Last year, first-year farmers had increases in crop yields ranging from 47% to 105%. TDA is pioneering
the promotion of Conservation Agriculture in Southern Ethiopia, supported by World Relief Canada and
the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Conservation Agriculture is a set of soil management practices that minimize the disruption of the soil’s
structure, composition and natural biodiversity. We follow five core principles.

1. Mulching – maintenance of permanent or semi-permanent soil cover (using either a previous crop
   residue or specifically growing a cover crop for this purpose). Mulching:
   1. keeps available moisture in the soil
   2. keeps the soil from erosion as the rain drop hits the mulch not the soil
   3. when mulch gets decomposed, it increases and improves the fertility of the soil
   4. when mulch is covered well, it suppresses weeds and makes weeding easier for farmers.
2. No till – Minimum soil disturbance through tillage (just enough to get the seed into the ground).
3. Crop rotation and intercropping – disrupts the development of plant disease and pests. Some
   legumes and cover crops fix nitrogen to soil.

This is supported through the use of planting stations where we place seed and compost / fertilizer / ash
and cover with mulch, awaiting the first rains.
We are committed to train farmers to train other farmers. We start with a core of farmers in every village.
They are encouraged to train other villagers as their crops show significant increase in yields.
We teach farmers proven management practices:

• utilization of green manures/cover crops (GMCC’s) to produce the residue cover;
• no burning of crop residues;
• integrated disease and pest management;
• controlled / limited human, animal and mechanical traffic over agricultural soils.

When these CA practices are used by farmers one of the major environmental benefits is reduction in
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

TDA trains and facilitates the start-up of over 600 Self Help Groups every year. A self-help group is a
village-based financial intermediary committee usually composed of 10–20 people (primarily women).
This proven economic empowerment methodology has changed the lives of thousands and thousands, of
women and their families.

Through the facilitation of TDA staff and a foundation of regular, very small savings contributions, each
group builds up loan funds to help their own members. Social cohesion grows. Regular meetings provide
a venue for personal and community growth and learning.
Women become engaged in income generating activities, own some assets and are enabled to send their
sons and daughters to high schools and colleges.

This has changed the gender dynamics in the household as the wife is bringing some income to the
household and she has something to spend on her own discretion. Besides, the meeting, interaction and
discussion with each other has developed confidence and “I can do sprit” in the women, which is very
important for human development.

TDA does not provide seed money for Self Help Groups. It provides training and facilitation through
volunteer community facilitators.

By mid 2017, TDA has organized 1,377 SHGs with a total number of 23,000 members. The total capital
of SHGs is 9,128,912 ETB and Loan disbursed 6,710,734 ETB. The minimum saving is 2 ETB/week and
maximum saving ETB 100/week. The loan sizes range from 150 ETB to 20,000 ETB

Bunds are the most common technique used to collect surface run-off, increase water infiltration and prevent soil erosion. Their principle is comparably simple: by building bunds along the contour lines, water runoff is slowed down, which leads to increased water infiltration and enhanced soil moisture.
As the water flow is decelerated, higher amounts of water can infiltrate in the soil, leading to increased soil moisture. Furthermore, water is spread more evenly, which can prevent gully formation. Using different designs, bunds are constructed either with soil or stones.

Bunds are combined with the use of field trenches, where slots and trenches are excavated to stop, store and infiltrate floodwater and surface run-off. When grasses regenerate or trees grow the benefit is for the community.

Terepeza sets up community nurseries. Restored land is enhanced with the planting of trees, natural grasses and cover crops. Land is protected from grazing and restored to fertility.

Since 2006, TDA has reclaimed over 40,000 hectares of degraded land with local communities. Today these lands are sustained and well managed by the communities.

Clean water, Sanitation and Hygiene in communities reduces disease and sickness, while saving the hours it takes to collect water for cooking and cleaning — time children can better spend in school.

Education programming creates opportunities. It helps children grow confidently to know their rights, making them less vulnerable to violence and exploitation — including child labour as well as child, early and forced marriage — and better prepared to be leaders in their community.

Through Sustainable Economic Growth programs we help adolescents, youths and adults build small businesses and facilitate skills-training that boosts confidence and self-esteem, allowing parents to provide for their children.
We Strengthen Community Organizations where people work together towards common goals, achieving tangible, positive change. TDA supports 1,700 sponsored children and their families in the project implementation area.