Institute for Sustainable Development - ISD

Empowering FTCs Through Information!
The Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) is working to transform Farmer Training Centers, (FTCs) into vital information hubs, for the farming communities.
By setting up information centers in every kebele, and developing easy-to-access electronic materials, ISD is helping farmers get the knowledge they need specially about Ecological Organic Agriculture, (EOA).
In Werebabo district, ISD is strengthening FTCs by providing essential materials so that they can offer better services to the community.
Together, we're building a more informed, empowered, and sustainable farming communities!

ISD-UPSCALE project Regional Collaboration to Scale Up Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa!
From September 4–5, 2025, the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) hosted a Regional Stakeholders’ meeting in Inter Luxury hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to advance the implementation of the UPSCALE Project which an EU-funded initiative promoting sustainable and climate-resilient farming across Eastern Africa.
The UPSCALE Project is working to expand the use of Push-Pull Technology, an innovative, eco-friendly farming method that naturally controls pests and weeds in maize and sorghum fields and also improve the soil fertility by enhancing nutrient availability. This method not only improves crop yields and soil fertility but also enhances soil and plant biodiversity.
The UPSCALE project is being rolled out in five African countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda.
These countries are collaborating closely with researchers, policymakers, farmers' organizations, and NGOs to scale up the adoption of Push-Pull and strengthen regional food security.
The two-day event in Addis Ababa brought together key stakeholders including government representatives, researchers, extension agents, NGOs, and other key partners to review progress in implementing Push-Pull across the five countries, share successes, challenges, and lessons learned, align national strategies with regional efforts for broader impact, strengthen partnerships for scaling the technology to reach more smallholder farmers.
This collaboration marks a major step forward in addressing food insecurity and climate change in Eastern Africa.

The results achieved by farmers in South Wollo Werebabo District, who have been supported by the organization through various training and material support, are partly as follows: To expand their results, they are sharing the vermicompost they have produced for free with neighboring farmers, helping to treat damaged soil and increase production. They are also selling some of it at a modest price and using it as a source of income.

The General Assembly on "Upscaling the Benefits of Push-Pull Technology for Sustainable Agricultural Intensification in East Africa" is currently underway, from 1 - 3 September 2025.
Organized by the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD), this a three-day event brings together farmers, researchers, and development partners to scale up sustainable, climate-smart farming practices across the region. Ongoing from Monday to Wednesday, the insights and innovations shaping the future of agriculture in East Africa!

Sharing Community in Practice
The 2025 Green Action Week Campaign, GAW, supported by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) and organized by the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD), was successfully conducted in Haik town, Tehulederie District, South Wollo Zone. This year’s campaign, themed “Sharing Community,” focused on promoting a culture of mutual support and resource sharing among community members.
This GAW Campaign encouraged individuals to share necessary resources, such as food, clothing, and educational materials with those in need, particularly families facing financial problems. Special emphasis was placed on assisting children whose families struggle to afford educational materials.
A key feature of this year’s program was the strong collaboration with the Tehulederie district administration, which greatly enhanced the campaign’s impact. This partnership was aligned with the district's ongoing “Summer Voluntary Service” activities, a seasonal initiative that mobilizes community volunteers during the Ethiopian rainy season.
One of the campaign’s highlights was a public forum organized by ISD, during which educational materials worth over 162,000 birr were donated by ISD. These materials were specifically designated for children from displaced families currently living in temporary shelters within the district. Families were invited to the event to receive the materials on-site, reflecting the campaign’s commitment to inclusivity and direct support for the most vulnerable.
The 2025 Green Action Week campaign not only achieved its goals but also reinforced the sharing community concept, underscoring the power of collective action in addressing shared challenges.

Commitment to Address Gaps in Women’s Access to Productive Resources
A two-day sensitization workshop held on 22–23 July 2025, in Woldiya town brought together government officials from relevant sector offices, leaders from Land Administration Committee, WCSA (Women, Children & Social Affairs) and Social Justice/Court of the RWCC project Kebeles, NGOs including WE-Action, ORDA, Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara, and private sector representatives to discuss the structural barriers rural women in Habru and Gubalafto weredas face in accessing and controlling productive resources like land, capital, and agricultural inputs.
Participants recognized that even if there are supportive laws in the Amhara Region, women still face significant challenges due to social norms, weak law enforcement, lack of legal aid, and limited legal awareness. The workshop concluded with a collective commitment to collaborate in addressing these implementation gaps and improving women's access to and control over productive resources.

The intersection of gender, agriculture, and climate change relating to women's and farmers' rights and climate resilience
In July 2025, ISD successfully organized a two-day training on "The intersection of gender, agriculture, and climate change relating to women's and farmers' rights and climate resilience," funded by SeedChange Canada. The training took place in Woldiya town and engaged a total of 99 participants, comprising 75 representatives from community-based organizations (CBOs), religious leaders (both female and male), as well as diverse youth and adult rural women and male leaders from the Habru and Gubalafto weredas. Among the participants, 6 identified as disabled. Additionally, 24 experts from various government offices, including Agriculture, Environment Protection, and Land Administration, along with NGOs focusing on issues related to climate change and gender, actively participated.
The training aimed to address the specific challenges and opportunities that women and men face in agriculture amid climate change, highlighting their rights and fostering resilience. It emphasized the intersection of gender inequalities with climate risks and demonstrated how empowering women and promoting gender equality can enhance Gender-Transformative agriculture practices and overall climate resilience.
To facilitate learning, the training included presentations on key concepts linking gender, agriculture, and climate change, group discussions, and interactive exercises, supplemented by visual tools and video presentations.
The event concluded with a Call to Action for the establishment of a Zonal Platform, through which ISD aims to build strong relationships with various stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the RWCC project, share knowledge on different approaches to addressing climate change while emphasizing the integration of gender considerations into these initiatives at the project area, thus scaling up the RWCC’s Gender-Transformative Agroecology Model, enhance stakeholders’ understanding of how to promote gender equality and women's empowerment within the context of climate change through their programmatic interventions. Visual tool, Video Show, which says: Why
Climate Resilience Is Like a Tiger Chase (link: https://youtu.be/GUl_k2yaXZw) was also used on the
training.
Overall, the training successfully promoted collaboration and provided valuable insights on integrating gender perspectives into climate resilience efforts in agriculture. The next steps involve actively working towards establishing the Zonal Platform and continuing the engagement with stakeholders to further the objectives of the RWCC project.