Debre Markos University Community Service Directorate: Detailed Activity and Budget Plan of Projects in the 2018 Fiscal Year

The Community-Based Development Project on Integrated Fish, Poultry, and Vegetable Farming at Zigabie Village, Debre Elyase Woreda, was a three-year initiative (2018 to 2020 G.C.) led by Awoke Kassa from the Department of Animal Sciences at Debre Markos University. The project, which transitioned from its first to the second round, aimed to enhance income per capita by 10% and increase nutritionally secured households by 15%, as measured through annual surveys and reports aligned with FAO indicators. The project outcomes focused on boosting fish, meat, and egg supplies by 75%, along with increasing vegetable availability. Achieving these goals depended on favorable weather conditions, participant willingness for nutrition-based practices, and strong market linkages.

Key outputs included the establishment and improvement of a modern integrated poultry farm, the distribution of 10×2 stacks of seeds annually, the training of 20 skilled farmers, the preparation of two guiding manuals for the Fish-Poultry-Vegetable (F-P-V) integration, the fencing and modeling of two integrated ponds, and the reinforcement of project structures. These outputs were monitored through site observations, focus group discussions (FGDs) with participants, and quarterly surveys. The project’s success was supported by research center collaborations for seed varieties, timely and adequate supplies of veterinary drugs and equipment, and the readiness of landowners.

The project activities involved awareness creation, targeted farmer training, capacity building for Woreda experts and farmers, the preparation of training materials, the delivery of practical F-P-V training, and the organization of professionals to develop comprehensive guiding manuals. Additionally, exit workshops were conducted to evaluate the project’s outcomes. The budget covered costs for vegetable and seed drugs, manual preparation, training sessions, exit workshops, and fish harvesting.

This project aligned with Debre Markos University's mission to drive problem-solving research and demand-driven community services, demonstrating the university’s commitment to addressing community needs through impactful initiatives.

The project was funded by Debre Markos University, which had an Office of Community Services responsible for coordinating, implementing, and monitoring various community-based programs. The university focused on problem-solving research and demand-driven community service, striving to meet the community's needs through multiple initiatives.