • Annually, 200 – 300 million seedlinds have been raised and planted. This raised forest coverage from 4.5% to 5.56%.
  • To certify the land user right 50% of the regional farmers have been awarded a certificate of ownership.

Food security

42 % of the population are food insecured. To minimize this number undertaking resettlement program is one of the measures taken by the region and hence during the past two years 53,352 households and 56,557 families have been taken to resettlement areas. Additionally, 2.5 million people, who are food in secure in the region are benefiting from safety net program.

Farmers cooperatives

These institutions play a great role in supplying agricultural inputs to the farmers and undertaking agricultural marketing activities. Hence achievements in this regard are:

  • Farmers service cooperatives reached to 724 among which 424 are reorganized in 24 unions.
  • Total cooperatives capital has reached to birr 207 million.
  • 60% of the agricultural input has been supplied through these cooperatives.
  • Loan service amounting birr 187 milion has been given to the beneficiaries