Summary

Genet, 38, is a mother of nine—five girls and four boys. She resides in a small rural village within the Oromia Region. Along with her family, Genet is a subsistence farmer, relying on small-scale agriculture and livestock rearing as their primary means of livelihood. Six of her nine children attend school, spanning from second to eleventh grade. Before her engagement with the NSA model village project, Genet’s family faced challenges in sustaining their lives. This was largely due to a lack of knowledge about nutrition-sensitive agriculture, which is crucial for enhancing productivity. Additionally, they had limited information on proper childcare practices.

Genete and other women in her community were selected to undergo training in the Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) method around two and half years ago. The goal of this program was to enhance the nutritional status of young children as well as expectant and nursing moms. The objective of the program was to improve participants' skills and understanding of raising animals and growing nutrient-rich crops and vegetables. It also includes the regular provision of training courses to moms of little children. Using products that were readily available in the area, these classes taught them how to prepare a variety of healthy, safe, and nourishing meals for their kids. A range of other instructional activities and regular cooking demonstration classes helped to support the initiative.

Genet’s Story in her own words (quotes)

My name is Genet. My husband and I are the proud parents of nine children. We sustain our family through small-scale farming and animal rearing. Before participating in the NSA project, our understanding of homestead gardening was minimal, and the yield from our farm was insufficient to sustain us throughout the year. In the past, ensuring my children had enough food was a constant struggle, not to mention the challenge of providing nutritionally rich meals.

Approximately two and a half years ago, a group of women from my village and I were selected to participate in a training program on homestead gardening and various other agricultural techniques. This training was conducted at the local farmers’ training center, facilitated by an agricultural expert from the district and a development agent from our village. The course was designed to teach us how to prepare land for planting seedlings. Additionally, we learned about the cultivation and looking after of a diverse range of vegetables, fruits, and other nutritionally rich crops. The training was very comprehensive, extending beyond mere instruction; upon completion, we were provided with high-quality vegetable and fruit seedlings, which we then planted in our backyards.

Armed with the new knowledge gained from the training, I have successfully cultivated a diverse range of vegetables, including carrots, cabbage, beetroot, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, green peppers, and Swiss chard, among others. Additionally, we were provided with a variety of fruit seedlings, such as improved varieties of mangoes, bananas, avocados, and papayas. Now, as you can see, I am cultivating a range of vegetables and fruits right here in my backyard. This bounty allows me to provide my children with diverse and nutritionally rich meals. Moreover, I can sell the surplus produce, generating an income that has enabled me to meet my children’s educational needs and other household essentials.

Currently, I am filled with joy as I share my homestead gardening experiences with our neighbors. Many have been inspired by my journey and have begun cultivating a variety of vegetables and fruits in their own backyards, achieving great success. Witnessing this transformation fills me with pride and happiness.

I want to grow a wider range of fruits and vegetables on a bigger plot of land in the future by expanding my homestead garden. Right now, on a tiny plot, I'm using intercropping techniques to combine cereals with maize. I've been able to produce a wide variety of crops that are high in nutrients because to this method.

We are deeply grateful to Save the Children and the project for launching this enlightening program that has made a big difference in our lives. Our situation has improved, and we're determined to keep up the good work and accomplish even more in the future. My dream is for my children to go to college, achieve the best grades possible, and secure employment in government agencies.

What NSA CASE Project of Save the Children is doing for Genet and others like her in the village?

The Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture Capacity Strengthening in Ethiopia (NSA CASE) project was introduced by Save the Children and the Ministry of Agriculture through Grant Under Grant modality in 2019. The federal MoA, Amhara, Oromia, and Somali regional states BoAs are the focus of the five-year pilot project, which aims to enhance the nutritional status of women and children there through effective implementation of NSA strategy. At this point in time, it has succeeded in reaching more than 130 households about 650 NSA model village beneficiaries who produces diversified foods and consumed from their produce. There are a greater number of target households in non-model village woredas of the three project implementing regions produced and consumed diversified foods by scaling up NSA model village initiatives. With a focus on enhancing nutrition, improving farmers' skills and knowledge on how to grow and raise nutrient dense crops and livestock, and educating how to prepare diverse, safe and nutritious meals for their young children with what is locally available through a regular cooking demonstration lesson, the NSA CASE project is playing key role in improving the nutritional status of women and young children in the three regions of Ethiopia.

The NSA CASE project is primarily a capacity and system strengthening project that aims to enhance effective implementation of NSA strategy. NSA model village has been piloted at the two project woredas of Oromia and Amhara regions to serve as a display how much the capacity and system created ensures availability and accessibility of diverse, safe, and nutritious foods for the community, and improves consumption.

Now entering the final phase of its lifecycle, the NSA initiative has demonstrated promising outcomes. These have been particularly evident in the NSA model village, where the project was first implemented. According to feedback from the target families, there has been a marked improvement in maternal knowledge regarding nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices. Consequently, numerous households have succeeded in cultivating a variety of vegetables and fruits. This not only ensures a nutritious supply for their children but also generates additional income through the sale of surplus produce.