By: Yitbarek Tekalign
Today, Gudina Tumsa Foundation, through its Health and Livelihood Improvement Advocacy Project in Oromia (HaLIAPO), brought together key stakeholders, researchers, and development partners for a Validation Workshop on the Inclusiveness of Agricultural Transformation in Oromia at Elilly International Hotel.
The workshop served as a dynamic platform where knowledge met dialogue and evidence met aspiration. Professor. Degefa Tolossa and Dr. Meskerem Abi unveiled the findings of a groundbreaking study exploring how smallholder farmers, women, youth, and marginalized groups are or are not meaningfully included in the region’s agricultural transformation journey.
From in-depth presentations to interactive panel discussions, the day was alive with questions, reflections, and practical recommendations. Participants offered rich insights aimed at improving the quality and relevance of the study, while also envisioning how these findings can shape advocacy efforts for a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable agricultural future in Oromia.
This is more than just research, it is a call to action. By ensuring fair access to land, finance, technology, markets, and decision-making, we can create an agricultural transformation that leaves no farmer, no woman, no young person, and no community behind. Together, we can cultivate not only crops, but also opportunity, dignity, and resilience.
