The launch event gathered a diverse group of stakeholders from the National Climate-Smart Agriculture forum, including policymakers, researchers, development partners, private businesses, NGOs, and civil society organizations. The main goal of the workshop was to introduce the Ethiopia CSAIP and emphasize the important role of the national climate-smart agriculture (CSA) forum in driving its implementation.

The CSAIP is an important part of the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project, which is funded by the World Bank. AICCRA works with partners to test and improve the use of climate-smart technologies and practices in East Africa. The Ethiopian CSAIP was developed through a consultative process, a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Alliance of Bioversity, and CIAT.  

The CSAIP outlines an extensive investment portfolio that can serve as a model for feasible and viable projects to tackle various challenges in Ethiopia's agricultural sector. It highlights key investment areas such as the livestock value chain, enhanced forage production, small-scale irrigation using renewable energy sources, improved crop varieties, packaged climate information services (CIS) and agricultural advisory services with insurance, and the implementation of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) practices.

 

The workshop began with opening remarks from Mr. Addis Negash, Team Leader of the Ethiopian Climate Change and Environment Coordinator (ECCCT) at the Ministry of Agriculture, representing Prof. Eyasu Elias, State Minister of the Natural Resource Sector. Addis emphasized Ethiopia's dedication to promoting climate-smart agriculture as a crucial strategy for creating a resilient society and ensuring sustainable agricultural productivity in the face of climate change challenges. He stressed that the 'CSAIP launch' signifies a strong commitment to action rather than just a symbolic gesture. 

Additionally, he encouraged stakeholders such as development partners, private sectors, civil society organizations, and international institutions to work together in this initiative, leveraging the full potential of the agricultural sector to contribute to poverty reduction and food security in Ethiopia.

Responding to climate change: Effective CSA investment planning in Ethiopia

Ethiopia's agriculture sector is facing significant challenges due to its reliance on rain-fed agriculture and its limited capacity to adapt to climate change. This situation has put the sector at a crossroads. Mr. Berhanu Assefa, the focal person at the Ministry of Agriculture and the SCALA project coordinator emphasized the urgency of this situation during a workshop. He highlighted that "business as usual" will not be enough to adequately feed Ethiopia's growing population. In his presentation, he proposed a shift towards green growth pathways in agriculture. This transformation is crucial to overcoming current and future climate challenges and achieving Ethiopia's goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2025.

Birhanu shared 19 potential Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) investment options, which are shown below and grouped into 7 CSA options. These options were identified through a series of consultative workshops conducted as part of the CSAIP development process. They were selected from a larger pool of 40 climate options identified in Ethiopia's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and 18 climate options in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) based on key criteria.

A collaborative approach through a CSA multi-stakeholder forum

After the presentation, a lively discussion highlighted the need to strengthen the capacity of the national CSA multi-stakeholder forum. Participants agreed on the importance of increasing meaningful involvement and knowledge sharing within the CSA Forum. World Vision representatives stressed the need for inclusive representation, including farmers, union leaders, youth groups, and female farmers, to ensure that the CSA forum considers the needs and knowledge of those directly involved in agriculture. Furthermore, participants highlighted the forum's role in promoting collaboration among experts from different fields, which would aid in creating guidelines and sharing data.

Additionally, timely and relevant knowledge sharing within the CSA forum was indicated as a key to the success of the CSA forum. Representatives from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) shared the Coalition of the Willing (CAW) as a model for implementing effective knowledge sharing in a multi-stakeholder forum. Further, academia's role as a key source of knowledge and technology generation was emphasized, implying the need for facilitating mechanisms for universities to channel research findings and best practices to inform decision-making. Furthermore, the private sector sees the forum as an opportunity for collaboration, promotion of their innovative CSA technologies and partnership with various stakeholders. A representative from the private sector pointed out the CSA forum's potential for companies to connect and work together on impactful CSAIPs. Echoing this sentiment, the Ministry of Planning and Development emphasized the private sector's role as a key driver of the economy. By fostering these collaborative linkages, the CSA forum can help drive the co-creation of climate-smart solutions that are tailored to the unique needs and contexts of Ethiopia's agricultural communities.

A road map for strengthening the CSA forum

As Ethiopia launches its ambitious CSAIP marking a significant turning point, its successful implementation hinges on a collaborative effort. Crucially, stakeholders have charted a dynamic road map to ensure its successful implementation. Key elements of this road map include

• Inclusive Representation
• Facilitating Knowledge Sharing
• Promoting Collaboration
• Developing Action Plans
• Prioritize Monitoring and Evaluation
• Resource Mobilization

The workshop concluded with the participants reaching a consensus to support the Ethiopian CSA forum's role as a valuable multi-stakeholder platform for stakeholders—from policymakers to farmers to private actors—to come together, share knowledge, and address challenges. By strengthening multi-stakeholder participation, ensuring alignment between other climate and development interventions and the CSAIPs, and focusing on measurable results, the forum will play a critical role in achieving the goals set out in Ethiopia's CSA road map.

This collaborative approach, fostered by the CSA forum, holds immense promise for Ethiopia's agricultural sector, building resilience to climate change and paving the way for a food-secure future for Ethiopian farmers and communities.

Authors

Melat Yemane, Lidya Tesfaye, Dorcas Jalango Anyango, Numery Abdulhamid, Yodit Yaregal Seyoum, Brook Makonnen, Sintayehu Workneh, and Sintayehu Alemayehu