Farmer participating in the training shared the benefits of intercropping and regenerative agriculture.

Ethiopia has long been challenged by extreme environmental threats, such as drought, floods, and pests—conditions worsened over time by a changing climate. Environmental shocks, which are growing in frequency and severity, directly impact food security and income, hitting rural farmers the hardest. According to a recent report by UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development, if agricultural practices and global policies remain unchanged, erratic weather patterns and an increase in temperatures will have a catastrophic impact on smallholder farmers. The global climate crisis requires a systemic approach that protects the most vulnerable rural communities and equips farmers with the strategies, tools and techniques they need to be resilient.

Farmer in Debub Sodo and Glimmer staff discussed soil fertility and composting during the training.

In early October, Glimmer organized a weeklong training on planet-positive agriculture for our staff in Ethiopia and our local partner organizations. The topics covered included the impacts of climate change on crops, livestock, and food security, and how to continue to apply regenerative and circular agriculture strategies in our work. After three days of training in Addis Ababa, the group traveled to one of Glimmer’s projects in Debub Sodo in the southern region for practical training alongside farmers in the community.

Climate resilience is a fundamental piece of our overall goal of building long-term sustainability and resilience in rural communities. As we expand climate resilience strategies across our communities, in collaboration with our regional partner organizations, we see the collective efforts coming together to stabilize farming families for generations to come in rural Ethiopia.

Training in the field and in Addis Ababa.