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From 1-5 June, farmers from different Africa RISING sites were trained in using small two-wheel multi-purpose tractors as part of an Africa RISING project led by CIMMYT.
Temam Mama is a farmer from Ilu-Sanbitu kebele Sinana (in Oromia). He was selected by his innovation platform to join the small scale mechanization training in Addis Ababa.
His livelihood depends on farming. He is married and a father of three. He owns 4 hectares of land and produces barley, wheat, maize and peas. He says that the two-wheel tractor is especially valuable for people like him who have access to water sources but are not able to irrigate. He lives close to a river and will use the tractor to pump water and irrigate his land.
The training has helped him learn how to operate and maintain the tractor. The training also covered topics of entrepreneurship, saving and also how to calculate labour costs.
Once he returns home, he will test the tractor on his own land and witness the benefits to other farmers so that they understand the benefit and be willing to use it.