23 November 2007
Addis Ababa — Over 100 farmers in Hawzien district, Tigray regional state received training in modern beekeeping techniques by two Israeli experts from MASHAV, Israel's international cooperation agency.
According to a statement from the Israeli embassy in Addis Ababa, the training was given a priority because the honey production in this area is of high quality and has a great potential for future growth in enhancing the beekeeping industry in the country.
Farmers driven from eleven villages which are part of the Ethiopian Millennium Village Project (MVP), participated in the training program which also focused on the biological aspect of honey production.
Yaacov Amitai, Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia, visited the area- his third visit over the past two years- where the training was taking place.
During his stay there, the ambassador visited agricultural intervention centers, a nursery, a high school and a micro-earth dam at Debre Berhan Millennium Village.
"The Ambassador expressed his appreciation as to the impressive achievements implemented by the project staff and farmers in damming, watershed management, housing, and community development among other fields," the embassy said in a media release.
Ambassador Amitai also spoke with staff and farmers of the eleven villages about the on-going collaboration between Israel and the MVP.
"Starting our training activities in the project with beekeeping course is symbolic and practical; combining our two countries of milk and honey. We in Israel feel privileged to take part in the respectful development efforts put by you in this semi-arid zone of Ethiopia and to share our experience gathered from coping with similar natural challenges," the statement quoted him as telling the staff and farmers.
As part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the Millennium Village Project is a program designed to assist and empower villages to adopt an integrated approach to development.
The project which is based on community participation and leadership aims at lifting communities out of the poverty trap and achieving all MDG within five years.
Israel has recently assigned a full-time agricultural expert who is now stationed in Hawzien.
Apart from the agricultural know-how Mr. Afriat, the expert has donated to the farmers in the Millennium villages rakes, metal pillars, digging hoes, pruning shear, hammers, plastic made watering cans, fertilizer and pipes for drip irrigation.
His donation also included community based equipments such as, tennis table and television sets for the school, music instruments, basketball and footballs for the children, as well as cooling and heater for the health clinics, according to the statement.
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