16 July 2009
The Forest, Fruit, and Forage for Farm Families, or 5Fs Project, has been producing in a big way for the Awi farmers in Ethiopia. Project Manager, Mark MacLachlan recently sent this update describing one of the practical benefits of the project ...

To tourists in Ethiopia, the houses of the green valley farmlands are picturesque. Smoke oozes through grass roofs in the crisp early morning air as families arise and prepare for the day. But for Ethiopians, these “picturesque” grass roofs are known to harbor snakes, and if not for those, the rats would live freely in the roofs. A twitch of a small rodent's tail in the grass can send bits and pieces of dirt and straw down into the house onto clean clothes, onto a child’s school work, or worse, into the cook pot over the fire. Ethiopians have lived this way for centuries, but most prefer a tin roof.

My wife and I were away nearly seven months from our home here in Ethiopia. When we returned in January, there were multiple homes in our neighborhood that had made the leap to tin—in a time when inflation and economic stress hindered other development. There was a simple explanation for the increased wealth—each of these families was involved with production of apple and plum seedlings. In this past growing season the local fruit producers' cooperative sold thirty thousand dollars worth of seedlings. The cooperative had less than forty members to share this wealth. This is a huge income for these farm families, in a country where per capita income is somewhere just above 100 US dollars. Tin roofs are just one way these farm families chose to spend their new income for a "better life". These fruits, and the knowledge of how to propagate them, were not present in the area before the Project began; 5Fs staff are pleased to have partnered with the families to bring about this change.

In addition to the seedling project, a portable saw mill has been set-up as part of the forestry development component of the project. There are large stands of mature exotic cedar which have the potential of providing income for a forest industry to begin developing. A local youth cooperative has the ownership of the machine and has sold its first lumber.

Pray

• For wisdom in replacing the fruit expert who had to leave recently.
• Apples have become well established now. Pray that these may be a part of the economic help for Awi and Amhara farmers in these troubled worldwide economic times.
• That economic benefits from fruit and wood proceeds would indeed be used for "better lives" for the farm families, and not wasted or used unwisely.
• For safety for the young people taking over the small lumber mill.
• For opportunities to share God's word with the Awi people who do not have it.

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