How A Farmer Reclaimed His Land and Future Through Community-Led Agriculture
In the heart of Ethiopia’s West Gojjam Zone, Habtamu’s story is one of perseverance, hope and the power of local solutions to hunger. At 38 years old, Habtamu’s life has been shaped by hardship—but even more so, by his unshakable resilience.
Born into a family with limited resources and little access to education, Habtamu was only able to complete up to Grade 8. With few options available, he turned to farming to support his wife and three children. But despite his efforts, the land alone was not enough. Like many others facing economic hardship in rural Ethiopia, Habtamu made the difficult decision to migrate. He left for Sudan, hoping to secure a better future for his family.
For four years, he labored on irrigation farms in Sudan, sending money back home whenever he could. Yet even while abroad, Habtamu kept one foot rooted in Ethiopia. He held on to a one-hectare plot of land, maintaining it as best he could and dreaming of the day he could return.
Eventually, he came back to Ethiopia with a renewed determination to rebuild his life at home. He began cultivating vegetables on his irrigable land. But the high cost of renting water pumps made it nearly impossible to keep up his farming activities. With mounting barriers and limited options, it seemed that Habtamu’s dream might remain out of reach.
A new chapter began when Habtamu engaged with The Hunger Project-Ethiopia’s community-led programs.
Through our integrated Epicenter Strategy, The Hunger Project-Ethiopia supports people like Habtamu to lead their own development and overcome hunger for good. With the support of his neighbors, Habtamu accessed seedlings to support agroforestry and a water pump. He revived his farm and took meaningful steps toward creating a more sustainable and prosperous future. This critical support for his vision marked a turning point in his life.
Habtamu planted bananas, mangoes, coffee, and avocados. With reliable access to water and improved techniques, his farm flourished. He harvested 6,000 kilograms of bananas and over 6,000 papayas. What once seemed like a fading dream became a thriving livelihood.
