The document summarizes a home garden and backyard intervention project in the Kabe Watershed in Ethiopia from 2011-2013. Key crops like cabbage, shallot, garlic, and carrot were introduced and yielded an average of 24.69, 16.63, 10.15, and 35.25 tons per hectare respectively, exceeding conservative yield estimates. Apple varieties were also introduced and became established. The project aimed to introduce high-value crops to improve productivity and food security through diversification. Lessons indicated diversification helped adaptation and increased yields, though challenges like disease and pests remained.

1. Home garden and backyard interventions
at the Kabe Watershed Pilot Project in
Ethiopia, 2011-2013
Seid Hussen (Wollo University)
Workshop on the lessons and success stories from a
pilot project on climate change adaptation
interventions in Kabe watershed, south Wollo,
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, 11-12 February 2013

2. 1. Introduction
 Kabe is much degraded and highly populated
 Farm land is very much fragmented
 Cereal based crop production is dominant
 Food security is an issue in the area
 Home garden development with vegetable crops and highland
fruits is at its infant stage
 The objectives of the home-garden intervention is to introduce
vegetable crops and high value fruit trees so as to enhance
intensification and increase agricultural productivity.

3. 2. Approaches/methods
 44 male and 6 female
HHs involved in the
home-garden
activities.
 Potato (2 Varities),
Shallot and Garlic,
Swiss chard and Head
cabbage, Carrot and
Apple (6 varities)
introduced in the
watershed.

4. Community involvement

5. 3. Results/Impact
Table 1. Average yield /ha
Crops Beneficiaries
Av. yield Conservative Likely Target
Male Female obtained yield (t ha-1) yield yield
(t ha-1) (t ha-1) (t ha-1)
Cabbage 46 4 30 50 80-
24.69 90
Shallot 46 4 16.63 20 30 40
Garlic 46 4 10.15 6 10 15
Carrot 46 4 35.25 20 30 40
Potato 46 4 22.64 17 28 45
Swiss chard 46 4 15.05 20 30 40
Apple 46 4 Vegetative
stage
Plum 18 0 Vegetative
stage

6. Table 2. Crop varieties and benefits
Crops Varities Benefits
Cabbage Copenhagen Cash crop /income and Home consumption
Shallot Local Cash crop/income and home consumption
Garlic Local Cash crop/income and seed source
Carrot Nantes Cash crop/income , home consumption
Potato Jalene , Kudene Cash crop/income, home consumption and
seed source.
Swiss chard Long white ribbed Mostly for home consumption but some HH
sold and used as cash crop
Apple Jonagold, Anna Crispin, Vegetative stage , and is well established with
BR,Cp_92 and princisa almost 100% survival rate
Plume Vegetative stage and Well established

7. 4. Challenges
Challenges

8. 5. Lessons/ recommendations
• Diversification of production
• Increase productivity
• Better adaptation of apple varities
• Problem of white root rot of garlic
• Late blight problem at high altitude
• Yield increment even in poor production
• Community involvement was attractive and impact of
climate change can be overcome through diversification
• Continuous and up-to-date training is necessary to
extension workers and farmers