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Abstract

This project addresses critical gaps in Ethiopia’s agricultural extension system that hinder effective implementation of large-scale nature-based solutions, such as the IFRC’s Pan-African Tree Planting and Care Initiative. Field experience highlights challenges including overstretched teams, siloed mandates, and weak adaptive leadership, leading to irrigation failures and reduced crop yields. In response, the initiative proposes an integrated leadership development programme to build the capacity of 15,000 extension agents and strengthen climate-resilient livelihoods for two million smallholder households by 2031. The four-pillar framework—technical skill enhancement, leadership and decision-making, operational excellence, and digital fluency—draws on proven tools such as Lean Six Sigma, gender-transformative governance, and real-time GIS-enabled systems. By merging community insights with digital data, the programme aims to create a resilient, data-driven extension service that supports inclusive rural development while advancing global climate goals.

Author: Tadesse Gebre