Overview of SOS Sahel Ethiopia
SOS Sahel International (UK) started work in the Sahelian Dry lands Zone, both in Western and Eastern Africa in 1984. In Ethiopia, it began rural development projects focusing on food Security and Community Based Resource Management (CBRM) five years after its establishment in 1989. In 2005, SOS Sahel Ethiopia was registered (No. 1986) as an independent national NGO by the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice. SOS Sahel Ethiopia is a national NGO and has more than 24 years of rural development experience in Ethiopia .
SOS Sahel Ethiopia envisions a world without poverty and It is dedicated to improve the living standards of smallholder farmers and marginalized pastoralists through better management of their environment. The work of SOS Sahel focuses on community-based natural resources management, food security, agriculture, policy analysis, value chain analysis and development, pro-poor value chain development.
SOS Sahel has been operating in three regional states, namely Amhara,Oromia and SNNPR regions.
SOS Sahel has extensive experience in food security, natural resources management, agriculture, market development actions over 24 years. The organization aims to lift smallholder farmers and herders out of poverty through better management of their environment and secured access to rewarding agricultural and natural products markets.
Recent and highly relevant experiences for the Pastoralist Areas Resilience Improvement and Market Expansion (PRIME), based on our field works in Ethiopia are: (1) The promotion of value chain development and trading of high value agricultural and natural commodities such as honey, pepper, small ruminants, vegetables, gum and resins, and aloe Vera, essential oils and forest coffee. (2) Enhancing rural household food security and incomes by increasing crop and livestock productivity, value addition and product diversification. (3) Linking relief with development through Employment based safety net programs that involves cash and food for work. (4) Diversify livelihoods outside crop production and livestock husbandry through on-farm and non-farm income generating opportunities. (5) Sustaining the environment through participatory Frost Management Project and integrated watershed management. (6) Strengthening farmers/herders access to financial services and rewarding markets. (7) Institutionalizing sustainable land management, joint forest management, usufruct procedures into the government working system. (8) Improving the economic and social status of particularly pastoral women by linking them with new and rewarding natural products markets. (9) Building a resilient Pastoral community through community based Disaster Risk Reduction. (10) Social inclusion of minorities (such as Menja and Menna in Kaffa) into the mainstream economic and social development. (11) Influencing policy and practice through action research.(12)Establishing the Meket Micro Finance Institution in Amhara Region.
The projects/programs implemented by SOS Sahel come under S-pentagons. These are sustaining the environment, security livelihoods, strengthening markets, saving lives and sharing knowledge and dissemination.
- Sustaining and Restoring the Environment: Enabling local communities to fight poverty through better management of their environment.
- Securing Livelihood: Improving on-farm and off-farm incomes; expanding livelihood opportunities outside farming; build/protect public and HHs assets.
- Strengthening Markets: Enabling farmers/herders to sell value added and diversified products at rewarding national and overseas markets.
- Saving Lives: Providing relief food assistance for disaster victims.
- Strengthening Documentation: In order to influence policy and action.
SOS Sahel Ethiopia Annual Report 2013
SOS Sahel Ethiopia Annual Report 2013 highlights major achievements, impacts, lessons and challenges. Overall, 19 projects were implemented in three bigger regions of the country; namely Oromia, SNNPR and Amharawith total annual budget of ETB 76,662.479. The projects come under S-Pentagons; Sustaining the Environment, Securing Livelihoods, Strengthening Market Linkages, Saving Lives, and Sharing Knowledge and Dissemination.The achievements and impacts of FY 2013 are summarized in our 2013 Annual Report.