MADISON, Wis. — The World Council of Credit Unions reported it has completed a successful development program in Ethiopia that worked with rural savings and credit cooperatives (RuSACCOs) and farmers to improve food security and livelihoods among farming families. The 2009–2014 program was funded by the monetization of 23,000 tons of wheat through USDA's Food for Progress program.
WOCCU’s work took place in three regions of Ethiopia, Tigray, Oromia and Amhara, which span half the country, to assist RuSACCOs with expanding financing for agricultural production and to mobilize savings. The program also provided non-financial services, such as farmer training and infrastructure investments, to improve farmers' access to markets and increase commercial food production.
WOCCU said the program exceeded its targets, helping 44,645 farmers to produce higher crop yields and increase their incomes. The program provided agricultural training to farmers to help transition them from subsistence farming to commercial food production. Soil and water conservation techniques were introduced to target farmers, and 71.5% of surveyed farmers reported that these techniques helped them to increase crop production. Poor farmers were also supported through the introduction of higher quality agricultural inputs and training on methods such as the proper use of fertilizers and better planting techniques, WOCCU said.
The average income for each farmer increased for both primary and secondary crops throughout the term of the project. At the end of the program, both loans and savings per SACCO member had experienced a “dramatic increase,” WOCCU said.