Worancha ወራንቻ

Matare, a Nuer settlement along Baro River, Gambela Region, Ethiopia, in quieter times. Photo: UNICEF Ethiopia 2005 / Getachew via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND). It's not just western corporations that are moving into large-scale agribusiness in Ethiopia, writes Mohammad Amir Anwar. Indian investors have acquired rights to some 6,000 sq.km of land much of it in the ecologically sensitive Gambela region, where unconsulted Nuer and Anuak peoples are suffering from forest clearance. Gambela is an ecological hotspot with Gambela National Park at its centre. It is home to Nuer and Anuak people whose livelihoods are threatened by investors illegally clearing trees in the park. The global food  price crises  between 2008 and 2009 led countries that bore the brunt of the catastrophe to look elsewhere for agricultural land to mitigate the effects. In 2008 prices of some foods, including wheat, soared by 130% in a single year and the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisati

Hawassa is to host a continental conference on post harvest and agro-processing starting from June 24-26, 2015, Ethiopian News Agency reported. The conference centers on ways of bringing agricultural transformation in Africa, according to a press statement from the organizers. Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) and the Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE) as well as Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture come together to organize the conference. SAA Managing Director, Juliana Rwelamira said 30 percent of food produced by Africa’s smallholder farmers is lost during postharvest. “We must improve postharvest handling, storage and the processing of agricultural produce to reduce losses, increase income, and improve livelihoods. Essentially, also, we must produce more nutritious food both for the home and the market place”, he commented. The conference intends to discuss on ways of adopting and scaling-up good practices supported with policies and infrastructures to d

Fascinating: New data on who most travels to Ethiopia, and where its 90 million-plus locals visit 11 JUN 2015 16:10 EDEN SAHLE Growing tourism industry adding tailwind to Horn of African country's burgeoning economy. Ethiopia is an increasingly popular destination for travellers. (Photo: wo de shijie) MORE than 96 million people are counted as Ethiopian, accounting for 1.3% of the total world population and making the country the 13th most-populated globally. The country is also as diverse as it is populated, home to cross-cultural civilisations from North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, giving it a rich heritage and enticing visitors from all over the world. To further explore visitor behaviour into and within the country, hotel booking website   Jovago  recently surveyed Ethiopia’s travellers. Some of the findings are fascinating.     Domestic Travellers  Addis Ababa, also known as capital city of Africa due to hosting the African Union (AU)

Public Participation - Sense of Urgency to Rescue Rift Valley Lakes Featured Lake Langano shorelines are risk of human encroachment The Ethiopian rift valley lakes are clustered along the northern section of the African Great Rift Valley. Although many disturbances to the natural resources, influencing both its status and diversity the rift valley lakes area is also known for its stock of remnant forests and wildlife, among others. Among the protected areas forest Adaba-Dodola and Harama-Buluk are known by its potential to sequestrate carbon emission and its immense contribution to the local community in particular and the Region in general through Eco-tourism, environmental services and economic values, according to Oromia Forest and Wildlife Enterprise (OFWE). Among the limitless potentials, its is a centre of biodiversity also important bird habitat and sanctuary also breeding, feeding and nesting habitat for many residential as well as palaertic migrating birds. Lake A

By Brook Abdu The audit found a high incidence of inappropriate expenditure, improper purchases, payments and uncollected revenue The Federal Main Auditor has found that billions of Birr have been spent inappropriately or have remained uncollected, citing this as a recurring challenge to the governmental organisations and institutions in the country. Its report, which was presented to Parliament on Tuesday June 2, 2015 for the fiscal year 2013/14, came to this conclusion after having assessed the Financial Appropriateness Audit, Performance Audit and Protection of Basic Services in 133 federal governmental organisations. The amount of money that remained uncollected by the Ethiopian Revenues & Customs Authority and its nine branches and other 12 government organisations, was found to be 1,039 billion Br while the money spent without proper documentation amounted to 368 million Br in 29 governmental organisations. The audit found that 53.4 million Br had been paid without

H ugh Jackman is a movie star, Broadway performer, family man, humanitarian and all-around class act. But did you know he was a coffee shop owner? The 46-year-old actor was inspired to open his own cafe after traveling to Ethiopia in 2009 as an ambassador for World Vision Australia. There, he meet a young coffee farmer named Dukale, who worked day-in and day-out to provide for his family.  While spending time working alongside Dukale  and understanding his craft, Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness soon realized the difference fair trade coffee makes to the grower and the environment, and  how purchasing it can change lives . Just by having a cup of fair trade coffee a day, they, and others, could change the course of global poverty. What began as a trip to tell the story of coffee turned into much more. "By the end, we had this whole fairy tale ending of seeing Dukale's name on a brand with a massive national coffee seller," Jackman told The Huffing

Specialty coffee retailer Keurig Green Mountain Inc. ( GMCR   -  Analyst Report ) launched the Laughing Man branded coffee in K-Cup packs to be brewed exclusively in Keurig hot brewing systems. The Laughing Man branded K-Cups were made available from Jun 4 exclusively on Keurig Green Mountain’s official site — Keurig.com. Laughing Man coffee has offered four varieties, Dukale’s Blend, 184 Duane St. Blend, Ethiopia Sidama and Colombia Huila, for the coffee lovers at the launch. Laughing Man coffee K-Cup pods will come in boxes of 3, 10 and 16-count carrying price tags of $2.49, $9.99 and $12.99, respectively. The company plans to expand the product to retail stores by the end of this year. In Dec 2014, Keurig Green Mountain entered into partnership with New York City-based Laughing Man Worldwide, LLC, to use the Laughing Man Coffee and Tea brands. The Laughing Man Coffee and Tea brand produces gourmet coffees and teas which are distributed across the world. With the partnership of K