Sesame is a very important crop for farmers in Northern Ethiopia. Being the main cash crop, it is common to cultivate sesame without having a crop rotation in place. The same holds true for organic sesame production. Consequently, soils are depleted and the crop has become susceptible to pest and disease infestations, putting farmers’ harvests at risk. Given the lack of organic inputs to fight these infestations, famers often resort to conventional solutions to prevent significant crop and income losses. In cooperation with Tradin Organic, a Dutch company acting as a buyer for organically certified sesame, FiBL helps building the required capacities to successfully confront this situation. With special trainings and technical backstopping, farmers should be empowered to design and run a healthy and resilient organic farming system that provides them with a steady income driven by increased quality and yields.
Implementation of the project
