The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), a non-governmental organization dedicated to agricultural development and food security, is strengthening efforts to enhance farmers’ production and productivity through renewable agriculture, capacity building, and improved seed systems.
SAA is currently implementing cluster farming projects for wheat, sorghum, and beans across six rural kebeles in the West RC Zone of the Oromia Region, including Negele RC Woreda, Guji Zone, Anasora Woreda, and Seka Chokorsa Woreda of the Jimma Zone. The organization is also extending similar initiatives to selected kebeles in other regions of Ethiopia.
As part of its ongoing activities, SAA conducted a field visit to the Turge Galo and Gubeta Arjo Farmers’ Training Centers in Negele RC Woreda, where the Turge Galo Wheat Cluster and several backyard development projects are being implemented.
During the visit, Dr. Fentahun Mengisetu, SAA Ethiopia Country Director, emphasized that the organization’s programs are grounded in the principles of renewable agriculture, focusing on improving both soil fertility and sustainability.
“We are working to increase farmers’ productivity—from backyard gardens to large fields—by prioritizing soil health and fertility,” said Dr. Fentahun. “Through the use of compost, vermicompost, and biochar, and by promoting crop rotation between seasons, we aim to maintain the long-term vitality of agricultural land.”
He highlighted that the combined use of vermicompost and biochar has proven particularly effective, and efforts are underway to scale up this approach to other farming communities.
In addition to soil management, SAA is integrating nutrition-sensitive agriculture, helping farmers cultivate high-nutrient crops and adopt balanced dietary practices to improve household nutrition.
Local farmers Gemechu Benura and Worktu Bushra, members of the Turge Galo Wheat Cluster, shared that their livelihoods have improved significantly since joining the program. The cluster covers 18.75 hectares and includes 150 members who collaborate under SAA’s guidance.
The field visit brought together SAA and Woreda officials, agricultural experts from 10 kebeles, and model farmers, who discussed the progress and expansion of the initiative.