“Poverty is not predestination”
Ato Hailu Bekele is 42 years old man with a father of four children; out of whom two are females all living with him in 06 (Charie kebele) of Menz-Gera Woreda. He has only 1 ha plot of arable land. He had been Productive Safety net Program (PSNP) beneficiaries since 2003 G.C. The main reason he became PSNP beneficiaries for long time was due to small land size, infertile land, traditional ways of farming, ploughing non-commercial/valuable crops, low productivity, unable to diversify working areas and lack of technical know-how. These concrete and tangible factors obliged him to stay for prolonged time as PSNP beneficiary because he had no other option that he diversifies livelihood pathways.
By come across, Graduation with Resilience to Achieve Sustainable Development (GRAD II) project targeted 06 (Charie) kebele in 9/2018 GC which he lives in. After kebele targeting, awareness raising orientation was conducted by GRAD II project staff for the PSNP beneficiaries on how and in what areas does the project work, whom it will target, duration of project, and the change that bring about on the beneficiaries live. Then short and clear explanation of the VESA group- How VESA groups formed, who will be member, criteria to be VESA member, comparative advantage gained by being member of VESA group were the major points to familiar with the project and VESA groups. Due to this transparent and clear information for beneficiaries, he established and joined Kokeb No1 VESA group in December 2019.Both he and his wife (Kabtish Arega) are member of Kokeb No 1 VESA group. The minimum share of VESA saving in fortnightly is ETB five but both of them always save multiple share starting from ETB 10.00 up to ETB 25.00. Since Kokeb No 1VESA group established, he mobilized saving amounting ETB 435.00. Out of which he saved ETB 210.00 and his wife ETB 235.00.
After mobilizing saving, he took ETB 200.00 from Kokeb No1 VESA and bought two poultry. The one poultry accounted one month since started laying egg. Up to know, according to from his own data, he gained 35 egg and sold ETB 122.00 at local market called Mehal Meda town. Imagine, after laying egg, he obtained net profit of ETB 122.00from poultry production.
After he obtained VESA level loan and got profit a little bit, his interest towards selected value chain commodities become high.
After this, he decided to engage in value chain and asked for kebele development agents in which value chain he shall be engaged and profitable.
The kebele level development agents advised and supported him by demonstrating and providing product card in which value chain he can best participate. After he seen then product card, he noticed one thing is that he has 0.75 ha irrigated plot of land he long cultivates barley which is low in productivity and cheapest in terms of market price.
Then, the kebele plant science development agent well advised him to participate in lentil value chain rather cultivating barley by showing comparative advantages of the two. He accepted immediately with no doubt to the technical advisory and support engage with lentil value chain rather usual cultivating on barley. The kebele development agent prepared business plan to him. After business plan preparation, the Woreda crop science expert given him two days theoretical and practical training about lentil value chain production.
The training topic covers like, land preparation and frequencies, seed selection, row sowing/planting, fertilizer utilization, weeding and frequencies, selective chemical utilization, harvesting and post-harvest handling.
After he took lentil value chain technical training, he took ETB 6,000.00 from Amara Credit and Saving Institution (ACSI). He bought 60 kg lentil ETB 3,000.00, 50 kg DAP (Di-ammonium phosphate) ETB 735.00 and Bio-fertilizer 1 packet ETB 40.00. Totally, he incurred ETB 3,775.00 and what left in his hand is ETB 2,225.00. From lentil value chain production, he produced 11.5 quintal of lentil from 0.75 ha plot of land. After production, he sold 10.5 quintal of lentil seed ETB 57,750.00 and the remaining one quintal of seed is for next agricultural season. Including the seed sold at market and the remaining 50 kg quintal deposit for next growing season he earned ETB 63,250.00.
When he was requested whether he practiced of lentil engagement before GRAD II project, he replied that “I absolutely had nothing experience and practice before GRAD II project and I always had been cultivating barely which has lowest price at market level.” He further added, “due to best technical training which was uncommon ever before and routine and strict follow up by GRAD II project staff up to the end of the product makes me profitable from the engagement”
Amazingly, he earned a net profit of ETB 59,475.00 only from lentil value chain. The remaining loan ETB 2,225.00 from ACSI, he bought two sheep ETB 3,000.00 by adding ETB 775.00 from his own pocket for fattening purpose. According to him, he will sell the two fattened sheep ETB 4,000.00 in the forthcoming Ethiopian spring festival (Enqutatash). Totally, he earned net profit of ETB 59,597 i.e. from lentil ETB 59,475 and from VESA level egg selling ETB 122.00.
When he was asked the nutrition status of the family, he replied that, “I feed my children roasted egg to improve their nutrition status based on the session delivered by VESA facilitators every fortnight.”
Further he was asked for what session he was attended and the change came due to VESA discussion and replied that, “along with my wife we received discussion-Aspiration: seeing my -self one year’s later graduated from PSNP which had been undermine myself esteem for years and demonstrating for others that “poverty is not predestination for someone who endeavor maximum effort,” Gender discussion: household chores, couple based resource management, and decision making. Based on this session my wife also sell resources at market without any sanction and limitation of me, she made house hold decision equally with me, she also harvest and reap the crop.”
At the end, he said me that, “I express my internal feeling that GRAD II project and staff demonstrating that poverty is not predestination if we apply the project implementation approach without any missing.”
Article contributed by Habtu Gebrewolde