Regional Reports - the European External Action Service

On the part of NGOs, the engagement in alternative basic education has to a large extent has
produced the desired outcome. As an indicator to this some of the actors (for example SCD) are
in the process of phasing-out operational presence at zonal levels, and instead reposition presence
at strategic level for higher level advocacy.
4.5.2. Innovation in Agricultural intensification
One of the areas where NGOs have had a visible contribution relates to the collective
participation in agricultural intensification. A study commissioned by CRDA and World Vision
Ethiopia 13 concluded that there was a trend of NGO-led agricultural intensification process that
involved moves from field to garden and from cereals to fruits and vegetables production,
complemented with irrigation. One can note such developments in programme areas of NGOs
like WVE, LWF, ORDA, ASE and MfM, in parts of north and south Wollo, Oromiya and North
Shoa zones of the region. The beneficiary communities from these programmes have increasingly
become suppliers of high-value agricultural produce (fruits and vegetables). In summary, selected
NGOs in Amhara have demonstrated the approaches to agricultural intensification and marketbased
production which is adopted and being scaled-up by government at the moment.
4.5.3. Empowering Community self-help structures
Most NGOs either make-use of existing community structures or establish new ones' as entry
points for or facilitators of project delivery. In the past, it was common to hear the collapse of
such structures upon withdrawal of the NGO support. But, this time the survey has detected a
pattern on the emergence of vibrant local level civil society actors as a direct effect of deliberate
NGO actions. Some specific developments observed are outlined below.
In Bahir Dar the Community Development Committees established by JeCCDO for coordinating
project implementation are by now independent and registered organizations, recognized and
supported by other actors and involved in scaling-up and diversifying programmatic actions.
In Woldiya town the unionized Iddirs through the facilitative work of PADET and the Woldiya
Labour and Social Affairs Office are accepted local actors and participants in the local socioeconomic
governance structure (consultative). In a similar way, the Bahir Dar Iddir Union (with
28 member Iddirs, comprising 6,643 households) is establishing its participation in innovative
social services delivery by mobilizing resources from within the constituency and from other
governmental and non-governmental sources.
Information from the regional cooperative agency indicate that the regional cooperative
strengthening process was strongly supported and facilitated by NGOs, like VOCA, WVE, LWF,
SoS Sahel and Plan International.
It is true that some other factors too have contributed to the emergence of stronger local self-help
structures. For example, the simplification of regional NGO registration and availability some
fund (like for HIV/AIDS) at local levels are important external factors. In addition the capacity
strengthening and regulatory roles of the cooperative agency can be counted. Despite these,
NGOs are establishing themselves as actors contributing to the strengthening of local level selfhelp
and community empowerment structures.
4.5.4. Awareness and Actions for Child Rights Promotion
During the last five years, some NGOs have made focused and intensive investments in the area
of child rights promotion in Amhara. A mix of national and international organizations, including
13 NGO Contributions to Food Security in parts of Amhara Region, 2004, by Dejene Aredo
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