Japan Avails Funds to FAO for Strengthening Climate-resilient Agriculture among the Conflict-affected Communities in Ethiopia

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Government of Japan, facilitated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has launched a new initiative to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture and support conflict-affected rural communities in the northern regions of Ethiopia.

Japan is funding over JPY one billion (approximately USD 7.2 million) for a project that will be implemented by FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture in Amhara, Tigray, and Afar regions over a four-year period. It aims to revitalize agricultural livelihoods, improve food security, and enhance climate resilience through the Farmers Field School (FFS) approach.

The project will empower farmers by introducing innovative climate-smart agricultural practices that will help farmers adapt to extreme weather conditions, restore degraded farmland, and improve crop production.

Key components – The key components include training farmers and extension workers on sustainable agriculture through FFS methodology, establishing community-based seed multiplication groups to improve access to high-quality seeds, enhancing postharvest management to reduce food losses and increase market opportunities, and rehabilitating and upgrading irrigation systems to improve water access for farmers.

With a strong monitoring and evaluation framework, the project aims to directly benefit over 27 000 smallholder farmers and reach an additional 242 000 individuals through knowledge sharing and capacity building.

Strategic partnership for a long-term impact – In his address soon after the signing ceremony, the Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Dr Girma Amente, extended appreciation to FAO, the Government of Japan and JICA for the support, which according to him, falls squarely into the government plans and priorities. “We would like to extend our appreciation to FAO for provision of technical support in areas around food security, nutrition and livelihoods improvement. This support from Japan will add a momentum into these efforts,” he said.

On his part, the Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador SHIBATA Hironori, said “Japan has been providing official development assistance to wide range of sectors in Ethiopia over the past decades and recognizes that agriculture is one of the most important industries in the county. The Japan’s support in the sector has three major pillars: first “investment in people”, second, ‘small-scale farmers self-reliance’ and ‘market-oriented agriculture’, and thirdly, “rice production”. This new project is aligned with the major pillars of the Japan’s assistance.”

FAO Representative in Ethiopia, Farayi Zimudzi, also thanked the Government of Japan and JICA for the support. “FAO would like to appreciate the support from Japan. For years now they have been supporting FAO in several interventions focusing on animal health promotion, support to crop production and income generating activities. This new project is another effort to support the most vulnerable communities in Northern Ethiopia,” she said.

OSHIMA Kensuke, Chief Representative, JICA Ethiopia Office, emphasized the importance of the project. “This project will not only be meaningful in improving the livelihoods of farmers in the three target regions but can also help further develop the Farmers Field School approach across the country to enhance the resilience of farmers. By building resilient agricultural systems, we aim to ensure sustainable development and create a foundation for long-term food security and economic growth in Ethiopia.”

Looking ahead – The FAO-Japan/JICA partnership represents a milestone in Ethiopia’s climate adaptation efforts, ensuring that conflict-affected communities can rebuild their agricultural livelihoods while contributing to a greener, more resilient food system.

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Source: This article is authored by JICA Ethiopia.