Haramaya University’s BENEFIT-REALISE Cluster conducted a field day in Gurawa on farmers’ fields on September 2, 2019.
Visitors composed of farmers, experts and focal persons from woreda bureau of agriculture, and development agents were able to observe BENEFIT-REALISE activities on maize-common bean intercropping on farmers’ fields in Doroba-3 kebele.
Dr. Bulti Tesso, Manager of the Cluster and staff member of the University, explained the goal of the REALISE Program and the objectives of the on-going activities demonstration as well as the purpose of the field day. Appreciating farmers’ participation, Dr. Bulti called up on all the remaining farmers and stakeholders to adopt and use the best innovative practices of agricultural production to realize agricultural livelihood security in the woreda.
Discussion on the efforts and achievements of the University and the project were held after the field visits. Following the success of this pilot program, the program coordinators hope that it will be possible to extend the program further to benefit more farmers.
More than 70 participants were part of the events.
On other hand, the Program held senior institutional advisory committee meeting on September 4, 2019 at the University’s Resource Centre. The progress of the project’s activities at Haramaya and Oda Bultum university clusters were presented by Dr. Bulti Tesso (HU REALISE Cluster Manager) and Mr. Mustefa Abdulkadir (OBU REALISE coordinator), respectively. The advisory committee, appreciating the progresses of the ongoing REALISE activities at the two University Clusters, gave recommendations for future interventions.
Following the meeting, the advisory committee lead by Dr. Jemal Yusouf , Chairperson of the advisory committee and Acting President of HU, visited some of the REALISE activities in Kersa Woreda including Participatory Variety Selection (PVS) activities on sorghum, common bean and fenugreek.