By CISA
EMBIBIR, APRIL 26, 2022 (CISA)- The Catholic Mission has launched its major appeal for the year 2022, a community farm project in central Ethiopia that is working towards a solution to bring hope to families and children suffering from malnutrition.
In a press release dated April 26, the Mission says subsistence farming is a way of life for millions of people in Ethiopia. However, persistent drought and increasing food prices have resulted in many experiencing health problems due to a lack of nutritious food.
“Distressingly, 70 percent of families in the town of Emdibir are unable to put food on the table. The church and community in Embibir know the situation will not get any better without any intervention, and in response have collaborated to design a Goat Rearing Centre, to reach out to families in desperate need. It’s a life-changing project,” a Fr Brian is reported to have said.
The mission opines that the Goat Rearing Centre will be an extension of the Deberety Farm in Embibir, which was first opened by the local parish priest, Fr Habtesilassie Antuan, in 2018. The farm grows to produce such as enset, a hardy banana-like fruit, avocado and coffee.
However, the current production at the farm is not enough to sustain the needs of the villagers, hence, the expansion of the farm to include the centre to produce goat’s milk.
“This is a multidimensional benefit when we think of a goat breeding program. Many farmers do not know that goat’s milk is available. Second, there are many children with malnutrition. Most of the food is enset here. Enset is a carbohydrate. It is not baby food,” says Fr Habte.
In addition to supplying families in Embibir, the milk will be provided to local health clinics for nutrition programs and any extra milk produced will be sold to other regions.
“Responding to the need of our neighbour is the heart of our mission, and building the Goat Centre can bring hope to many families in need. But it can only be made possible because of the generosity of our supporters,” urged Fr Brian.
Catholic Mission is the Australian agency of the Pontifical Mission Society which contributes funding and provides project support to critical church-run initiatives in Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America as well as remote dioceses within Australia.
