November 2011
UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
The Task Force of the University of Gondar on Vegetable Gardening Diffusion met with key stakeholders in the historic city of Dabat in October 4. Plans are being made for establishment of demonstration gardens at the Dabat Training Health Center and collaboration with a rural elementary school and countryside agricultural households.
SHENKOR MESK
The new diffusion community, Shenkor Mesk, is a great illustration of how fast the household gardening can spread. Within one year more than 150 household vegetable gardens have been started and counted. We continue to work on understanding this extraordinary success.
ANNUAL MEETING
The entire board of the Kossoye Development Program met in Yellow Springs on September 9 and 10th for the annual meeting. About 30 friends from Dayton and Yellow Springs attended a reception on Friday night. On Saturday the board worked on the next version of the diffusion strategy to promote household gardening in more communities through the Amhara Regional National State.
June 2011
SMALL RAINS ARRIVE IN KOSSOYE
Light rains ("Belg") have been falling in the Kossoye area. In March about 5 mm fell in the Medhane Alem parish and 7 mm in Kossoye town. These rains have encouraged some household gardeners to plant new seeds. Sometimes there are no rains at all from December until June.
SEED BANK PURCHASING DRAMATICALLY RISING
In 2011 the Seed Bank has purchased many more seeds than in 2010. Last year in March the Bank purchased 1,285 grams (2.2 pounds) of chard seeds. In March of this year Wzo Negeste (the seed banker) purchased 2,260 grams (almost 5 pounds). Beet seed purchases rose from 5 grams in 2010 to 420 grams in 2011, lettuce seed purchases from 4 grams to 48 grams, carrot seeds from 8 to 16 grams, and pumpkin seeds were purchased for the first time. The total value of these purchases was $42.16 in March 2010 and $100.16 in March 2011, an increase of 138 percent.
COMMUNITY HEALTH ACTIVITIES SHOW SIGNIFICANT GAINS
Over the last year, from March 2010 until March 2011, significant increases have occurred in the number of household gardens (213 to 247), women attending coffee health discussions (216 to 275), household latrines (303 to 382), and improved stoves (165 to 180). These improvements are mainly due to the diligent work of the ten women and two men (Community Health Workers) who conduct monthly meetings on health and nutrition topics and support gardening activities in the 28 neighborhoods of the Kossoye district.
NEW BOOK PUBLISHED
A fascinating book has just been published entitled "2011 State of the World: Innovations that Nourish the Planet" (The World Watch Institute, Norton Publishing). Those interested in the global development of food supplies in developing and emerging societies will find the 15 brief chapters full of fascinating and relevant knowledge. Chapter titles include "Charting a New Path to Eliminating Hunger," "The Nutritional and Economic Potential of Vegetables," "Africa's Soil Fertility Crisis and the Coming Famine," and "Harnessing the Knowledge and Skills of Women Farmers."
BREAST FEEDING
Board member Dr. Nikki Rogers has just published an article in Public Health Nutrition based on field research in Kossoye. The title is "Colostrum avoidance, prelacteal feeding and late breast-feeding initiation in rural Northern Ethiopia." She finds that most new mothers (79% in a sample of 19) discarded colostrum before beginning to breast feed, suggesting that infant health could be improved by teaching rural health practitioners to promote immediate colostrum feeding.
November 2010
EXPANSION TO NEW COMMUNITIES. GRADUATE STUDENT STUDYING RELATIONSHIP OF NUTRITION AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT.
Ms. Zewditu Abdissa, graduate student in Public Health at the University
of Gondar, has started studies on relationships of academic achievement,
nutritional status, and family vegetable gardens. She is doing height
and weight measurements on students in grades 5 to 8 in the Kossoye
Elementary School.
CARROT SEED PRODUCTION BEGINS!
Locally grown carrot seeds were brought to the seed bank for the first time in June. We are celebrating because carrots have very high Vitamin A content and carrot seeds are difficult to grow and harvest.
Progress is being made in the volumes and varieties of other vegetable seeds being produced for purchase by the Seed Bank. During the past three months the following varieties have been purchased: Swiss chard 4,319 gms — 9.51lbs
Beets, 383 gms .84 lb
Cabbage 1003 gms 2.2 lb
Carrots 157 gms .35 lb LOCAL SEED PURCHASES INCREASING:
Total purchasing for locally grown seeds is accelerating rapidly from students, women and male farmers. 36 students, women and male farmers have volunteered to give priority to seed production to sell to the Kossoye Project Seed Bank. The Bank purchases these seeds at favorable prices and distributes them without charge to school students. Recent purchases include the following:
April $ 73.77 (994 Ethiopian Birr)
May $113.00 (1534 EB)
June $352.29 (4747 EB) ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD: The Kossoye Project Board will hold its second annual meeting in Yellow Springs, OH on September 10, 11, 12 at the home of Andy Carlson and Krista Magaw. The Agenda will include review of current activities as well as laying the groundwork in strategic planning for diffusion of the Household Gardening program to other populations. FUND RAISING EVENTS: The Kossoye Project held two exciting events a continent away from each other in April and May. One.was at the home of Joyce and David Veterane overlooking Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains on Bainbridge Island WA on April 24. David is a KP board member. The presentation by Dennis Carlson was well received. Lots of hot and bland Ethiopian food was enjoyed. The other was in the north end of Baltimore. Tom Hoen and Allison Barlow shared their home in Baltimore with more than 45 people to hear latest developments and future plans of the Kossoye Project presented by Andy Carlson (Tom is the son of Beulah Downing, a KP board member). Many of the people new to the Kossoye Project wrote checks that evening to support the KP. Both events engendered valuable new financial support and useful discussions. CORNELL MEDICAL SCHOOL PRESENTATION: First year medical student, Joey Alsberge, coordinated a gathering at the Weill Cornell School of Medicine on May 13. Board member Dennis Carlson accompanied by Beulah Downing made a presentation to about 40 medical students and resident staff interested in global health. Dennis spoke about the relationships between "Population, Poverty and Malnutrition" as seen in Ethiopia. A stimulating time of questions and discussion followed. A significant number of participants had already worked internationally and others are looking forward to a career in international medicine. Joey was pleased with the attendance and outcome. NEW DIRECTOR OF THE KOSSOYE PROJECT: Dr. Andy Carlson assumed the roles of Director and Chair of the Board on July 1. Andy has been co-leading efforts since the Project's inception and knows the Kossoye people and area well. As a boy in the 1960s he often visited the community with his father, Dennis. Currently Andy is Professor of History and Political Science at Capital University in Columbus, OH and also teaches courses at Ohio State University. Dennis will assume the role of Associate Director for Development of the Project and continue as a member of the Board. NEW FOUNDATION GRANT: We are happy to announce that the AllPeopleBeHappy foundation of Houston TX has generously awarded a second year grant of $10,000 to the Kossoye Project for expansion of the Family Gardening program in Kossoye, Ethiopia. We are grateful for this crucial support given to lessen problems of malnutrition in North-Central Ethiopia. COMPUTER TRAINING: Seventy-eight 8th grade students began learning basic computer skills in December. 47 girls and 31 boys are being instructed by two teachers on the Kossoye Elementary School staff in a set program which will give them a significant advantage in job hunting if they move to the city after 8th grade. EVALUATION VISIT Board members David Veterane, Andy Carlson and Dennis
Carlson will visit Kossoye at the end of December to evaluate progress
of the Project, visit gardens and schools, consult with leaders and
staff and give prizes for best gardens to students,"progressive"
farmers, and Community Health Workers. Jessica Bilecki, a horticulture
teacher from Ohio will also join the evaluation and assist in the design
of a new experimental garden at the Health Post, help with a workshop on
composting and seed production, and collaborate in revising the third
edition of the community gardening manual. A highly huccessful “Local Innovations Workshop” was
conducted in Kossoye May 14-17 with over a hundred participants
from the community, government offices, neighboring schools and
the University of Gondar, plus a few outsiders from Addis Ababa and
abroad. The workshop was opened by Professor Yigzaw Kebede,
former president of the University of Gondar. Workshop events
included visits to family gardens, new businesses, a school festival
and animated discussions at the site of the new eco-tourism lodge
under construction at the edge of the escarpment. Beet Seed Production Begins: Three Kossoye community gardeners brought beet seeds for sale to the seed bank in March. This marks the first time that beet crops in Kossoye had produced seeds for harvest, for purchase and distribution in the local elementary school. The Project seed bank began purchasing Swiss Chard seeds in January for the first time. These are crucial steps in moving the Project into a self-sustaining phase where no external materials or human resources are absolutely essential. The next challenges are to learn and teach the best methods for growing carrot and cabbage seeds which are considerably more difficult to harvest. The project team is in full preparation for the "Local Innovations Workshop," held in Kossoye. This year's five day event begins on May 13th, and is co-sponsored by the University of Gondar, Ethiopia and The Kossoye Project.
Since family gardening
has been firmly established and basic methodologies tested in the
Kossoye community, the Project Board has decided to expand
activities to neighboring communities in the Amhara Region where
over 57% of children suffer from “stunting” due to chronic food
shortages. Plans are now underway to offer an “essential package” of
seeds, tools and training manuals for distribution to elementary
students, along with support for student gardening clubs. We hope to
see household gardening established in two new communities in 2011
if funding becomes available.
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
April-May 2010
April 2010
January 24, 2010
273 GARDENS PRODUCING. When Board members David Veterane, Andrew Carlson and Dennis Carlson visited Kossoye in late December and early January they found 273 gardens Growing well despite a meager rainy season and less water in wells and springs. Many are providing year round food supply for the family as well as selling some surplus in the market.
December 8, 2009
OHIO SUPPORT GROWING. The number of supporters has been increasing
steadily in Ohio where Andy, his wife Krista Magaw, and their daughter
Anna live in Yellow Springs. Andy teaches at Capital University and Ohio
State University in Columbus. On Labor Day weekend a fund raising event
held at Krista, Andy and Anna's home drew more than 50 Ohioans. A new
Advisory Council consisting of people with talents useful to the Project
was held the next day. The Kossoye Project Board also conducted business
sessions. We are delighted that Rob Content, a resident of Yellow Springs, is
joining the Project Board.
July 29, 2009
April 29, 2009
April 15, 2009