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Campaigning to push for the phasing out of chlorpyrifos in Ethiopia

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate, neurotoxic pesticide widely used in agriculture. Its neurotoxic effect is due to its ability of inhabiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme needed for the proper functioning of nervous system. Because of its acute toxicity, it is being evaluated by the Stockholm Convention POPs Review Committee (POPRC) which will potentially be listed under POPs and banned globally ( Overview (pops.int) . It is also under evaluation under the Rotterdam Convention Chemicals Review Committee (CRC) for listing in Annex III of the Convention ( Overview (pic.int) ). These concerted efforts are geared towards banning chlorpyrifos. Because of its adverse effects on human health, the environment and other non-target organisms, chlorpyrifos is banned in 39 countries globally. In Ethiopia, chlorpyrifos is allowed only for restrict use. Despite this fact, the chemical is widely available in pesticide shops in rural areas where smallholder farmers are purchasing and usin
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A farmer, trader and advocate of organic farming

  Holeta is a town in the special Zone of Oromia region, Ethiopia. It is located about 40 Km West of Addis Ababa, the Country’s capital. With its suitable agro ecology, a number of farmers produce vegetables for home consumption and as a source of cash income. Workie Shumeye is one of those farmers who grow vegetables year round–in different seasons. Workie and her colleagues used to grow vegetables conventionally using toxic agrochemical inputs both for soil fertility enhancement and plant protection. As the Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) project started in Holeta some ten years ago; Workie and other farmers her village became members of the project. The project came up with trainings and technical support for farmers on how they can implement organic farming practices and technologies to gradually convert their farm into an organically managed farm. By fully taking up the EOA technologies and practices, Workie became a fully fledged organic farmer. She manages poultry, pr

Meet Rukya Dedu – a pioneer farmer promoting the use of organic inputs for vegetable production

Her name is Rukya Dedu – a woman smallholder farmer who lives in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Vegetable production is the mainstay for her family. She grows onion, tomato, lettuce, Swiss Chard, Habesha Gomen, pepper and chili pepper. Agrochemical inputs–synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides were the major inputs she used to feed her plants and to protect them from pest and disease attack. In 2018, she joined PAN-Ethiopia’s vegetable project which has been promoting the use of environmentally sound and nontoxic alternatives for agrochemicals. It has been providing trainings and extension support for farmers on alternatives for soil fertility enhancement and plant protection methods which can be prepared by smallholder farmers with the use of locally available inputs. Rukya made use of the training and she now has set up a vermicomposting unit–producing Vermicompost and using for her vegetable seedling nursery in her backyard and her kitchen garden. She is no more using

Companion cropping for vegetables

Companion planting is the careful placement of vegetables and herbs which have beneficial effects on one another. The plants that we sow/plant together support each other for the best of crop yield. These can be attributed to physical reasons that taller plants provide shelter for plants that need protection. Climbing plants can grow on to taller plants to maximise production in small spaces. Some other plants make good companions because their roots grow at different depths so that they avoid competition for nutrients and water. Other plants increase soil fertility, some others play a significant role in pest and disease control. It is also advisable to consider growing nature; above and below ground when planting vegetables together. Hence, the table below was prepared to be used as an input when selecting vegetables to plant together as inter-crops. The commonly grown vegetables, their families, edible part (we need to give much care and protection) and their preferred companions