Low Input Sustainable Agriculture in the Rift Valley, Central Ethiopia
This page rebuilds the Ethiopia project history from the legacy project microsite, recovered PDFs, and presentation materials preserved in the archive.
Project History
Recovered project materials indicate that Prof. Ahmet Mermut first visited Ethiopia in 1992 under a UN FAO initiative, and that the formal project began in 1998. The work focused on long-term collaboration, institutional capacity building, and improved dryland management practices.
Project Goals
- Upgrade human resources in agricultural training, research, and service institutions in Ethiopia.
- Address land degradation problems including erosion, salinity, and soil quality loss.
- Provide research experience for scientists and extension specialists.
- Establish a framework for long-term collaboration among Ethiopian partner institutions and the University of Saskatchewan.
- Support innovative and environmentally sustainable technologies compatible with local dryland conditions.
Project Team
- Darwin Anderson
- Ahmet Mermut
- Mike Grevers
- Jeff Schoenau
- Graham Scoles
- Student participants included Paul Jungnitsch, Angela Taylor, and Nick Flaman.
Field Challenges
Project materials emphasize major natural resource management challenges including land degradation, soil water stress, low soil fertility, and insufficient food production under dryland conditions.