SUBCONTRACT 
NO 5720-03S-011 
Under USAID/DAI 
Contract 
No. GEG-I-00-02-00014-00 
AMAP Business 
Development Services 
(BDS) 
Mid-Term Learning 
Assessment 
of 
Urban Agriculture 
Program 
for HIV-Affected 
Women in Ethiopia 
FINAL REPORT 
6 October 2005 
Maple Place North, Momentum Park, 
145 Western Service Road, Woodmead, 
2148 Tel: 011 802 0015 Fax: 011 802 
1060 WWW.ECIAFRICA.COM
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LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 
ABC Abstain, Be faithful & Condomise 
ABRD Agribusiness and Rural Development 
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome 
ART Antiretroviral Therapy 
BIO 
ECONOMY Bio Economy Association 
BMODFSTC Bahir Dar Medehenelem Orphans and Destitute Family Support 
 Training Center 
BOLSA Bureau of Labor and Social Affairs 
COP Chief of Party 
DAI Development Alternatives, Incorporated 
DFID Department for International Development 
DOH Dawn of Hope 
EDA Emmanuel Development Association 
ETB Ethiopian Birr (currency) 
FHI Family Health International 
GOE Government of Ethiopia 
HAPSCO HIV/AIDS Prevention Care & Support Organization 
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus 
HBC Home-based Care 
HNG Household Nutrition Garden 
IP Implementing Partner 
ISAPSO Integrated Service for AIDS Prevention and Support Organization 
MEKDIM Mekdim Ethiopia Bahir Dar Branch 
M&EA Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser 
NGO Non-governmental organization 
OVC Orphans and Vulnerable Children 
PEPFAR President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 
PICDO Progressive Integrated Community Development Organization 
PLWHA People Living with HIV/AIDS 
PMTCT Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission 
SADC Southern African Development Community 
SMME Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises 
TP Technical Partner(s) 
UAPHAW Urban Agriculture Program for HIV/AIDS-Affected women 
USAID United States Agency for International Development 
WESMCO Welfare for the Street Mothers and Children Organization 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................6
METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................7 
PROGRAM RESULTS................................................................................................8 
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................9 
DRIP-KIT IRRIGATION AND TRAINING CONTRIBUTING TO THE 
ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .......................9 
Grow bags ...........................................................................................................9 
Training ..............................................................................................................9 
PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT GOAL and 
OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................................10 
Project participation and garden establishment ................................................10 
Vegetable production and consumption............................................................10 
HOUSEHOLD INCOME FROM HNGs AND ITS USE.................................10 
IMPLEMENTING AREAS AND IP SITE DISTRIBUTION...................................10 
ADEQUACY AND EFFICIENCY OF IMPLEMENTATION, AND 
DELIVERY OF OUTPUTS..............................................................................10 
RECOMMENDATIONS ...........................................................................................11 
1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................13
1.1. Program Context and Strategy ..........................................................................13 
1.2. DRIP-KIT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ..............................................................14 
2. THE UAPHAW PROCESS AND SERVICES OFFERED ...................................15
3. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE EVALUATION ..................................16
3.1. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE REVIEW.........................................16 
3.2. SPECIFIC TASKS............................................................................................16 
3.3. DELIVERABLES.............................................................................................17 
4. UAPHAW MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM AND PLAN............17
4.1. Monitoring by ips..............................................................................................17 
4.2. Monitoring In The Field By Supervisory Trainers ...........................................18 
4.3. Monitoring At uaphaw Program Office Level..................................................18 
4.4. Peer Group Monitoring And Evaluation...........................................................19 
4.5. Field Visit By IP Staff.......................................................................................19 
4.6. Monitoring By Government..............................................................................19 
4.7. Monitoring By Donors And Other Partners......................................................20 
4.8. Financial Monitoring.........................................................................................20 
5. MID-TERM LEARNING ASSESSMENT.............................................................21
5.1. Methodology And Approach ............................................................................21 
5.2. Questionnaire Design........................................................................................21 
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5.3. Structured Quantitative Survey.........................................................................22 
5.4. Qualitative Open-Ended Interviews..................................................................23 
5.4.1. Discussion with ECIAfrica/DAI program team..................................23 
5.4.2. Interviews/discussions with senior representatives of IPs..................23 
5.4.3. Interviews/discussions with extension officer/project coordinator 
of the IPs .............................................................................................23 
5.4.4. Issues tackled during interviews with the beneficiaries......................24 
5.5. Data Analysis ....................................................................................................25 
6. PROGRAM RESULTS............................................................................................25
6.1. Number Of Beneficiaries Registered/Number Of Gardens Established To 
Date ...................................................................................................................25 
6.2. Drip Kit Micro-Irrigation Systems....................................................................27 
6.3. Orphans and Vulnerable Children Served By The Program And 
Characteristics Of Household Heads ................................................................30 
6.3.1. OVCs ..................................................................................................31 
6.3.2. Heads of Households ..........................................................................32 
6.3.3. Gardens Managed By Women............................................................34 
6.4. TRAINING PLAN............................................................................................34 
6.4.1. Training of Trainers ............................................................................34 
6.4.2. Training of Beneficiaries ....................................................................35 
7. HNG PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND SALES........................................35
7.1. Household Production.......................................................................................36 
7.1. Frequency Of Vegetable Consumption.............................................................37 
7.2. HNG Production And Utilization Trends .........................................................39 
7.3. HNG Income And Its Use.................................................................................40 
7.3.1. Medical expenses................................................................................41 
7.3.2. School expenses..................................................................................42 
7.3.3. Reinvestment in gardens.....................................................................42 
7.3.4. Asset purchases...................................................................................42 
8. OTHER IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES EXPLORED WITH VARIOUS
STAKEHOLDERS...................................................................................................44
8.1. Government Officials........................................................................................44 
8.1.1. Meeting Government officials in Bahir Dar, Amhara Region............44 
8.1.2. Meeting Government officials in Addis Ababa..................................44 
8.2. Technical Partners (TPs)...................................................................................45 
8.3. Project Staff And Implementing Partners .........................................................45 
8.3.1. Experiences and Impact of HNG on Implementing Partners..............46 
8.4. Additional Highlights from the Beneficiaries...................................................47 
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9. PROBLEMS, SOLUTIONS, CHALLENGES, LESSONS LEARNT,
STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES FOR PROGRAM
SUSTAINABILITY..................................................................................................49
9.1. Problems Encountered to date...........................................................................49 
9.2. Some Solutions and Coping Mechanisms.........................................................50 
9.3. Challenges.........................................................................................................50 
9.4. Lessons Learnt ..................................................................................................51 
9.5. Project Impact and Opportunities .....................................................................52 
9.5.1. Project Impact .....................................................................................52 
9.5.2. Project opportunities ...........................................................................53 
9.6. Project Sustainability ........................................................................................54 
9.7. Visibility of the Home Nutrition Garden Program ...........................................54 
9.7.1. United States (US) Government .........................................................55 
9.7.2. Visit from Government Officials........................................................55 
10. CONCLUSIONS.......................................................................................................56
10.1. Drip-Kit Irrigation and Training Contributing to Achievement of Project 
Goal and Objectives..........................................................................................56 
10.1.1. Drip-kit irrigation systems ..................................................................56 
10.1.2. Grow bags ...........................................................................................56 
10.1.3. Training...............................................................................................56 
10.2. Progress Towards Achievement of Project Goals and Objectives....................57 
10.2.1. Project participation and garden establishment ..................................57 
10.2.2. Vegetable production and consumption .............................................57 
10.2.3. Household income from HNG and its use ..........................................58 
10.2.4. Implementing areas and IP site distribution .......................................58 
10.3. Adequacy and Efficiency of Implementation and Delivery of Outputs............58 
10.4. IMPACT ON HEALTH....................................................................................59 
11. RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................................59
11.1. Micro-Irrigation Systems ..................................................................................59 
11.2. Government Support.........................................................................................59 
11.3. Database development ......................................................................................59 
11.4. Contingency plan on beneficiary recruitment...................................................59 
11.5. Operational and market issues ..........................................................................60 
12. APPENDIX 1.............................................................................................................61
13. APPENDIX 2.............................................................................................................62
14. APPENDIX 3: ...........................................................................................................64
List of Tables 
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TABLE 1:IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS AND AREAS OF OPERATION...............................................................15
TABLE 2: INTERVIEWED BENEFICIARIES ....................................................................................................22
TABLE 3: REGISTERED BENEFICIARIES / ESTABLISHED GARDENS BY IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS ............25
TABLE 4: ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN SERVED BY PROGRAM AND HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS 
(MEKDIM AND PICDO)..................................................................................................................33
TABLE 5: TRAINED BENEFICIARIES ............................................................................................................35
TABLE 6: HOME NUTRITION GARDEN TOTAL PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND SALES (EXCLUDING 
PICDO AND MEKDIM BENEFICIARIES) ..........................................................................................36
TABLE 7: FREQUENCY OF VEGETABLE AND PROTEIN CONSUMPTION.........................................................39
TABLE 8: DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS OF INDICATORS ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND THEIR USES .............40
TABLE 9: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BENEFICIARIES......................................................................................47
List of Figures 
FIGURE 1: NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES / GARDENS BY IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS ...........................26
FIGURE 2: GARDEN ESTABLISHMENT BY CATEGORY OVER TIME .........................................................27
FIGURE 3: BOYS AND GIRLS ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN.................................................31
FIGURE 4: HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS ........................................................................................................32
FIGURE 5: HOME NUTRITION GARDEN PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND SALES...............................37
FIGURE 6: FREQUENCY OF VEGETABLE AND PROTEIN CONSUMPTION................................................38
FIGURE 7: HNG PRODUCTION & UTILIZATION ......................................................................................39
List of Photographs 
PHOTOGRAPH 1: FOCUS-GROUP DISCUSSION WITH WOMEN IN AKAKI-KALITI SUB-CITY IN ADDIS ABABA
..........................................................................................................................................................24
PHOTOGRAPH 2: VEGETABLES IN GROW BAGS, USUALLY AT THE HOUSEHOLD PREMISE ..........................29
PHOTOGRAPH 3: A SAMPLE OF A HOME NUTRITION GARDEN WITH DRIP-KIT IRRIGATION......................30
PHOTOGRAPH 4:SOME OF THE BENEFICIARIES OPERATING A GROUP-OWNED RESTAURANT IN YEKKA....43
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Ethiopia has 1,4 million people infected with HIV, and with a 4.4 percent HIV￾prevalence rate, is among the five countries with highest prevalence rates in the world. 
According to Ministry of Health statistics1
 in Ethiopia, of the 1,4 million HIV/AIDS 
cases, women account for 784,000 (56 percent), children 96,000 and men more than 
500,000. In the urban centers, the prevalence rate is as high as 12.6 percent and in the 
rural areas the prevalence rate is 2.6 percent. The same report indicates that women are 
particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS due to ‘social and cultural institutions’ that accept 
sexual violence, which leads to an increase in infection rates among females. Women 
between the ages of 15 and 24 are the group most affected by HIV/AIDS. 
Gender inequalities are a major constraint when combating HIV/AIDS. Women seldom 
have enough social, cultural or economic power to refuse sex, choose a sexual partner or 
negotiate condom use. 
Low-income women in urban areas are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, given 
the limited choices they face to survive. Many women have confirmed that lack of 
economic opportunity is their most pressing concern. Considering the very high 
unemployment rate in Ethiopia, women have limited options when trying to secure jobs 
or generate resources to feed and support members of their households that are dependent 
on them. As a consequence, many women are forced to undertake commercial sex work 
for economic survival, while at the same time trying to avoid such high-risk professions. 
A survey report2
 revealed that the most common reasons women give for becoming sex 
workers are financial problems (36 percent) and divorce or separation (18.2 percent). 
More than 28 percent of commercial sex workers were supporting other people. 
The Urban Agriculture Program for HIV/AIDS-Affected Women (UAPHAW) is 
designed to support these low-income women and their households. The program focuses 
on introducing low cost, low labor-intensive urban gardening systems to low-income 
urban women affected by HIV/AIDS. Beneficiaries of the program have to register as 
participants of the program through NGOs collaborating with the project as 
Implementing Partner (IP) participants. The home nutrition garden (HNG) program 
objectives are to improve the nutritional status of the household and increase household 
income. The program is expected to reach 4,500 households in the urban areas of Addis 
Ababa and Bahir Dar by the end of December 2005. 
The program has introduced two distinct technologies: the first technology is the drip-kit 
micro-irrigation systems of two sizes, suitable for irrigating 30m² and 100m² plots of 
land. Most of the gardens using this type of technology have been established on land 
 
1
 Ministry of Health. AIDS in Ethiopia Fifth Report, June 2004 
2
 Ethiopia Behavioral Surveillance Survey Report, 2002 
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allocated by the municipalities or sub-cities. However, there are households with enough 
land around their compounds (especially in Bahir Dar), that have established 30m² drip￾kit gardens. The second HNG technology is known as ‘grow bags’3
, which are suitable 
for plots of land smaller than 30m², usually operated at household level. A household 
garden is composed of 10 to 12 grow bags, but some households have more than that, 
depending on available space around the homestead. The mix of the different technology 
options used to support HNGs depends on land availability and specific characteristics of 
the households. The drip-kit irrigation systems have been shown to use about half the 
water and labor required for conventional gardening. In this system, water from a specific 
container is filtered and pulled down by the force of gravity and drips are taken to the 
plants. The gardens are either 30m² or 100m² and are expected to: 
• Generate food for household consumption to improve the nutritional status of the 
people; 
• Improve income levels of participating households through selling the surplus 
garden produce; and improve the skills and alternative livelihood of the 
beneficiaries. 
METHODOLOGY 
The Mid-Term Learning Assessment (MTLA) was based on primary research in the field, 
complemented by secondary information obtained from regular monitoring processes 
built into program activities. Progress monitoring and reporting was based on bi-weekly 
and quarterly reports, written by extension officers and supervisory trainers (STs) and 
compiled by Chief of Party in Addis Ababa. This MTLA, which took place from 20 
September to 7 October 2005, covered the the project review period of July 2004 to 
September 2005. 
An integrated approach was applied to the study and to ensure participatory evaluation at 
all stages of the program, both quantitative and qualitative tools were used. The study 
evaluated the impact of UAPHAW for HIV/AIDS-infected and affected households by 
interviewing representatives of all the program stakeholders, including the 
ECIAfrica/DAI-Ethiopia project implementation team, IPs, which are NGOs, extension 
officers from IPs and HNG beneficiaries using drip-kit irrigation systems and grow bags. 
Interviews were conducted based on the main indicators of the program, which all the IPs 
and their extension officers in both Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar were very familiar with. 
 
3
 Grow bag: a container made of gunny bag filled with fertile soil in which vegetables can be planted. 
Depending on the type of vegetable, a grow bag can hold one plant (e.g. cabbage) or more (e.g. carrots). 
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PROGRAM RESULTS 
The main program results are the following: 
To date 3,349 beneficiary households have been duly registered, includes 122 
beneficiaries who have registered and have already started gardening, but have not 
harvested anything, mainly under MEKDIM in Bahir Dar, who received grants late. The 
ECIAfrica/DAI team in Addis Ababa is still trying to identify IPs among the existing 
ones, who are willing and able to recruit more beneficiaries to increase the number of 
beneficiaries to the target of 4,500 beneficiary households and a corresponding number of 
gardens to be achieved by end of December 2005. 
Overall, the number of people benefiting from HNGs is as high as 26,265. This includes 
17,111 within the households and 9,154 outside the households. All the extension officers 
regularly records of beneficiaries inside and outside the households. 
Also included are boys and girls who are orphans, either fending for themselves or being 
take care of by their grandparents. There are a total of 5,355 Orphans and Vulnerable 
Children (OVCs) – 2,661 boys and 2,694 girls – among whom 343 are heads of 
households (130 boys and 213 girls). However, 69.9 percent of the beneficiary 
households are headed by women. 
A total of 1,760 drip kits have been installed at beneficiaries’ gardens: 738 drip kits are 
for the 100m² gardens, while 1,022 drip kits are for the 30m² plots. The remaining 1,589 
gardens have been established on plots smaller than 30m² using grow bags. On average, 
73,7 percent of gardens are managed by women, all of whom indicated that they make 
decisions about spending the income from the gardens. This is not surprising since the 
amounts in question are very small. 
The program has been a learning curve for everybody involved with the project, from the 
Chief of Party (COP) to the beneficiaries. Technical training covered the agronomy of 
vegetable crops, installation of the drip-kit irrigation systems, principles and practices of 
drip-kit irrigation, basic book-keeping and nutritional aspects of vegetables. To date 
2,196 households have been trained in some or all of these aspects. A total of 282 contact 
gardeners were trained out of the beneficiary group; 144 people have been trained in 
palliative care; and 303 in the care of OVCs. 
Vegetables (including potatoes) totaling 134,400kg have been produced from HNGs; 
74.25 percent of total produce was consumed by the beneficiaries but a mere 19.28 
percent was sold to generate household income; 4.91 percent was either traded or given 
away and 1.61 percent was spoiled, but used for making compost. The frequency of 
vegetable consumption has increased to about three times a week from either zero or 
occasionally. Over a five months period an average income of ETB24.94 per month was 
realized from sale of HNG produce. 
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Since the household income obtained is very low, it is spent on basic expenditure 
including food and school fees. Some beneficiaries are reinvesting into the gardens, 
which is a positive move towards sustainability. Expenditure towards medical services 
came in fourth, indicating a low priority. 
CONCLUSION 
The overall objective of UAPHAW – to introduce low-cost, low labor-intensive urban 
gardening systems to support women with low income and their households – is being 
met. HNGs are producing food for household consumption to improve the nutritional 
status of the beneficiary households. In some instances, the HNGS are producing a 
surplus that generates income for the household. 
DRIP-KIT IRRIGATION AND TRAINING CONTRIBUTING TO THE
ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 
A total of 1,760 drip kits have been distributed and installed, 738 kits on 100m² plots and 
1,022 kits on 30m². Even though the kits were distributed and installed late, they are 
already contributing significantly to the gardening activity. 
Grow bags 
Grow bags are very suitable in areas where beneficiaries have only been able to access 
plots of land less than 30m² around their households. They have already become very 
popular among beneficiaries, and community members in the neighborhoods of HNG 
beneficiaries are already emulating the technique by using whatever containers they can 
obtain. On average 12-15 grow bags make a garden. A total of 1,589 grow bags have 
been distributed and used for gardening purposes. 
Training 
The home nutrition activity has provided new knowledge not only to HNG beneficiaries 
but to all stakeholders across the board, from the project implementation team to IPs, 
government officials and other development partners. Urban agriculture is new to 
Ethiopia and most people still find it fascinating and useful to the urban poor. Urban 
agriculture as practiced under HNG activity is praised for providing vegetables, 
improving nutritional security and improving quality of life, and for cleaning and 
improving the environment. 
Training in the agronomic aspects of gardening has broadened the horizon of the 
extension officers and the beneficiaries, by using low-cost fertilization and crop￾protection methods to produce organic vegetables in a cost-effective manner and averting 
competition with other vegetables grown with inorganic fertilizers and chemicals. 
Nutrition training has made an impact on the beneficiaries’ food consumption pattern, as 
they understand the nutritive value of eating vegetables. 
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PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT GOAL AND 
OBJECTIVES 
Project participation and garden establishment 
The results from the Mid-Term Assessment exercise show that there is high participation 
in the nutrition garden project by households in all the areas. On average, 73.7 percent of 
the gardens are managed by women. 
A total of 3,349 gardens have been established to date, 96.4 percent of which have been 
harvested at least once. Thus the activity of establishing HNGs has been highly 
successful. 
Vegetable production and consumption 
There is a marked increase in vegetable production and consumption among the HNG 
beneficiaries. Production has increased tremendously in the project areas from no 
production at all. A total of 74.25 percent of all produced HNG crops is reported to have 
been consumed by the beneficiary households. 
HOUSEHOLD INCOME FROM HNGs AND ITS USE 
The objective of increasing household income from HNGs has been only marginally 
realized, with only 19.3 percent of HNG produce being sold. The average household 
income of ETB24.94 per month (considering lean months as well) is not enough to cover 
the average expenditure on food estimated at ETB50.00 per month. The three main uses 
of the income from HNG are (i) food purchases, (ii) reinvesting in the garden and (iii) 
school fees, reported by 35.1 percent, 28.1 percent and 12.9 percent of beneficiaries, 
respectively. 
IMPLEMENTING AREAS AND IP SITE DISTRIBUTION 
The distribution of IPs to the implementing areas can be improved. A number of sub￾cities are serviced by two IPs; for example Arada, Akaki Kaliti, and Yekka, while other 
areas that would like to be included in the project have no IP to service them. In future, 
such instances may cause overlaps and duplication of effort which could cause confusion. 
However, so far each IP is dealing with its own registered beneficiaries and there is 
exchange of information between extension officers The IPs are planning to investigate 
these issues. 
ADEQUACY AND EFFICIENCY OF IMPLEMENTATION, AND
DELIVERY OF OUTPUTS 
The expected outputs of the project were rather ambitious given the shortcomings in 
implementation arrangements, especially due to: 
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Delays in the delivery of grants, which led to late delivery of drip kits and other inputs. It 
was discovered during the course of project implementation that the AMAP IQC-base 
contracts do not provide authorization for USAID contractors to execute grants under the 
AMAP IQC. This negatively impacted on all task orders issued by USAID Missions 
under the IQC, which include grants components such as UAPHAW. It took a long time 
to resolve the matter and it was after five months that the head of contracting authority in 
Washington DC authorized the contracting officer to add the ‘grants under contracts’ 
language to the AMAP IQC. The process of sorting these issues delayed the issuance of 
further grants under UAPHAW. 
 
Given the geographic extent of the program, the ECIAfrica/DAI implementation team 
encountered logistical difficulties. The project areas are far apart. With only one 
motorcycle and one vehicle for the COP and three STs in Addis Ababa transport is hardly 
adequate. At the field level, the extension officers also encounter transport problems for 
supervisory and monitoring visits to the beneficiaries; the grants to the IPs do not cover 
this cost item. In future ECIAfrica/DAI should come up with a cost-effective way of 
address this problem. 
The large number of beneficiaries (400) per extension officer makes intensive training 
and regular monitoring difficult. 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
Micro Irrigation Systems 
The drip-kit irrigation systems are quite appropriate for use by home nutrition gardeners 
in the urban setting. However, to be able to expand its use (commercialization), it is 
necessary to identify a local manufacturer of the drip kits and containers to reduce 
delivery time and to make the kits affordable by poor urban and rural dwellers who may 
like to adopt this technology. The private sector should be contacted and encouraged to 
manufacture and supply drip kits. 
The use of grow bags at household level and at institutions like schools and clinics should 
continue to be promoted. Grow bags are an appropriate intervention for growing 
vegetables for home consumption in very limited space typically found in big cities like 
Addis Ababa. 
Government Support 
The government has been very supportive of the UAPHAW program and, through 
municipalities and sub-cities, has allocated land for HNGs. For the program to move to 
the next level, beneficiary households that have higher potential for market-oriented 
gardening and would thus be able to produce more surplus for the market, should be 
assisted to either secure more arable land or look into intensive methods of vegetable 
production. The IPs are already discussing possibilities of launching a campaign to the 
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government for UAPHAW to get allocation of the areas in the cities and sub-cities that 
are already earmarked as ‘green areas’ which are supposed to be planted with trees and 
flowers. A submission should be made to the city managers suggesting that green areas 
should be turned to garden areas for the poor. 
Database Development 
A proper and detailed database should be set up on all issues regarding the project, 
especially on soil types and fertility in the different areas of the project, the amount of 
water available in the project areas and for how long the resource can be expected to be 
available for gardening, and institutional learning that is taking place about HIV/AIDS 
among the different NGOs. 
Contingency Plan for Beneficiary Recruitment 
To ensure sustainability and continuity of the project, it is necessary to choose 
households which have people who can play the role of ‘care givers’ to the people living 
with HIV/AIDS, including children, who have so far proved to be able to manage HNG. 
Care givers should be able to take over the gardening work if the registered beneficiaries 
pass on or if they are too weak to continue working. It is important to adhere to the 
beneficiary selection criteria, particularly the ‘ability-based’ criterion that requires the 
household to have able bodied people to work in the garden. 
Operational and Market Issues 
Access to market has not been a problem yet, but it would be necessary to plan ahead and 
undertake a market linkages study to look into possible market outlets for anticipated 
produce. To combat the problem of transportation, it might be necessary for beneficiaries 
to mobilize and form associations or unions to create economies of scale. Since the 
markets for any particular type of vegetable are not large, it is also necessary to develop a 
diversification plan and a phasing plan to avoid flooding the market with one type of 
vegetable in a given time period. 
Transport arrangements for UAPHAW STs and HNG extension officers could be 
improved to enable them to render services to the large number of beneficiaries as the 
project expands. A creative and cost-effective solution should be worked out between the 
UAPHAW project and the IPs. 
The ECIAfrica/DAI implementation team, lead by the COP, should spearhead a dialogue 
with senior representatives from all the NGOs and extension officers involved in 
implementing the HNG. The object should be to discuss how best to deal with the 
distribution of IPs in the implementing areas in order to maximize on IP utilization. 
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1. INTRODUCTION 
The HIV/AIDS pandemic has resulted in the emergence of a new category of poor 
people: ‘the AIDS poor’. This includes households with chronically ill young adults, 
households headed by single parents, the elderly or children, and households fostering 
OVCs. Of the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in sub-Saharan Africa, 60 percent 
are women. Biological and social factors make females more vulnerable to HIV. 
Furthermore, women bear the brunt of the social and economic costs of the epidemic. The 
HIV/AIDS-related death of productive members of households increases household 
dependency ratios, reduces household productivity and caring capacity, and also impairs 
the inter-generational transfer of local knowledge, practices, and skills. 
Ethiopia has 1,4 million people infected with HIV, and with a 4.4 percent HIV￾prevalence rate, is among the five countries with highest prevalence rates in the world. 
According to Ministry of Health statistics4
 in Ethiopia, of the 1,4 million HIV/AIDS 
cases, women account for 784,000 (56 percent), children 96,000 and men more than 
500,000. In the urban centers, the prevalence rate is as high as 12.6 percent and in the 
rural areas the prevalence rate is 2.6 percent. The report further indicates that women are 
particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS due to ‘social and cultural institutions’ accepting 
sexual violence, which leads to an increase in infection rates among females. 
Women aged 15-24 are said to be most infected, with a prevalence rate of 12.1 percent. 
Statistics released by the Ethiopian government at the beginning of 2005 showed that the 
HIV-prevalence rate in urban areas has reached a plateau. About 900,000 people have 
died from AIDS-related illnesses since 1986; according to the government prediction that 
figure will double by 2008, if current trends continue. Life expectancy has been cut by 
five years to 46 because of HIV/AIDS. The report also said 30,000 Ethiopians infected or 
affected by HIV/AIDS are receiving care and treatment. Only 9,500 Ethiopians are 
receiving life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs – 5 percent of those who need them. In 
Ethiopia, records show that there are 379, 341 orphans resulting direct from AIDS-related 
mortality, 269,235 people receiving care and support, and the literacy rate is at 32.8 
percent. 
There is therefore a pressing need to focus on efforts that will not only improve the 
nutrition and generate income for women affected/infected by HIV/AIDS, but also 
increase the number of women and OVCs to gain access to HIV/AIDS support services in 
areas of prevention, care and treatment. 
1.1. PROGRAM CONTEXT AND STRATEGY
Women with low incomes in urban areas are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, 
given the limited choices they face to survive. These women have confirmed that lack of 
economic opportunity is their most pressing concern. Considering the very high 
 
4
 Ministry of Health. AIDS in Ethiopia Fifth Report. June 2004 
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unemployment rate in Ethiopia, women have limited options when trying to secure jobs 
or generate resources to feed and support their households. Many women are forced to 
undertake commercial sex work for reasons of economic survival, and at the same time 
trying to avoid such high-risk professions. A survey report5
 revealed that the most 
common reasons women give for becoming sex workers are financial problems (36 
percent) and divorce or separation (18.2 percent); over 28 percent of commercial sex 
workers were supporting other people. 
UAPHAW is designed to address the concerns discussed above. The program has 
introduced low cost, low labor-intensive gardening systems to low-income women in the 
urban areas of Addis Ababa, Oromia region and Bahir Dar in the Amhara region. Most 
women participants are either affected by HIV/AIDS or they are at risk of contracting 
HIV/AIDS. Other program participants include OVCs, elderly people who are taking care 
of orphans and/or AIDS-sick persons, women participating in high-risk activities, such as 
commercial sex, and a few male victims are also involved. The selection criteria also 
require beneficiaries to have a piece of land for gardening. 
Combined with appropriate training in gardening technologies and techniques, 
organization, and market linkages, these urban gardening systems were expected to: 
• Generate food for household consumption, to improve the nutritional status of the 
people; 
• Improve income levels of participating households through selling the surplus 
garden produce; and 
• Improve the skills and alternative livelihood of the participants. 
1.2. DRIP-KIT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS 
The HNG irrigation systems involve 30m² and 100m² drip-kit irrigation systems 
complemented by micro-HNG systems known as “grow bags”. The mix of the different 
technology options used to support gardens depends on land availability, and specific 
characteristics of the households. The drip-kit irrigation systems have been shown to use 
about half the water and about half the labor of conventional gardening requirements. 
Due to the extreme poverty of most of the beneficiaries and the very small plots of land, 
especially in urban Addis Ababa, the program initially concentrated on the goal of 
increasing the quantity and quality of food produced and consumed by the participating 
households. However, where surplus produce is available, a second, but most important, 
goal of increasing household income through sales of surplus produce has been 
promoted. The program is targeting 4,500 low-income earning women, destitute women 
and their families, households with OVCs, and those who are HIV-positive and/or at risk 
of contracting the disease, in the urban and peri-urban areas of Addis Ababa and Bahir 
Dar. The desired outcome is for all the beneficiaries of the program to achieve better 
nutrition and generate income from the HNG to support their household. 
 
5
 Ethiopia Behavioral Surveillance Survey Report, 2002 
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2. THE UAPHAW PROCESS AND SERVICES OFFERED 
The process of registering beneficiaries is conducted through IPs, which are mainly local 
NGOs. Training is an important component of the program at all levels. The COP and 
STs received training from technical partners (TPs) and short-term consultants. The STs 
in turn trained the NGO extension officers, who train contact gardeners and the 
beneficiaries. The main HNG system training modules consists of basic agronomy 
gardening skill; the drip-kit irrigation system installation, use and maintenance; low-cost 
fertilization using compost and animal manure where available, low-cost plant protection 
using traditional means (such as ash and herbs) and nutrition. In addition to formal and 
informal theoretical training, demonstration sites are used for practical learning. Also 
group gardening and experience sharing visits by contact gardeners are useful. 
On the financial side, the selected IPs are considered as sub-grantees and after satisfying 
financial management requirements, a grant is provided to them to cover the cost of drip￾kits and grow bags, as well as the cost of running the HNG program with the 
beneficiaries. The following IPs are already fully operational: 
Table 1:Implementing Partners and areas of operation 
NAME OF IP OPERATIONAL AREAS NO. REGISTERED 
BENEFICIARIES 
ISAPSO AA*-Gulele (GL) & Arada (AR) 410 
WESMCO 
(1&2◘) 
AA-Arada 418 (+400) 
HAPCSO AA-Kolfe Karanyo (KK), Akaki Kaliti (AK) 
and Yeka (YK) 
453 
BIO ECONOMY Yeka 400 
EDA AA-Akaki Kaliti (AA-East) 410 
DOH (1&2◘) BD*- Kebele 08 & 15 400 (+400) 
BMODFSTC BD- Kebele 13 336 
MEKDIM* BD-Kebele 11 200 
PICDO* AA-Yeka 300 
KEY 
ISAPSO: Integrated Service for AIDS Prevention and Support Organization 
WESMCO: Welfare for the Street Mothers and Children Organization 
HAPSCO: HIV/AIDS Prevention Care and Support Organization 
ECONOMY: Bio Economy Association 
EDA: Emmanuel Development Association 
DOH: Dawn of Hope 
BMODFSTC: Bahir Dar Medehenelem Orphans and Destitute Family Support 
Training Center 
PICDO: Progressive Integrated Community Development Organization 
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MEKDIM: Mekdim Ethiopia Bahir Dar Branch 
AA: Addis Ababa 
BD: Bahir Dar 
*Beneficiaries under PICDO and MEKDIM have just started 
◘ The two IPs have just registered the second groups of beneficiaries who are getting 
their gardens ready, but have not started harvesting. 
3. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE EVALUATION 
The Mid-Term Assessment was conducted to assess progress, achievements, impact and 
visibility attained from the implementation to date, and how it has contributed to the 
achievement of project goals, objectives and results as stipulated in the project document. 
3.1. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE REVIEW 
The specific objectives of the review are: 
• To assess the extent to which project activities are contributing to the achievement 
of project goals and objectives; 
• To assess progress that has been made towards the achievement of project goals 
and objectives; 
• To assess the adequateness and efficiency of the implementation arrangements in 
the delivery of expected outputs; 
• To document results, impact and visibility attained so far; 
• To highlight experiences, successes, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses; 
• To identify opportunities for improving project performance; 
• To draw and document lessons learned and/or best practices and provide 
recommendations on how they can be applied in improving project performance; 
• Determine the relevance of the program in relation to the existing needs of the 
stakeholders and environment; and 
• Assess the long-term sustainability of the program interventions. 
3.2. SPECIFIC TASKS 
To accomplish the objectives specified, the following specific tasks were undertaken: 
• A review of progress made in the implementation of project activities to date and 
an assessment of the development impact of the investment. A review of the 
existing documentation included a project document, a program implementation 
plan, baseline data report, project workplan and bi-weekly and quarterly progress 
reports. 
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• Interviews and discussions were conducted with all key stakeholders including 
project staff, donors, grantees, government officials and project beneficiaries to 
ensure that evaluation is carried in a participatory manner. 
• Field visits were undertaken to relevant partner institutions and a representative 
sample of beneficiaries in Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar. 
• The compilation of findings, analyzing data, the production of a draft set of 
recommendations and compilation of a preliminary report. 
• The presentation of the preliminary findings to the donor, government officials, 
ECIAfrica/DAI and other key partners to obtain their input. 
• The production of a final report incorporating the comments on the preliminary 
report. The report should document lessons learned and provide recommendations 
to guide the implementation for the remaining period of the project. 
3.3. DELIVERABLES
The mid-term evaluation report contains: 
• An assessment of project performance and impacts of the project based on the 
performance monitoring plan; 
• Main lessons learned during the implementation of project activities; and 
• Recommendations for actions and interventions that should follow to improve 
project performance. 
4. UAPHAW MONITORING AND EVALUATION 
SYSTEM AND PLAN 
At the beginning of the project, a comprehensive, integrated and participatory monitoring 
and evaluation system and plan were designed to ensure proper collection of information 
throughout project implementation. The UAPHAW program monitoring system is 
organized in a way that data collection is conducted by different groups and information 
flow is in all directions during the implementation of the program, so enabling 
measurement of the program impact at the end of the day. Monitoring is done by IPs, the 
ECIAfrica/DAI technical team, and Daystar Consult International, a research consultant 
firm contracted to undertake quarterly surveys of 10 percent of the project participants. 
The purpose of such an elaborate monitoring system is to ensure that the impact of HNGs 
using drip irrigation technology on HIV/AIDS-affected households in the area of 
nutrition and income generation is fully demonstrated and measured. 
4.1. MONITORING BY IPS
Development agents assigned by the implementing partners are full-time employees 
responsible for monitoring and day-to-day follow up of the activities. They make 
frequent supervision of field activities and note the progress of the activities. For 
recording the required data, IPs fill in the quarterly monitoring formats and submit the 
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copy to ECIAfrica/DAI STs on due dates. The STs and the development agents conduct 
monthly meetings to discuss the progress of the activities and propose solutions for 
problems encountered and draw monthly operational plans and submit a copy to the COP. 
4.2. MONITORING IN THE FIELD BY SUPERVISORY TRAINERS
The STs in Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar areas are assigned to specific IPs operational sub￾cities and are responsible for the follow-up on activities in their respective sub-cities. The 
STs are normally in the field for supervision three-four days a week. Bi-weekly and 
monthly activity monitoring reports are produced by STs. The information is carefully 
recorded and has been analyzed together with other information for impact assessment. 
Standard checklists are used in the monitoring process. 
The COP undertakes regular supervisory activities at grass-root level in all the sub-cities 
and discusses with development agents (NGO) the progress of the project or lack thereof. 
He technically evaluates the performances of the vegetable gardens and advises STs and 
the development agents on ways of improving project implementation. 
4.3. MONITORING AT UAPHAW PROGRAM OFFICE LEVEL
The UAPHAW staff conducts weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings to discuss the 
achievements and the problems encountered, based on their field visits. 
Weekly meeting – the COP and STs meet at the end of the week to review plans and 
achievements for the week and discuss the plan for the week to follow. 
Monthly meeting – the COP and STs meet at the end of the month and discuss the 
achievements of the month and unfinished work to be considered in the month to follow. 
Minutes of the meeting will be prepared for follow-ups. 
Quarterly meeting – the annual plan is divided into four quarters. At the end of every 
quarter, a meeting is held on which all the staff discuss the plan, achievements and 
variances of the activities of each IP. If there is unfinished work, it will be included in the 
next quarter and expenditure for each activity for the quarter is also discussed based on 
the quarterly financial reports of the IPs. 
Surveys – Quarterly surveys of the progress of the activities was supposed to be 
conducted by the research consultant during which 10 percent of the beneficiaries were to 
sampled and the same questionnaire that was used for the baseline survey was to to be 
used to generate data. The consultant who carried out the baseline survey of UAPHAW 
produced the report in June 2005. The baseline survey was conducted after the 
households received training, received drip irrigation kits, and they had signed the 
beneficiary registration forms, but this was before the first harvest. For the quarterly 
surveys, the same households were to be followed for the life of the project. 
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The intervals of the quarterly surveys were initially planned as follows: 
May – 1st quarterly survey 
August – 2nd quarterly survey 
November – 3rd quarterly survey 
However, due to delays, the research consultant has not produced any quarterly reports so 
far. 
Recipients of HAPSCO’s home-based care (HBC) program who are not beneficiaries of 
the HNG program were also surveyed during the baseline survey and during the 
evaluation, to serve as a control group. When drawing this sample, care was taken to keep 
as many factors the same between those households that receive the kit and those that 
don’t. The control group is drawn from the same sub-city (Akaki-Kaliti) as the project 
participants in that area and they also have been participating in HAPCSO-HBC project 
for the same amount of time. 
4.4. PEER GROUP MONITORING AND EVALUATION
The STs from ECIAfrica/DAI and development agents from all IPs undertake regular 
visits to the project sites in a group and monitor the quality of project implementation and 
comparison is made among the activities of the different IPs. This type of peer-group 
activity monitoring is expected to bring positive and healthy competition among the IPs. 
The group produces a report. Clear and frank opinion is included in the report. 
4.5. FIELD VISIT BY IP STAFF
Improved sharing of ideas by the IPs will enhance the project performance. The COP has 
initiated intra- and inter-sub-city field visits by IP officials and will be organizing a tour 
of HNG activities with the IPs immediately after the next quarterly review meeting. 
Already experience sharing visits among the beneficiaries in the presence of IP senior 
staff is already taking place. These different information sharing activities will lead to 
better understanding and ownership of the program. 
It is also important to include government in the dialogue. Discussions with city and sub￾city administrative structures have been held to advocate the contributions of urban 
agriculture in the livelihoods of urban households. Such discussions are meant to promote 
further reinforce government support towards the initiative UAPHAW. 
4.6. MONITORING BY GOVERNMENT
Local government structures have been encouraged to undertake monitoring of the 
progress of activity implementation in their respective areas. Many, including high level 
officials such as mayors, the sub-city Manager and other government ministry officials 
have attended all the ‘Vegetable Days’. 
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4.7. MONITORING BY DONORS AND OTHER PARTNERS
The donor (USAID), FAO and other federal agencies have made visits to the project sites 
and made observations on the progress of the activities and interacted with the 
beneficiaries and IPs at different times. They have been encouraged to attend Vegetable 
Days and USAID’s CTO makes regular one to one meetings with the COP to discuss 
project progress. 
4.8. FINANCIAL MONITORING
The COP, the assistant program administrator and the accountant make periodic visits to 
the IPs’ offices to monitor expenditure vis-à-vis physical activities and to check whether 
USAID-Ethiopia financial procedures are adopted and followed. 
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5. MID-TERM LEARNING ASSESSMENT 
The internal impact evaluation conducted by ECIAfrica/DAI’s monitoring and evaluation 
advisor (M&EA) is based on primary research in the field, complemented by secondary 
information obtained from the regular monitoring and evaluation process built into the 
program activities as described in the previous section. 
The M&EA worked hand in hand with UAPHAW technical staff in Addis Ababa and in 
Bahir Dar (including the COP and STs). In addition to these teams, each IP assigned an 
extension officer and a project coordinator to facilitate the evaluation process in their 
respective areas by organizing the beneficiaries and facilitate the interviews with the 
beneficiaries. In this regard, the IP extension officers acted as the field supervisors. They 
were very helpful in organizing focus group discussions at group HNG sites as well as at 
individual HNGs. They made the beneficiaries to feel at home with the monitoring group 
and sometimes helped with interpretation. The M&EA worked together with the COP and 
STs to ensure data quality control. 
5.1. METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH
An integrated approach, which combines a wide range of tools to produce the best quality 
evaluation, was applied to this evaluation. To ensure participatory evaluation at all stages 
of the program, both quantitative and qualitative tools were used. This section provides a 
description of the sampling for the survey, questionnaire usage data collection and data 
analysis. In conclusion, the main limitations and challenges encountered by the 
implementing teams, lessons learnt and suggestions for future sustainability were given. 
The study evaluated the impact of UAPHAW by interviewing representatives of all the 
program stakeholders: 
• The ECIAfrica/DAI-Ethiopia project implementation team; 
• IPs that are NGOs; 
• Extension officers within the IP institutions; and 
• Drip-kit irrigated-HNG beneficiaries. 
Interviews were conducted based on the main indicators of the program, with which all the 
IPs and their extension officers in both Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar were familiar. 
5.2. QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
The questionnaire used for the evaluation is the same as the HNG quarterly survey 
questionnaire, which was designed by the UAPHAW project team at the beginning of the 
program’s implementation. The same questionnaire is used by the research consultant for 
quarterly assessment. Before using it for the initiating field work, the research consultant 
pre-tested the questionnaires in one area of Addis Ababa called Akaki-Kaliti. 
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5.3. STRUCTURED QUANTITATIVE SURVEY
All the IPs (five in Addis Ababa and two in Bahir Dar) that have registered beneficiaries 
who have harvested vegetables once or more times, were interviewed. In each case a senior 
member of the IP made a presentation summarizing the program objectives, major 
activities accomplished to date, program area(s), the number and characteristics of the 
beneficiaries registered, program implementation strategy, and what they perceive to be the 
main challenges and lessons learned from the HNG experience. 
Two of the IPs (PICDO in Yekka, Addis Ababa and MEKDIM in Bahir Dar) were 
excluded from this formal quantitative survey because they started much later due to 
delays in obtaining their grants and their beneficiaries have yet to get their first vegetable 
harvest. They, however, provided invaluable information on the project progress and 
problems encountered so far. 
The formation of focus groups from the beneficiary population was purely random where 
those who happened to be on the plots were sampled. However, for the beneficiaries 
operating at the household level, the evaluation team depended on the extension officer to 
sample the individual households to be visited and interviewed. Representative 
beneficiaries at different locations and under the umbrella of different IPs responded to 
questions during focus group discussions as indicated in Table 2. 
Table 2: Interviewed Beneficiaries 
Implementing 
Partner 
Area (sub-city 
or kebele) 
Representative Beneficiaries participating in 
discussion 
ISAPSO Arada 35 people (two focus groups of 25 old members 
and 20 new members out of about 50 
beneficiaries present at the communal plot of 
garden) 
WESMCO Arada 40 people (two focus groups of 24 and 16 people 
in focus group out of 80 people who were 
present at the communal plot of garden) 
HAPSCO 16 people: 10 women on communal plot plus 6 
beneficiaries at household level 
BIO-ECONOMY Yekka 10 women managing shop and restaurant 
EDA Akaki Kaliti Focus group of 15:10 women, 3 OVCs and 2 
men (all operating at household level) 
DOH The whole group was having a celebration of the 
Ethiopian New Year. At DOH’s premises, more 
than 300 were present but could not conduct 
formal interviews 
MODFSTC Yakatit 23 
School Bahir 
Dar 
8 OVCs in focus groups out of 18 club 
members; plus 6 beneficiaries at household level 
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5.4. QUALITATIVE OPEN -ENDED INTERVIEWS
The interviews with the beneficiaries were conducted using the same HNG quarterly 
survey questionnaire which the research consultant is using. However, the M&EA 
modified it to make most of the questions open-ended to promote participation by as many 
beneficiaries in a focus group as possible, to facilitate easy dialogue with individual 
beneficiaries, and to solicit comments and discussion. A focus group discussion is 
illustrated in Photograph 1. The information gathered varied depending on the interviewees 
and can be categorized as follows: 
5.4.1. Discussion with ECIAfrica/DAI program team 
The COP and his team gave a comprehensive overview of the program in Addis Ababa and 
Bahir Dar covering: 
• The timeline of activities, major undertakings and happenings by quarter; 
• The purpose, objectives and targets of the program; 
• Implementation approaches and methodologies; 
• Program progress, achievements and indicative outcome and impacts; 
• Problems, challenges and likely solutions; and 
• Lessons learned. 
5.4.2. Interviews/discussions with senior representatives of IPs 
• Implementation approaches and methodologies; 
• Program progress, achievements and indicative outcome and impacts; 
• The new knowledge and experiences from the HNG drip-kit systems and benefits 
to the institution; 
• Highlights of achievements; and 
• Problems, challenges, weaknesses and lessons. 
5.4.3. Interviews/discussions with extension officer/project coordinator of the IPs 
Review of results based on performance indicators defined client at the beginning of the 
program, covering: 
• General information about the beneficiaries and their characteristics; 
• Type of beneficiaries; 
• Training of beneficiaries; 
• Production, utilization; 
• Sale of vegetables and income from the HNGs; 
• HIV/AIDS behavior change; 
• Cost effectiveness of program; 
• Highlights of achievements; and 
• Problems, challenges, weaknesses and lessons. 
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5.4.4. Issues tackled during interviews with the beneficiaries 
• Whether beneficiary has a garden and whether she/he is responsible for the garden; 
• Whether she/he has been trained, and if so, in what; 
• Who helps with garden work; 
• If there are sales, where produce are sold, how much money is obtained from HNG; 
• Problems encountered selling produce; 
• Who takes decisions about the use of money from the HNG; 
• The main uses of money from the HNG; 
• Other benefits from the garden; 
• Impact of HNGs on household diet and food consumption; 
• Impact of drip kit irrigation system on gardening; 
• Did beneficiary have a garden before the HNG program; 
• What beneficiary has learnt about HIV/AIDS; and 
• General comment 
Photograph 1: Focus-group discussion with women in Akaki-Kaliti Sub-city in Addis 
Ababa 
Photo UAPHAW, October 2005 
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5.5. DATA ANALYSIS
The STs assisted with the compilation of overall quarterly survey data into one data frames 
for both Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar using Microsoft Excel. Data from completed IP 
indicator questionnaires and from beneficiary focus groups and individuals were captured 
by the M&EA in SPSS worksheets, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS 10.0. 
6. PROGRAM RESULTS 
In this section, the main results of UAPHAW and the results of the discussions and 
interviews with UAPHAW stakeholders are summarized. The evaluation activity is 
focusing on assessing progress, achievements, impact and visibility attained from the 
implementation to date, and how they have contributed to the achievement of the project 
goal, objectives and results. 
6.1. NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES REGISTERED/NUMBER OF GARDENS 
ESTABLISHED TO DATE
Program beneficiaries are recruited, registered and supported by Ethiopian-based NGOs 
and associations referred to as IPs. The survey involved seven of the nine IPs: two in Bahir 
Dar and five in Addis Ababa. At the time of the mid-term evaluation in September 2005, 
six of the IPs have either met or exceeded the initial set targets of beneficiaries they were 
expected to register, as shown in Table 3. Dawn of Hope in Bahir Dar has doubled the 
number initially planned; WESMCO has also registered another 400 beneficiaries and it 
has already been allocated land for HNGs. However, two of the IPs, PICDO in Addis 
Ababa and MEKDIM in Bahir Dar, received grants late and therefore have just started 
establishing HNGs and are still registering beneficiaries. 
The overall target is 4,500 beneficiaries by the end of the program in December 2005, in 
Addis Ababa and in Amhara Region. To date, 3,227 beneficiary households have been 
dully registered and have established gardens. An additional 576 beneficiaries have been 
registered and are in the process of getting their gardens established. 
Table 3: Registered Beneficiaries / Established gardens by Implementing Partners 
IP 
AREA
S 
TARGET 
BFR/HNG
REG.BF
R/HNG 
100 
sq.m 
% of 
gard. 
30 
sq.m 
% of 
gard 
G/B
AGS 
%of 
gard 
ISAPSO 
GL, 
AR 400 410 35 8.8 200 48.8 175 42.7 
WESMCO AR 400 418 80 19.1 156 37.3 182 43.5 
HAPCSO 
KK, 
AK,Y 400 453 60 13.2 126 27.8 267 58.9 
BIO 
ECONOMY YK 400 400 82 20.5 153 38.3 165 41.3 
EDA AK 400 410 84 20.5 150 36.6 176 42.9 
DOH (BD) 
KB 
08,15 400 800 353 44.1 128 16 319 39.9 
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MODFSTC 
(BD) KB 13 400 336 44 13.1 57 17 235 69.9 
TOTAL 2,800 3227 738 22.9 970 30.0 1519 47.1 
 
New Implementing Partners 
MEKDIM KB11 300 276 
PICDO YK 400 300 52 70 
 738 1022 1589 
Figure 1: Number of Beneficiaries / Gardens by Implementing Partners 
FIGURE1:NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES /GARDENS BY IPs
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
ISAPSO WESMCO HAPCSO BIO
ECONOMY
EDA DOH MODFSTC MEKD M PICDO
Implementing Partners
Beneficiaries/Gardens
In addition to the immediate beneficiaries who own and manage the HNGs, other members 
of the participating households, neighbors, relatives, and friends are also benefiting. 
Beneficiaries from the gardens within the households number 17,111 people, while an 
additional 9,154 people are benefiting from outside the households. 
Garden establishment was a gradual process that required resilience and patience on the 
part of the entire implementing team. At the beginning it was difficult to convince 
beneficiaries to wait for the drip-kit irrigation systems that were delayed for a long time. 
However, once the drip kits were installed and operation, especially on the demonstration 
plot, it became easier to recruit beneficiaries. Figure 2 below shows the trend of garden 
establishment over time until the period of the mid-term assessment. More details of 
progressive HNG achievements are presented in Appendix 1 
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Figure 2: Garden establishment by category over time 
GARDEN ESTABLISHMENT BY 
CATEGORY & QUARTER
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
1st Q. 2nd Q 3rd Grand*
Quarters
No. of Gardens
Total no. of
established
Gardens
 100m2
 30m2 
Grow Bags
The graph shows that for the three systems of gardening (100m², 30m² and grow bags) 
there was a gradual increase in the number of gardens established. During the 2nd quarter, 
there was a decline on the number of 30m² gardens, but from the 3rd quarter (when the 
drip kits were distributed and installation began) there is a clear increase in the number of 
gardens established. 
The uptake of the grow-bag system, which is almost exclusively at households and 
schools, is greater than for drip kits throughout the entire implementation period, 
signifying two things: 
• Preference of beneficiaries to operate individual HNGs at household level rather 
than at plots allocated by the municipalities in the city/sub-city; and 
• The scarcity of big plots of land in the cities that would be suitable to install drip 
kits. 
6.2. DRIP KIT MICRO-IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
The program has introduced simple micro-irrigation systems and gardening technologies to 
reduce labor, water use, and land requirements for the poor urban households affected by 
HIV/AIDS. The beneficiaries have embarked on drip-kit micro-irrigation systems for 
either 30m² or 100m² plots It is worth noting that the irrigation equipment was only 
delivered during the 3rd Quarter (December 15 2004 to March 14 2005). During this 
period 564 drip kits were distributed (292 kits for 100m² and 272 kits for 30m²). However, 
only 174 kits were installed (7 units for 100m² and 167 units for 30m² plots). During the 
4th quarter, the 717 drip kits (235 kits for 100m² and 482 kits for 30m² plots) were 
distributed, out of which 599 kits were installed. The total figures of installed kits obtained 
during evaluation are 738 drip kits for 100m² and 1022 kits for 30m² plots, including the 
two areas of PICDO and MEKDIM, as per Table 3. 
The size of the drip kits installed depends on the availability of land and water. Households 
with 30m² or more of land space around their homesteads have installed drip kits at their 
homes. However, most of the households with 30m² and all of the households with 100m² 
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drip kit systems are operating in groups on government land allocated through 
municipalities or sub-cities. Such groups are composed of varying numbers of beneficiary 
households, ranging from 16 to over 200, depending on the plot allocated to them. 
The HNG drip kit systems provide the HIV/AIDS-affected households the opportunity to 
improve household nutrition and the possibility of earning income though sale of surplus 
produce. The system has been shown to use less than half the water and about half the 
labor of the conventional garden requirements, and the beneficiaries have affirmed this, 
requirements for weeding are also said to be minimal. 
However, as shown in Table 3, most beneficiaries have small plots that are suitable for the 
grow bag system (see Photograph 2), produce from such plots suffices for mainly for home 
consumption. Overall, 47,1 percent of the established gardens are homestead bound based 
on the grow bag system, 30 percent are 30m²-size plots and only 22,9 percent of the 
gardens are 100m² plots. This is not surprising, given the high population density in urban 
centers, especially in Addis Ababa. As a matter of fact it was much easier to obtain plots of 
land for gardening in Bahir Dar than in Addis Ababa. Photograph 3 gives an idea of the 
size of plots; three rows are approximately 30m².A garden has to have not less than 10 
grow bags, otherwise the space is considered too small to start a garden. 
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Photograph 2: Vegetables in grow bags, usually at the household premise 
Photo UAPHAW, September 2005 
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Photograph 3: A sample of a Home Nutrition Garden with Drip-Kit Irrigation 
Photo UAPHAW, September 2005 
The initial expectation that the gardening plots could be found within the premises of the 
beneficiary households did not materialize due to the extreme state of poverty of most of 
the HIV/AIDS-affected families and women. Most of them had no space at all in the 
vicinity of their households. As such, it was necessary to organize the beneficiaries into 
groups and approach the municipality to provide pockets of idle plots of land. This strategy 
has been successful in both Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar. Municipal authorities in both 
cities have enthusiastically allocated unused plots within the cities to HIV/AIDS-affected 
families for gardening. The largest groups to be allocated land by a municipality consists 
of the 280 beneficiaries growing potatoes and 120 beneficiaries growing vegetables, both 
groups organized by the Dawn of Hope in Bahir Dar. 
6.3. ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN SERVED BY THE PROGRAM 
AND CHARACTERISTICS OF HOUSEHOLD HEADS
The intended beneficiaries of the UAPHAW program are low-income earning HIV/AIDS 
affected women; women who are at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, such as sex workers; 
and orphans who lost their parents through AIDS and are now living alone or with 
grandparents or other relatives. 
Program beneficiaries were selected based on their social background. Strict selection 
criteria were set up at the beginning of the program to guide the selection process. The 
ECIAfrica/DAI team in Ethiopia (the COP and STs) worked closely with the IPs and the 
Kebele and sub-city management authorities to ensure that households with disadvantaged 
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individuals were chosen. Table 4 shows the number of OVCs served by the program and 
the different types of household heads among the beneficiary households. 
6.3.1. OVCs 
A total of 5,355 OVCs, (2,661 boys and 2,694 girls) have been served by the program to 
date. This figure excludes beneficiaries served by PICDO in Yekka sub-city in Addis 
Ababa and those served by MEKDIM in Kebele 11 of Bahir Dar. When these two areas are 
considered, the number of OVCs increases to 6,275 (2,953 boys and 3,322 girls). In almost 
all the areas, the number of the girls is slightly higher than boys in all the areas of the 
project as illustrated in Figure 2. The overall proportion is 49,7 percent boys and 50,3 
percent girs. Figure 3 and Table 4 show more information by IPs about OVCs. 
Figure 3: Boys and Girls Orphans and Vulnerable Children 
A focus group of eight OVCs was interviewed at Yakatit 23 Full Cycle School. All of them 
were orphaned girls who are supported by Bahir Dar MODFSTC, in collaboration with the 
School Coordinator for the Girls’ Club. Eighteen girls (all of them orphans) are involved in 
the HNG using 142 grow bags to grow vegetables on the school compound. 
The girls were trained by the extension officer about gardening basics, at the time of the 
evaluation they had harvested vegetables eight times, for a total of 80kg, and have made 
ETB 80 in sales. They normally sell to the school community and to other people who pass 
by the school, to parents and relatives of the pupils. 
The OVC gardening club at Yakatit 23 Full Cycle School intends to open a kiosk near the 
school to sell their products. So far, the objective has been to generate income to enable 
them to buy school supplies such as pencils, pens and exercise books. However, the money 
from sales of vegetables has not been adequate to cover school stationary for all of them. 
None of the produce has been used for consumption and the children have not been taught 
about the nutrition aspects. The children are hoping that after getting more land they would 
like to expand their garden, increase production and sales and encourage other youths with 
similar problems to join the club. 
0 200 400 600 800
ISAPSO
HAPCSO
EDA
MODFST
C (BD) 
IPs
Number of OVCS
BOYS-OVC s GIRLS-OVCs
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6.3.2. Heads of Households 
The HIV/AIDS pandemic has resulted in the emergence of a new category of poor people: 
“the AIDS poor”. This includes households with chronically ill young adults, households 
headed by single parents, the elderly or children; and households fostering OVCs. The 
death of productive members of households due to HIV/AIDS increases household 
dependency ratios, reduces household productivity and caring capacity, and also impairs 
the inter-generational transfer of local knowledge, practices, and skills. 
The results of the analysis indicates that out of 3,349 households that have established 
HNGs, 10 percent are headed by children, 13 percent by elderly people and 62 percent by 
young-to-middle-aged women, and only 15 percent are headed by young to middle-aged 
males. The proportion of female-headed households increases to 69,9 percent when the 
elderly female heads are considered with the rest of the female household heads. Table 4 
and Figure 4 illustrate this phenomenon. 
Figure 4: Heads of Households 
FIGURE 4: HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS
C-HEAD
10%
E-HEAD
13%
W-HEAD
62%
M-HEAD
15%
C-HEAD E-HEAD W-HEAD M-HEAD
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Table 4: Orphans and Vulnerable Children served by program and heads of households (MEKDIM and PICDO) 
IP AREAS OVCs 
BOY￾OVCs GIRL- OVCs C- HEAD BOY HEAD GIRL HEAD OLD HEAD MALE OLD HEAD 
FEMALE 
OLD 
HEAD 
WOMEN￾HEAD 
ISAPSO GL, AR 1,247 680 567 14 5 9 44 37 7 294 
WESMCO AR 248 104 144 66 41 25 88 67 21 200 
HAPCSO 
KK, 
AK,Y 1,398 648 750 
90 
39 51 89 37 52 274 
BIO 
ECONOMY YK 627 296 331 16 4 12 40 7 33 337 
EDA AK 969 473 496 59 19 40 45 6 39 357 
DOH (BD) 
KB 
08,15 280 208 72 26 19 7 89 12 77 353 
MODFSTC 
(BD) KB 13 586 252 334 72 3 69 33 0 33 264 
TOTAL 5,355 2,661 2,694 343 130 213 428 166 262 2,079 
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6.3.3. Gardens Managed By Women 
On average, 73,7 percent of all the gardens that have been established are managed by 
women. Surprisingly, over time and as the number of gardens increased, the proportion 
managed by women decreased, such that during the 1st quarter, when only 16,8 percent of 
the target gardens had been established, 93,93 percent of the gardens were managed by 
women and all of them were making decisions about utilization of the produce from the 
garden, including decisions about spending income from the garden. By the 2nd quarter, 
31,5 percent of target number of gardens had been established and only 59,23 percent were 
fully managed by women, all of whom were able to make decisions about spending 
whatever income they obtained from the gardens. At the time of evaluation, which was 
during the 6th quarter, 3,349 (74,4 percent) gardens had been established and 67, 8 percent 
of them were fully managed by women, all of them (100 percent) in charge of decisions 
about spending income from the sale of HNGs. This figure is much lower than the average 
percentage of gardens managed by females in the baseline survey, which was 78,42 
percent. 
The actual numbers of women managing the gardens is variable from place to place. The 
minimum proportion of gardens managed by women (48 percent) was recorded in Arada 
sub-city among the beneficiaries facilitated by WESMCO, while the highest was 94 
percent recorded in Kebele 08 and 15 supported by the Dawn of Hope. 
6.4. TRAINING PLAN 
6.4.1. Training of Trainers 
Training of trainers commenced in the 2nd quarter of the program; three project 
supervisory trainers received training in Addis Ababa from the project director/COP, and 
the technical consultant from Zimbabwe trainers in Addis Ababa. Technical partners 
including the Urban Agriculture Departments, Selam TVC, Family Health International 
(FHI)-Ethiopia, Linkages Project and Agri-tech Systems. The STs with the help of the 
COP, trained eight NGO extension officers from ISAPSO, HAPSCO, BIO ECONOMY, 
EDA and WESMCO during January 3-8 2005. The short course covered the major aspects 
of HNG, including: 
• Agronomy of vegetable crops; 
• Principles and practices of drip irrigation; 
• Basic record keeping; and 
• Nutrition aspects of vegetables. 
In addition to the theoretical training, practical sessions were conducted at the 
demonstration site established in Bole Secondary School, where installation and 
maintenance of the drip-kit system were demonstrated. A similar training was conducted in 
Bahir Dar for extension officers of DOH, MODFSTC and MEKDIM. It was facilitated by 
the STs in Bahir Dar, with the help of the Urban Agriculture office and Amhara region 
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office. 
Training modules for IPs and beneficiaries are prepared in both Amharic and English to 
ensure understanding and clarity. 
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6.4.2. Training of Beneficiaries 
The trained extension officers with the assistance of STs have trained contact gardeners 
and the other HNG beneficiaries as summarized in Table 5. 
Table 5: Trained Beneficiaries 
IPs 
Households 
trained 
Contact gardeners
trained 
Palliative care 
trained 
OVC-care 
trained 
ISAPSO 369 41 25 25 
WESMCO 360 40 12 12 
HAPCSO 453 40 0 180 
BIO ECONOMY 400 40 2 40 
EDA 410 41 16 16 
DOH (BD) 204 40 89 30 
MODFSTC (BD) 0 40 0 0 
Total 2196 282 144 303 
All HNG beneficiaries who have already harvested vegetables from their gardens have 
been trained in the agronomy of vegetable crops and principles and practices of drip 
irrigation. However, all the beneficiaries registered by MODFSTC in Bahir Dar have not 
been trained in the nutrition aspects of vegetables. 
All the beneficiaries who have been registered by the two IPs (PICDO in Addis Ababa and 
MEKDIM in Bahir Dar), still have to be formally trained in all aspects of home nutrition 
gardening. However, they have been receiving informal guidance and assistance from the 
contact gardeners and the extension officers. In the meantime, the STs are assisting the 
extension officers concerned to organize formal training sessions for all the beneficiaries. 
7. HNG PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND SALES 
The two principal objectives of the program are to produce food for household 
consumption to improve the nutrition status of the people and to generate income from 
sales of surplus produce. Two additional objectives have been achieved, namely self￾employment on gardening and environmental care. 
Overall, 74,4 percent beneficiary registration and garden establishment have been 
achieved. On individual area level, a 100 percent success rate has been achieved in all the 
program areas where grants and drip kits were received on time. In areas where grants and 
drip kits were received late, the garden establishment rate is lower. That is the case in Yeka 
sub-city supported by PICDO, which has so far achieved a 75 percent success rate in terms 
of beneficiary registration but still has to establish the gardens. In Bahir Dar, in Kebele 11 
served by MEKDIM, beneficiaries have been registered but they have not yet established 
any gardens, while in Kebele 13, supported by MODFSTC, only 84 percent of the target 
gardens have been established. 
A large range of vegetables are grown by the beneficiaries, including, but not limited to, 
kale, Swiss chard, lettuce, cabbage, red-beet, onions, garlic, spinach, cauliflower, 
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cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, chilli pepper and other spices. Whereas production at 
homes is geared to preference for home consumption, production on group sites is market 
oriented. The amounts produced, consumed, traded or given away and sold for cash is 
indicated in Table 6. The figures did not take into account the beneficiaries that have just 
started, supported by PICDO in Addis Ababa and by MEKDIM in Bahir Dar. 
All implementing NGOs are raising seedlings on nurseries for distribution to the 
beneficiaries. In Bahir Dar, MODFSTC specializes in seedling production and sells the 
seedling to other NGOs as needed. 
7.1. HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTION
Most of the gardens were planted during the 4th quarter (March 15 to June 14 2005), but 
there are variations from one area to another. Five of the IPs in Addis Ababa (ISAPSO, 
HAPSCO, EDA, BIO-ECONOMY and WESMCO) started implementing the HNG 
programme before they received the drip-kit irrigation systems because of delays in 
delivery of the kits. Likewise, in Bahir Dar, DOH supported its beneficiaries to undertake 
preparatory work before receiving UAPHAW grants for buying inputs. By the time the 
grants were disbursed and the drip kits were delivered to them, the beneficiaries were 
already registered, contact gardeners were trained, and garden plots were prepared. 
The Bahir Dar (DOH) group of beneficiaries was the first to celebrate the first ‘Vegetable 
Day’ in the 4th quarter, which signifies the first harvest. Most of them had planted potatoes 
as their first crop and planted rice thereafter because of too much rain. The second phase of 
beneficiaries assisted by DOH planted vegetables first and then rice. WESMCO, ISAPSO, 
EDA and BIO ECONOMY celebrated vegetable days on different dates during the 5th 
quarter (15 June to 14 September 2005). Since then most beneficiaries have harvested 
vegetables two to three times depending on the type of vegetable. 
Table 6: Home Nutrition Garden Total Production, consumption and sales (excluding 
PICDO and MEKDIM beneficiaries) 
 Minimum 
(kg) 
Maximum 
(kg) 
Sum (kg) Mean 
(kg) 
% of total 
prod 
Quantity of vegetables 
produced (kg) 1.81 80.88 134,400.20 41.65 
- 
Quantity of vegetables from 
HNG consumed (kg) 0.96 52.56 99,792.00 30.92 74,25 
Quantity of vegetables traded 
or given away (kg) 0.18 7.03 6,598.50 2.04 4,91 
Quantity of vegetables spoiled (kg)0.14 3.01 2,098.70 0.65 1,61 
Quantity of HNG vegetables 
sold (kg) 0.52 22.93 25,906.00 8.03 19,28 
Table 6 demonstrates that the quantity of vegetables produced from HNGs is significant 
considering that most of the beneficiaries did not produce vegetables before joining 
UAPHAW. On average, the proportion of production consumed (74,25 percent), is quite 
high. This was expected, since the first objective of the project was to improve the 
nutritional security for the people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. This being the 
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first year of production, the extension officers and STs put in extra effort to educate the 
beneficiaries about the nutritional value of including vegetables in their diets. 
It is heartening to note that only 1,61 percent of the produce was spoiled, since there are no 
proper storage facilities this implies that beneficiaries were harvesting the right amount of 
vegetables for consumption and selling off the surplus while the vegetables were still fresh. 
It also implies that the quantity produced is just enough. Another important issue pointed 
out by both extension officers and the beneficiaries is that spoiled vegetables were used in 
making compost for use in the gardens. The HNGs are totally organic since no artificial 
chemicals are used for fertilization or pest control. Materials such as ashes and local herbs 
are used for pest control and compost is used for soil-fertility improvement. 
The quantity of vegetables sold is still small; only 19 percent of the total quantity 
produced. This being the first year of the program, more effort was devoted to improving 
the nutritional status of HIV/AIDS-affected households, especially the household members 
who are actually infected by HIV, than on income generation. 
Figure 5: Home Nutrition Garden production, consumption and sales 
Nevertheless, 77,8 percent of the beneficiaries claim to have started selling surplus 
vegetables; they are excited about it and intend to increase that activity. However, the 
amount sold and the income generated from such sales is still negligible for most of the 
beneficiaries. Those who have had no surplus to sell, because of owning very small plots, 
wish to get bigger plots so that they can expand and increase production. This wish has 
potential of being realized in Bahir Dar, where land is not too scarce, rather than in Addis 
Ababa, where the population pressure is quite high. 
7.1. FREQUENCY OF VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION
The baseline survey indicated that out of the households that did not participate in HNGs, 
82 percent did not have gardens and rarely used vegetables in their diets. Recipients of 
HAPCSO’s Home-based Care program that are not participants of the HNG program, 
served as a control group for the evaluation activity. This sample of households was drawn 
from the sub-city of Akaki Kaliti; they are treated in the same manner by the service 
HNG PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION & SALES
74%
5%
2%
19%
Quantity of vegetables from HNG consumed (kg)
Quantity of vegetables traded or given away (kg)
Quantity of vegetables spoiled (kg)
Quantity of HNG vegetables sold (kg)
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provider (HAPSCO) as those who belong to the HNG. The only difference is that they are 
not producing vegetables under the UAPHAW program. Those who were interviewed from 
the control group indicated that they do not use vegetables frequently, only two to three 
times a month, because they do not have money to buy it. Only 12 percent of the 
interviewed control group members used vegetables once or twice a week. 
By contrast, the average frequency of vegetable consumption among the participants of the 
HNG was 2,86 times a week, with the median and mode of three times a week. An average 
of 32,3 percent of HNG participants consume vegetables every day. This information is 
summarized in Table 7 and Figure 6. However, even among HNG participants the 
frequency of protein (meat, eggs and fish) consumption is quite low, averaging only 0,86 
times a month, with a median of 1 and a mode of zero. It is from this point of view that 
most of the interviewed beneficiaries of the HNGs wished to integrate vegetable 
production with poultry production, especially of layers that would provide them with eggs 
and droppings to use in their gardens. 
Figure 6: Frequency of Vegetable and Protein Consumption 
The frequency of vegetable consumption among HNG beneficiaries, over the five quarters 
of implementation, has increased gradually from an average of zero consumption per week 
to almost three times a week. When asked why it was important to eat vegetables, the 
women stated that eating vegetables has improved their nutrition and that they were now 
feel and look better than before. Animal protein consumption, on the other hand, has not 
changed in any significant way. As can be seen on Figure 6, the average consumption of 
animal protein, such as eggs, meat and fish is still insignificant and below 1. 
FREQUENCY OF VEGETABLE & 
 PROTEIN CONSUMPTION
0 
0.5 
1 
1.5 
2 
2.5 
3 
3.5 
 Qt2 Qt3 Qt5
QUARTERS
FREQUENC
Y 
Vegcons
Protcons
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Table 7: Frequency of vegetable and protein consumption 
 Frequency of 
vegetable consumption 
(per week) 
Frequency of protein (meat, 
eggs, fish) consumption 
(month) 
% of households 
that consume 
vegetables every 
day 
Mean 2.86 0.86 32.29 
Medium 3.00 1.00 18.00 
Mode 3.00 0.00 0.00 
As many as 42,9 percent of the HNG beneficiaries do not eat animal protein and those who 
do, do so only during festivities and holidays. A total of 28,8 percent use animal protein 
only once a month and another 28,6 percent use it twice a month. 
A correlation analysis indicates a positive and significant relationship (with a coefficient of 
0,956 at a 1 percent level) between the quantity of vegetables produced and the quantity 
consumed from the HNG project. This confirms that the beneficiaries are consuming the 
vegetables they produce with HNG project. 
7.2. HNG PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION TRENDS
Figure 7: HNG Production & utilization 
Over the implementation period of five quarters, amounts of household production utilized 
for consumption, sales and what is traded or given away to relatives, friends and neighbors, 
has increased, but at a different rate. This is illustrated by the gradient of the graphs 
depicting different uses. The consumption graph shows a gradual increase followed by a 
HNG PRODUCTION & UTILIZATION TREND
0 
20000 
40000 
60000 
80000 
100000 
120000 
140000 
160000 
Qt1 Qt2 Qt3 Qt5
QUARTERS
KGS
qprod qcons qsold qgiven qspoil 
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sudden increase, and it has not yet reached the maximum level. The marginal rate of 
consumption as production is increased is still positive and increasing. The amount sold is 
also still increasing but at a much lower rate as illustrated by the much flatter yellow line. 
An interesting feature of the sales graph is that it seems to be leveling off (from the 3rd
quarter). This could mean beneficiaries, who are still producing very minimal surplus 
amounts and who have learned the nutritional value of vegetables to their health, are giving 
priority to consumption rather than sales. However, the total amount sold has continued to 
rise due to the increasing number of participants. 
7.3. HNG INCOME AND ITS USE
The second main objective of HNGs is for the participating households to produce enough 
vegetables to be able to sell the surplus, thereby providing a significant supplement to 
household income. The increased income from sales of HNG produce is supposed to lead 
to a decreased risky sexual behavior (sex work) to earn money for food; this attribute was 
not easy to measure. In addition, the income earned is supposed to enable households to 
meet other financial obligations, such as education and medical expenses. Table 8 presents 
the descriptive statistics of the indicators considered in this section. 
Table 8: Descriptive Statistics of Indicators on Household Income and their Uses 
 MinimumMaximum Sum Mean/m 
Quantity of vegetables produced (kg) 1.81 80.88 134,400.20 41.65 
Quantity of HNG vegetables sold (kg) 0.52 22.93 25,906.00 3,700.86 
Average household income from 
sale of vegetables (ETB) 
4.70 36.00 174.60 24.94 
% of households report food purchase 
as main expenditures with HNG income 
0.00 81.00 - 35.11 
Household expenditure on food items (ETB) 0.00 50.00 127.15 18.16 
% of households that report medical 
expenses main expenditures with HNG 
income 
0.00 30.00 - 8.71 
% of households that report school 
expenses main expenditures with HNG 
income 
0.00 66.60 - 12.94 
Household expenditure on school 
expenses (ETB) 
0.00 8.40 20.01 2.86 
% of children in school per 
beneficiary household 
0.00 67.00 235.60 33.66 
% of households purchasing assets as 
main expenditures with HNG income 
0.00 37.50 43.02 6.15 
% of households that increased expenditure 
on asset purchase in the past 12 months 
0.00 1.00 - 0.14 
% of households reinvesting in garden as 
main expenditures with HNG income 
0.00 66.00 - 28.14 
% of households that increased 
expenditure on HNG inputs in the past 
12 months 
0.00 80.00 17.14 
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The discussion in this section relates to the households that are selling 19,28 percent of the 
total quantity of vegetables produced by the HNG project. The average household income 
from sales of vegetables is only ETB 24,94 per month, which is quite small. However, a 
few beneficiaries have obtained household income from sale of vegetables as high as ETB 
42.38. Several factors have to be taken into consideration. It takes three months for the 
vegetables to become ready and it is possible to grow vegetables three times a year in 
Ethiopia. This means that if proper phasing is done, vegetables can be harvested and sold 
at least for nine months of the year. The IPs, in collaboration with the ECIAfrica/DAI
project team, are seriously looking into the production phasing issue. 
The figures in Table 6 indicate the percentage of households that reported purchase of 
different goods and services as main expenditure with HNG income. On the basis of such 
expenditure four main uses of the income from the sale of HNG vegetables are as follows: 
• Food purchases as the main expenditure: 35,11 percent of households, on the 
average spending ETB18,16 per month; 
• Reinvestment in the garden purchases as the main expenditure: 28,14 percent of 
households. Also 17,14 percent of the households increased expenditure on HNG 
inputs in the past 12 months. 
• School expenses as the main expenditure: 12,94 percent of household, on the 
average spending ETB2.86 per school term of six months. 
• Medical expenses as the main expenditure: 8,71 percent of households, on the 
average spending ETB18,16 per month. 
The levels of the use of income for food, education and medication indicate achievement 
of the supplementation of household income to meet basic requirements. 
A correlation analysis was performed on the data using SPSS 10. A correlation matrix is 
presented as Appendix 2. A positive and significant relationship exists between the 
quantity of HNG vegetables sold and the percentage of household reporting food purchase 
as a main expenditure with HNG income. The correlation coefficient was 0,805** 
significant at a 0,01 level. This means that households’ ability to purchase complementary 
food items is positively influenced by the sales of vegetables. 
A number of observations can be made from the correlation matrix regarding the 
relationships between HNG income expenditure and important nutrition security, education 
and health indicators. 
The average household income from sales of vegetables is positively correlated to the 
quantity sold (with a coefficient of 0,634) but is not statistically significant. 
7.3.1. Medical expenses 
The average household expenditure on food items in ETB is while positively correlated to 
medical expenses as a main expenditure with HNG income, it is negatively correlated to 
school expenses, reinvesting in garden inputs and expenditure on assets purchases with 
HNG income. This is because all these are competing expenditures from the same scarce 
resources generated from HNG. The quantity of HNG vegetables sold is positively, but not 
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statistically significantly correlated to the percentage of households that reported medical 
expenses as a main expenditure with HNG income (with a coefficient of 0,638). Similarly, 
the correlation with the average household income from sales of vegetables is positive but 
not statistically significant (at 0,403). 
7.3.2. School expenses 
There is a positive and statistically significant correlation between the average household 
income from sales of vegetables and the percentage of households that reporting school 
expenses as a main expenditure using HNG income (with a coefficient of 0,673* 
significant at 5 percent). The household expenditure on school expenses is also positively 
and significantly correlated to: 
Quantity of HNG vegetables sold (0,913** at 1 percent) 
Percentage of household reporting food as purchases as a main expenditure with HNG 
income (0,48** at 1 percent). This means that households with school-going children are 
selling off surplus vegetables to meet both additional food requirements and school 
expenditure needs. 
7.3.3. Reinvestment in gardens 
Beneficiaries who have already harvested produce from their HNG have started reinvesting 
in the gardens some of the income they obtain from HNG; they are among the 28,14 
percent of the households that reported reinvesting in garden as a main expenditure with 
the HNG income. Reinvestment has so far been in a form of garden inputs, such as seeds 
and seedlings. In both Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar beneficiaries would like to expand their 
gardens if they can be allocated more land by the municipalities. 
7.3.4. Asset purchases 
Only 6,15 percent of the beneficiary households have reported purchased assets as a main 
expenditure with HNG income. And an insignificant 0,14 percent of the beneficiary 
households reported to have increased expenditure on asset purchases in the past 12 
months. Since this is the first year of operation most households were still attending to 
bread-and-butter basics and spending their hard-earned HNG income on those basics. 
The women group assisted by BIO - ECONOMY have invested their HNG income in 
establishing a shop through which they are able to sell their vegetables to the public, and a 
restaurant (see photograph 4), where they cook food, including vegetables from their 
gardens. The women take turns to sell in the shop and to cook and serve in the restaurant. 
Their enthusiasm is refreshing and encouraging. 
Before the group started the shop and restaurant the women used to sell to each other and 
to neighbors. They right away started saving a proportion of the income from sales of 
vegetables. The group used their savings to start the restaurant business. Over and above 
selling food, the women are selling soft drinks, coffee, tea and processed foods, such as 
legume flour and dried spices. 
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Photograph 4:Some of the Beneficiaries operating a group-owned restaurant in 
Yekka 
Photo UAPHAW, September, 2005 
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8. OTHER IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES EXPLORED 
WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS 
The mid-term assessment exercise involved numerous discussions and informal interviews 
with all stakeholders to ensure that the evaluation was as participatory as possible. 
8.1. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
The period of the mid-term assessment was politically charged as the government was 
negotiating with the opposition on a number of issues. As such, many of the government 
officials were not available for meetings, especially in Addis Ababa. Nevertheless, the 
COP tried his best to make appointments and we were able to meet with a few officials. 
8.1.1. Meeting Government officials in Bahir Dar, Amhara Region 
A meeting with the mayor of Bahir Dar revealed that the UAPHAW program, which the 
mayor’s office has so far supported unreservedly, is of interest not only to the Government 
of Ethiopia but also to the ruling party, both of which are looking for sustainable solutions 
to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They also believe in change that will be brought about by the 
optimal utilization of land and water, both in urban and rural areas, to eradicate poverty. 
The mayor indicated that the government is ready to cooperate, participate and partner with 
organized efforts of development facilitators, because it believes poverty alleviation and 
HIV/AIDS mitigation will bring about peace in the country. The mayor recommitted 
himself to continue supporting ECIAfrica/DAI and its work in Bahir Dar. 
Ms Zenebu Tadesse, Director of the Bureau of Labor and Social Affairs, echoed the 
mayor’s sentiments. She was particularly happy that the project is improving the 
nutritional status of HIV/AIDS-affected households. She reiterated the support of the 
bureau in recruiting the new members of the project in collaboration with the Kebeles who 
know the households that are genuinely affected by HIV/AIDS. She encouraged the 
program to also reach out to community-based organizations (CBOs), youth associations, 
women’s associations and the HIV/AIDS Secretariat, who are already working with 
HIV/AIDS-afflicted individuals. 
The HAPCO director, who fully supports UAPHAW, said that HAPCO is interested in 
funding a similar project, but within the ambit of the Ministry of Agriculture, extension 
services and NGOs working with HIV/AIDS and poverty alleviation. 
8.1.2. Meeting Government officials in Addis Ababa 
Ato Girma Demissie, the head of the Urban Agriculture Department, under the Trade & 
Industrial Development Bureau, admitted that the concept of Urban Agriculture (UA) is 
new and needs to be nurtured. The fact that most of the areas used now for producing 
vegetables were once garbage dumps means that UA, including the UAPHAW program, is 
beautifying cities, converting garbage into compost, producing food and generating income 
for the poor. He commended the HNG program for contributing towards poverty 
alleviation and urged for diversification by introducing poultry production into the 
program. 
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It was refreshing speaking to Ato Mitiku Habene W/Mariam, the sub-city Chief Executive 
for Arada sub-city administration, who has been in the forefront of supporting the 
UAPHAW program. He appreciated that the 16 NGOs and other institutions in the sub-city 
were appreciated by the government because they are helping the HIV/AIDS-affected poor 
people. In the same vein, the sub-city administration appreciates what ECIAfrica/DAI is 
doing and the approach that works with the local government and local people, with 
Kebele administration, as well as the district administration. He praised the mission and 
vision of ECIAfrica/DAI as it is assisting those with low income and HIV/AIDS, which is 
also a priority focus of the government. He promised to continue allocating land to the 
project for the sake of the poor who are helped by the program. He admitted that the 
government cannot eradicate poverty by itself, but with partners such as ECIAfrica/DAI. 
8.2. TECHNICAL PARTNERS (TPS) 
The COP has established amicable relations with UAPHAW. Two of the main TPs who 
are invaluable to the ECIAfrica/DAI UAPHAW work are Family Health International 
(FHI) and the Save the Children. They are more than ready to continue with the 
collaborative work between themselves and UAPHAW program phase II. 
Specifically, Save the Children has just won a US$20 million project on which it will be 
working with World Vision, FHI and Hope for African Child Initiative (HACI) as second￾tier partners but will need third-tier partners composed of other development institutions, 
such as ECIAfrica/DAI and NGOs on issues such as livelihood, microfinance and positive 
change. Further discussions on the nature of the collaboration will follow between the Save 
the Children Fund director and the COP of UAPHAW. 
8.3. PROJECT STAFF AND IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS
Interaction and discussions with the ECIAfrica/DAI project staff and the IPs indicated that 
the HNG program has been a learning process for everybody involved with it. There is no 
doubt that the program is benefiting the intended beneficiaries, their families and the 
communities within which they live. However, the expectations of the project were too 
high, given the amount of resources that were allocated, forcing the IPs to invest additional 
resources from their other programs. 
For the first time, UAPHAW has succeeded in bringing NGOs under the same roof to work 
through challenges of a common nature together; this is done though regular extension 
officer meetings, NGO officials meeting, field visits and NGO quarterly meetings. The 
program has been good advocacy for USAID and ECIAfrica/DAI because of the practical 
demonstrations and beneficiary gardens that are visible on the ground. The gardens have 
attracted interest from all levels of government demonstrated by the frequent visits by 
officials from government, USAID delegations, TPs, and other development agencies. The 
field days (Vegetable Days) organized by IPs helped to familiarize visitors with the 
project, providing opportunities to share experiences and a chance for the beneficiaries to 
market their produce. To date, five field days have been held by different IPs. 
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In view of the high visibility and visitors’ rate the project requires audio visual equipment 
(such as, overhead projector, television and video player) to capture such moments and as 
tools for marketing to guests who visit the project sites during on or off season. 
8.3.1. Experiences and Impact of HNG on Implementing Partners 
The general feeling from almost all of the IPs is that the HNG program has introduced a 
new idea, namely that of agriculture production for city dwellers who have never farmed 
before. Initially it was difficult to convince beneficiaries to join the program and extension 
officers had to go to peoples’ homes to convince them about HNG but now people are 
approaching the IPs and request that they join the program. 
Even the IPs that were already involved in agriculture activities feel they have learnt new 
knowledge about gardening, especially the use of drip kits and grow bags. The program is 
utilizing what used to be dumping and eroded grounds and turning them into gardens; they 
are using waste to make compost and therefore, cleaning the environment, they have also 
learnt terracing 
The AIDS sick, who used to stay at home feeling depressed, are now motivated to spend 
time working in their gardens, which they consider to be good for their spirits as well. 
Gardening occupies the HIV/AIDS-affected people so that they do not concentrate on their 
sickness. Even the experienced extension officers have learnt about urban agriculture, 
which they did not know about before. 
Some IPs started working at household level for the first time, for example, BIO 
ECONOMY. The program has brought them into close contact with the people, and has 
made the people they serve to have more confidence in them. The HNG systems are very 
systematic and have helped to teach the extension officers how to manage the households 
and community groups working together on HNG plots. They have also been able to instill 
management discipline within individual beneficiaries who are responsible for their own 
plots. The attitude of beneficiaries has changed for the better, and they are more 
hardworking and willing to do more on their own initiative without supervision. 
The program has helped to create a good image for ECIAfrica/DAI and the IPs, not only 
among beneficiaries, who now view IPs positively, but also in society and within the 
government. The successes of the program have enabled IPs to get to high-ranking 
government and other development players that are not involved with the project. 
HIV/AIDS is a cross-cutting issue that has to be addressed by all institutions and 
UAPHAW has provided a chance to institutions to work together and to use a new 
approach to HIV/AIDS by improving the nutrition of affected people using HNG 
vegetables. 
A number of IPs, for example, ISAPSO, BIO ECONOMY and WESMCO, have started 
working towards linking beneficiaries to market outlets, such as hotels and supermarkets, 
to enable them to sell their produce, but this activity needs to be expanded. 
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8.4. ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BENEFICIARIES 
This section captures the other attributes of the project that were not well covered by the 
questionnaire based on the major indicators. Important additional issues which were 
identified from responses of beneficiaries during focus group discussions are summarized 
in Table 9. 
Table 9: Highlights from the beneficiaries 
 Attribute Response in % 
Group – 57,8 
Individual – 42,2 
Beneficiary involved as individual, 
group or institution 
Institution – 7,2 
Sex of Beneficiaries Women – 92 
Male – 7,72 
Had garden – 12,5 
Had no garden – 75,0 
General 
Beneficiaries who had gardens before 
HNG 
No response – 12,5 
Who assist in the garden All family members – 33,3 
Children – 50 
Other – 16,7 
Food and income – 34,8 
Food only – 62,2 
Benefits 
Main benefits from HNG 
Other – 3 (including satisfaction, 
confidence and clean environment 
Easy – 77,8 
Whether is it easy to sell HNG 
produce (among those selling) 
Difficult – 22,2 
No problems – 60,2 
Too much competition after harvest 
– 21,4 
Markets 
and 
income 
Problems associated with marketing 
Transport – 18,4 
Save water – 66,7 
Save labor – 46,5 
No weeds – 52,6 
Main impact of drip kit (% not 
cumulative) 
Increase yield – 34,2 
Improves diet for family – 64,6 
Children like vegetables – 34,2 
Impact 
Impact on food consumption (% not 
cumulative) 
Good for fasting days – 43,9 
To take care of the sick – 56,6 
Examine self to know status – 5,2 
Know how it is transmitted – 66,2 
Counselling and helping others – 
47,6 
Lessons Lessons learnt about HIV/AIDS (% 
not cumulative) 
Care and guidance for OVCs – 42,4 
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There is a lot of camaraderie among the beneficiaries in any one group and they indicated 
their appreciation towards the entire implementing team and hope that the project will 
continue. They also made the following comments and suggestions: 
• The attitude of people has changed, people are now motivated to grow vegetables; 
• A lot of neighbors and friends wish to join the HNG project, which is helping poor 
families; 
• Individuals are willing to help each other and to assist, counsel and care for the sick in 
their midst; 
• Church people who have heard about and seen the HNGs are cleaning up their areas 
and encouraging people to grow vegetables; 
• The drip irrigation kits are good in the dry season, but where the water is obtained 
from the tap, the cost of water to the municipality is higher than what they are able to 
get from sales of HNG produce; and 
• Diversifying production with introduction of poultry, especially for layers and small 
ruminants would improve their nutritional status even more. 
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9. PROBLEMS, SOLUTIONS, CHALLENGES, LESSONS 
LEARNT, STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITIES AND 
STRATEGIES FOR PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY 
UAPHAW implementation has been a learning curve for all involved, from the 
beneficiaries to the COP and the IP. What follows in this section is a summary of the 
experiences from all the stakeholders: the IPs, especially the extension officers, who work 
closely with the beneficiaries on a regular basis, and the ECIAfrica/DAI implementing 
team. 
9.1. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED TO DATE
There have been problems at all levels of the project from the Ethiopia-ECIAfrica/DAI 
office where team had to make sure that implementation plans, and inputs for the project at 
IPs and beneficiary levels were delivered on time, to the field level where beneficiaries still 
wish they could get bigger plots of land for gardens. Below is a summary of such 
problems: 
• Lengthy process of project grant agreements; however, through mutual understanding, 
some IPs agreed to use their money and be reimbursed later. 
• Delays in the delivery of the drip kits resulted in a very slow start. Beneficiaries who 
had been organized earlier and had started growing vegetables without drip kits took a 
lot of convincing to appreciate the drip kits even after they were delivered and 
installed. 
• There were delays of delivering other project inputs and inconsistencies in responses 
from the ECIAfrica/DAI team as to when the problems would be solved. 
• Shortage of land, especially in Addis Ababa, was compounded by the lengthy process 
of accessing land. At household level there is serious shortage of gardening space, 
also especially in Addis Ababa. This has made it necessary to apply for large plots 
that are operated by groups of beneficiaries; which are allocated by the municipalities 
and sub-cities.. A weakness related to this is that 10x10, 10x3 plots of land are too 
small to keep the beneficiaries fully occupied for a long period of time. 
• The preoccupations of local authorities made it difficult to consult with them and to 
approach them as and when there was need to do so. 
• At the beginning some IP authorities (NGOs) paid little attention to the project 
activities; this was made worse by failure of ECIAfrica/DAI to deliver anything on 
time. 
• Water problem where experiences on some group garden plots, so far no water 
availability studies have been conducted. 
• In some areas beneficiaries had to dig wells to protect their gardens from wild fires. 
• Some of the extension agents paid minimal attention towards compost preparation by 
the beneficiaries and some lacked commitment and initiative. Dependency attitude of 
beneficiary; initially beneficiaries expected to get everything from the project, but by 
informing them of the program objectives and limitations they have now understood. 
• IPs felt a lot of pressure due to the new interventions brought about by the HNG 
technologies. 
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• The high rate of beneficiaries to one extension officer (400:1) is making it difficult to 
conduct regular supervision. 
• HIV/AIDS-weakened beneficiaries and the elderly are sometimes not able to attend to 
their gardens. 
• All home-based care givers, most of whom are volunteers, did not participating in the 
program from the beginning. 
• The drip kits are not well used in some areas because the beneficiaries have to take 
them home (from the group plots) due to fear of theft. At individual household level, 
some beneficiaries are too weak and or too poor to fence. 
• Scarcity of water, especially during the hot dry months (February to March) affected 
the gardens. 
• IPs feel that the project is run on merge resources, for example, the project can not 
afford two security guards to enable a shift arrangement. The corrugated sheds used 
by the guards too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Due to such working 
conditions it is difficult to retain guards for long periods of time. 
• The IPs incurred unbudgeted costs on the project due to delays in receiving grants. 
They had already mobilized beneficiaries and could not just send them away; also 
transport costs to enable extension officers to go around to the beneficiaries is costly 
on the IPs, as it is not covered by grants. The work requires dedicated extension 
officers who can tolerate the hardship under which they are working. The feeling is 
that there is too much work for too little money; this particular problem was pointed 
out by all the IPs. 
9.2. SOME SOLUTIONS AND COPING MECHANISMS
The COP and his team have established very cordial relationships with partners. Working 
smoothly with government partners from Kebeles and sub-cities has been helpful. 
Likewise, the ECIAfrica/DAI implementing team has established a good rapport with the 
TPs and the IPs, while they waited for grants and drip kits most of the IPs were able to start 
on their own by: 
Using of watering can and hose pipes before the drip kits were delivered and installed; 
Frequent discussions and meetings with IPs kept the relationships strong, despite the 
delays; 
Negotiation with concerned bodies resulted in fast delivery of services; 
Grower bag strategy has proved to be handy in places where land scarcity is critical; 
Regular presence of the STs working in the field with the extension officers kept the 
morale of extension officers and the beneficiaries high; and 
Household waste management and recycling at household level is keeping the environment 
clean and at the same time fertilizing the gardens. 
9.3. CHALLENGES
Challenges have been encountered at all levels of implementation; the main ones are listed 
below: 
• At the beginning the beneficiaries underestimated and almost dismissed the drip kits, 
but now they are happy with them. 
• It was difficult to recruit beneficiaries at the beginning due to the stigma attached to 
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HIV/AIDS. 
• Whenever a plot is allocated by the authorities, people are excited and usually embark 
on gardening immediately. However, need still exists for testing the soils in the 
allocated plots, because some of the plots used are near factories that have been 
disposing waste water on the land. 
• The nature of some beneficiaries is worrisome, because they are sickly and weak. 
• Long delays of external procurement have been a big challenge. 
• There are no drip irrigation technology manufacturers in Ethiopia even though one 
private company indicated that they may be able to start doing so if the market 
demand is big enough. 
• Fitting the drip kit systems to the household available land does not always match the 
specifications of drip kits, except for communal gardens on land allocated by the 
authorities. 
• Securing reliable market for the surplus vegetables is likely to pose a challenge as 
more produce become available for the market. 
• A high amount of compost is required for soil structuring. There is an opportunity for 
looking into encouraging entrepreneurs to prepare compost as small businesses. 
• Integration with other programs and identification and/or initialization of synergies 
and linkages is a challenge. 
• Transportation to enable extension officers to contact beneficiaries, especially 
household-based distances, which are too far. Likewise, transport is not adequate for 
the STs to enable them to undertake regular supervisory visits. 
• Since the majority of beneficiaries are either sick or carriers, there is stigma, secrecy 
and some dislike to be seen with ECIAfrica/DAI-UAPHAW staff. Some beneficiaries 
are conscious that other people know that kits are installed at households that are 
affected by HIV/AIDS. 
• ECIAfrica/DAI should make sure that the IPs relieve extension officers assigned to 
HNG of other duties so that they may fully perform HNG assignments. 
• It would be good to encourage contact gardeners with a small reward to keep them 
motivated to assist the extension officers, otherwise they do not take their role 
seriously and 
• Inclusion of poultry and small ruminants has the potential to complement the 
vegetable production. 
9.4. LESSONS LEARNT
Over the past year of program implementation, there have been good and bad experiences. 
The following lessons have been learnt so far: 
• Identification of beneficiaries is much easier for health-service providing IPs than for 
those that are not. 
• Participation of local authorities and TPs has been of paramount effect. Having a good 
relationship with government bodies has a positive impact on the project and has 
made government-related processes smoother and easier to handle. Government 
officials who have visited HNG plots liked what they saw and would like to be 
associated with the success. 
• Volunteers have come forward from the community to help the elderly and 
HIV/AIDS affected. Since they are now organized they are easy to reach. 
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• Some IPs feel it would have been better for ECIAfrica/DAI to start the project only 
after the drip kits and the other basic resources were assured. 
• The difficulty of supervising 400 beneficiaries by one extension officer can not be 
overemphasized; the number is too high for the extension officer to render quality 
service to each beneficiary. 
• Vegetable production has the role in household food security; especially where 
surplus produce is already being sold to obtain household income. 
• The beneficiaries and the community now understand that HIV-affected individuals 
can work and produce food and take care of themselves. 
• The use of urban waste lands for farming and beautification of the cities is now well 
understood by the municipalities and sub-cities. 
• The psychological set-up of HNG beneficiaries has improved and vegetable 
consumption has been enhanced. 
• Producing vegetables is now seen to be simple enough (if handled properly) that it can 
be managed and handled by women easily. 
• The urban-gardening program is playing a demonstrative role for NGOs, government 
institutions and individuals, many of whom have been approaching UAPHAW to 
share the experience. 
• The program is also playing an environmental sanitation role, as waste damping lands 
within the cities are becoming vegetable gardens. 
• Homestead gardening is more sustainable than group gardening because many women 
prefer to work nearer home. 
• Working in groups creates friendships between the community and people living with 
HIV/AIDS. They strengthen each other and there is a lot of mutual encouragement 
among members. 
• Women in groups help to build confidence of one another; most women depended on 
their husbands for many years and now they feel good about working for themselves. 
In some cases the husbands are now rely on them. 
9.5. PROJECT IMPACT AND OPPORTUNITIES
9.5.1. Project Impact 
The achievement of UAPHAW so far is exemplary and the government is pleased to be 
associated with the program and with the players therein. The two main objectives of the 
program have been met, especially enhancing of the nutritional status of the beneficiaries. 
All the beneficiaries are eating vegetables more than they did before they joined the HNG 
program, thus HNG is contributing to food security. Project impact is exhibited further by 
the following: 
• The target of 4,500 beneficiaries is likely to be met by end of December 2005; so far 
3,349 beneficiaries have been registered and 3,227 of them were already producing 
vegetables at the time of the assessment. 
• The objective of generating income for the beneficiary households has only been 
partially met. Issues of larger plots of land for expansion and market linkages need to 
be looked into further. 
• There is great improvement on sanitation and the environment in the project areas, as 
beneficiaries (and their neighbors) are cleaning their surroundings. 
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• The beneficiaries have developed a hard working culture and they are positively 
influencing the communities around them. 
• The project has impacted on the organizations that are involved, especially 
ECIAfrica/DAI in Ethiopia and all the IPs. They are now known to government, to all 
major donors and other development technical institutions. They have been able to 
develop partnerships and their members of staff are highly motivated to do their best. 
• IPs who never dealt with agriculture before have now made HNGs an intrinsic part of 
their scope of work as a main activity. 
• High-ranking government officials and the community are aware of the program and 
appreciate what it is doing. As a result there are frequent field supervision visits and 
telephonic enquiries about the progress of the program which has a generated a lot of 
visibility. 
• In Bahir Dar, the HNG program intervention led the Bureau of Labour and Social 
Affairs to form a regional forum among NGOs who are working on common 
disciplines. In Addis Ababa, the IPs involved with HNGs have also formed a forum. 
Technical and social linkages formed among implementing partners. 
• There is high pressure from other legal associations to form partnerships with 
ECIAfrica/DAI in Ethiopia. 
• Other development institutions now appreciate the NGOs that are working with 
HNGs as IPs and would like to form similar partnerships with them for similar 
interventions. 
• ECIAfrica/DAI is already developing a relationship with the research centers. 
• The new technology (grow bag) distribution and its high demand around families who 
have small garden plots. 
• The high amount of potato yield obtained from the variety called DH-P1; (120-150kg) 
an average of 140.35kg/head, ETB180.52 per head is an encouraging step. 
• Four vegetable days which were organized by three implementing partners was a 
good way of bringing together all the main players in UAPHAW to witness what is 
actually happening on the ground. Gardeners, experts, implementer NGO and CBO 
representatives, city administration officials and other relevant stakeholders were 
brought together to share experiences, exchange ideas and learn from the reflections 
of the beneficiaries. 
9.5.2. Project opportunities 
After drawing the attention of the government to the HNG program, the different 
government sectors (especially agriculture, water, sewerage, labour and social affairs and 
rural development) have come forward to support the beneficiaries. With their assistance, a 
number of opportunities can be explored for improving the performance of the project, 
including: 
• Increasing plot size where possible, especially in Bahir Dar, where land is still 
relatively available. 
• The feeling of having land to work on (even though for a short time) has given 
beneficiaries a good sense of social security and confidence. They can now be easily 
encouraged into becoming more business oriented by exploring market linkages. 
• Increasing the budget allocation to the IPs in a form of grants, to cover the cost of 
supervisory and monitoring costs. 
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• Undertaking water and soil studies to ascertain the suitability for vegetable production 
before the beneficiaries are encouraged to start gardening. Some plots have heavy 
black soil, which crack during the dry season. 
9.6. PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY
UAPHAW is an appropriate program for the HIV/AIDS affected people and it is 
sustainable because of the following factors: 
• There is increased demand of quality vegetables among the people who never used 
vegetables before. 
• The drip-kit technology is durable. It is said to be 5-10 years and their accessories are 
also durable. 
• The accessibility of markets in both Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar are big markets. 
• Availability of production inputs (such as seed and seedlings). All extension agents 
are encouraged to raise seedling from the seed packs they receive from the project, 
but some beneficiaries have also started to buy seeds and to raise seedlings on their 
own. 
• Since HNG activity is 100 percent organic, it is relatively cheaper and 
environmentally friendly (application of natural fertilizers and crop protection 
measures.). Organic vegetables do not have high competition from other vegetables. 
• There are established government institutions and NGOs with institutional systems for 
technical training and supervision of the project. 
• Potential manufacturers/suppliers of the drip-kit systems have already been identified 
in Addis Ababa. 
• The technical and managerial skills developed to date are in line with the program. 
• In Bahir Dar, at the beginning beneficiaries’ plots were cultivated for them using 
animal traction, the second time around individuals cultivated their own land; this is a 
signs that they are ready to take over. 
• Every beneficiary is contributing money for the guard for the rice field. 
• Beneficiaries who have acquired plots would like to keep them. Wherever there is 
bare land in the sub-city, the government is willing to allocate it for gardening 
provided it has not been allocated for any other development, and as long as water and 
soils are suitable. 
• Beneficiaries feel the program is beneficial to them. They would like it to be extended 
to enable them to benefit more when they through expansion of their plots and 
increasing the proportion of HNG produce sold through the market. 
9.7. VISIBILITY OF THE HOME NUTRITION GARDEN PROGRAM
UAPHAW has hosted quite a number of visitors, including a high-level US government 
delegation, at different gardens. Each visit brought limelight to the project and pledges for 
support. Some of the important visits are summarized below as examples, recorded by 
ECIAfrica/DAI-Ethiopia implementing team: 
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9.7.1. United States (US) Government 
A high-level US government delegation led by His Excellency, Ambassador Tony Hall, an 
Ambassador to FAO in Rome, visited project activities in Addis Ababa on March 18 2005. 
The ambassador talked to beneficiaries and various implementing partner NGO 
representatives, Addis Ababa municipality officials, and the project team. The ambassador 
was impressed by the performance of the vegetable gardens. HIV-affected families 
working on the gardens expressed their courage and potential to produce food to feed their 
families if supported with appropriate technologies. 
The US government ambassador to Ethiopia visited the activities of the UAPHAW 
program of ECIAfrica/DAI at Bahir Dar on April 19. During her visit she talked to the 
beneficiaries, IPs and local government authorities. She visited two communal gardens on 
which 280 HIV-affected women and orphans are cultivating vegetables. The HIV-positive 
People Association chairwomen explained to the ambassador that enhancing of the 
capacities of the HIV-affected families to produce food is the most appropriate way of 
support she has ever experienced. This assures food and nutrition security, and 
complements medical supports. One of the beneficiaries said: “I know HIV is ultimately 
linked to AIDS and I will die, but I am happy that I am teaching my children how to 
cultivate vegetables and this will help the children to produce their own food and continue 
their life by their own.” This can keep children in school even if they have to shoulder the 
responsibility of sick or dying parents. 
A senior official from the US government/Washington, who visisted Ethiopia to attend the 
International AIDS Conference in Addis Ababa, made a short visit to the ECIAfrica/DAI 
vegetable gardens project in Addis Ababa (Arada sub-city). She talked to the beneficiaries, 
partners and USAID/Ethiopia staff on the gardens. She was so impressed by the gardening 
activities and the capacities of the HIV-affected women and orphans to produce food. 
Other important visits to the project included: 
• USAID / Ethiopia 
• Family Health International (FHI) and 
• Addis Ababa HAPCO 
9.7.2. Visit from Government Officials 
Numerous government officials have visited different the project sites, especially during 
’vegetable days’. For example, the first vegetable day, organized by Dawn of Hope, was 
inaugurated by the Bahir Dar city mayor, while the WESMCO-organized field day was 
opened by the Arada sub-city manager. The vegetable days have also been attended by 
NGO representatives, beneficiaries from other sub-cities, Urban Agriculture office 
representatives, USAID/Ethiopia and invited community-based organizations. Their visits 
have always been a source of inspiration, an expression of support and a vote of confidence 
to the UAPHAW program. These occasions are usually colorful, where invited guests and 
project beneficiaries freely moved around the vegetable gardens. Most visitors have been 
impressed by the potential of HIV-affected families to produce food. 
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10. CONCLUSIONS 
The overall objective of the program is to introduce low cost, low labour-intensive urban 
gardening systems to support low-income women and their households. The HNG program 
has to produce food for household consumption to improve the nutritional status of the 
beneficiary households as well as produce a surplus to generate income for the household. 
10.1. DRIP-KIT IRRIGATION AND TRAINING CONTRIBUTING TO 
ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
10.1.1. Drip-kit irrigation systems 
The mid-term assessment discovered that 1,760 drip kits have been distributed and 
installed, 738 kits on 100m² plots and 1,022 kits on 30m² plots. Even though the kits were 
distributed and installed late, they are already contributing significantly to the gardening 
activity. Beneficiaries are associating the drip-kit irrigation systems with efficient ways of 
producing vegetables, using less water and requiring less energy because the weeding 
requirement is low with the use of the drip irrigation. About 75 percent of drip-kit owners 
are very satisfied with them and the remaining 25 percent indicated that they received the 
kits during the rainy season and have not used them for long enough to appreciate them. 
However, the household income effect of the drip-kit irrigation is still quite small. 
10.1.2. Grow bags 
Grow bags are very suitable in areas where beneficiaries have only been able to access 
plots of land less than 30m² around their households. They have already become popular 
among beneficiaries and community members in the neighborhood of HNG beneficiaries 
are already emulating the technique by using whatever containers they can get. 
10.1.3. Training 
The home nutrition activity has provided new knowledge not only to HNG beneficiaries 
but to all stakeholders across the board, from the project implementation team to IPs, 
government officials and other partners in development. Urban agriculture is new to 
Ethiopia and most people still find it fascinating and very useful to the urban poor. Urban 
agriculture as practiced under HNG activity is praised echoed for providing vegetables, 
improving nutritional security and improving quality of life, and for cleaning and 
beautifying the environment. More than 65,6 percent of the registered beneficiary 
households have already been trained. 
Training in the agronomic aspects of gardening has broadened the horizon of extension 
officers and beneficiaries by using low-cost fertilization and crop-protection methods to 
produce organic vegetables in a cost-effective manner and averting competition with other 
vegetables grown with inorganic fertilizers and chemicals. Nutritional training has made an 
impact on the beneficiaries’ food consumption pattern, as they understand the nutritive 
value of eating vegetables. However, there was no straightforward indicator built into the 
monitoring system to explicitly measure or assess the extent to which consumption of 
vegetables extended life or improved the quality of life. 
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10.2. PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT GOALS AND 
OBJECTIVES
10.2.1. Project participation and garden establishment 
The results from the mid-term assessment exercise show that there is high participation in 
the nutrition garden project by households in all the areas. On the average, 73,7 percent of 
the gardens are managed by women. At the time when the baseline study was conducted, 
82 percent of the sampled households indicated that they were involved in the project as 
individuals. However, the mid-term assessment revealed that most of the beneficiaries 
(57,8 percent), are participating as groups rather than as individuals; this turn of event is 
due to scarcity of land around, and in the vicinity of, most of the households. Almost all 
the beneficiaries operating at household level do not use the drip-kit systems, instead they 
use grow bags, which have become very popular. 
The participants in groups on municipal or sub-city land have drip-kit irrigation systems on 
either 30 m² or 100 m² plots and almost all of them are already gardening. They are 
harvesting and consuming vegetables from their gardens regularly. Only beneficiaries 
registered under PICDO (300 beneficiaries) in Addis Ababa, and MEKDIM (276 
beneficiaries) in Bahir Dar, are still to establish their gardens. Additional beneficiaries 
have been registered by WESMCO (400 more beneficiaries) and DOH (400 more 
beneficiaries). So far 3,349 (74,4 percent of target) beneficiaries have been registered and 
the COP and his team are up beat that the target of 4,500 beneficiaries will be met by 
December 2005. 
A total of 3,349 gardens have been established to date, 96,4 percent of which have been 
harvested at least once. Thus the activity of establishing home nutrition gardens has been 
highly successful. 
Household heads provide most of the labor used in the nutrition gardens and most 
households (69,9 percent) are headed by women. It therefore follows that women provide 
most of the labor used in the nutrition gardens. There is no hired labor in HNG activity, but 
other members of the household are assisting the registered beneficiary in the garden. More 
than 75 percent of the beneficiaries had no garden before the program was introduced, but 
now they do. 
10.2.2. Vegetable production and consumption 
There is a marked increase in vegetable production and consumption among the HNG 
beneficiaries. Production has increased tremendously in the project areas from no 
production at all. About 74,25 percent of all produced HNG crops is consumed by the 
beneficiary households. The baseline study conducted during the 4th quarter ( March 15 to 
June 2005), indicated that 82 percent of the sampled households did not own gardens and 
were not using vegetables in their diets, now almost all HNG beneficiaries are using 
vegetables as part of their meals and the average rate of consumption is about three times a 
week. 
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10.2.3. Household income from HNG and its use 
The objective of increasing household income from HNGs has only been marginally 
realized. Since this is the first year of operation there might be improvements towards 
increasing household incomes in the years to come. 
In view of the minimal achievement towards household income generation, the little 
money generated is spent mainly on basic household items such as, food purchases, 
reinvesting in the garden and school fees. Expenditure on medical needs is not as high as 
anticipated, this may be because a number of HIV/AIDS affected people are receiving free 
treatment and medication; the government hospitals, health centers, and clinics are 
reported to provide the bulk of the treatment for the beneficiaries. 
10.2.4. Implementing areas and IP site distribution 
The distribution of IPs to the implementing areas is still done based on the areas in which 
the IPs are already operating. This has resulted in overlaps and duplication of effort which 
could, in future, cause confusion, especially if a household is served by two IPs under 
HNG project. 
10.3. ADEQUACY AND EFFICIENCY OF IMPLEMENTATION AND DELIVERY 
OF OUTPUTS
• The expected outputs of the project were rather ambitious given the shortcomings in 
implementation arrangements, especially as: 
• The ECIAfrica/DAI implementation team is ill could perform better with better 
transport arrangements, the project areas are far apart and one vehicle and motor cycle 
are inadequate for the team to go around. Likewise, one desk top is hardly adequate 
for three STs in Addis Ababa to capture monitoring information and write report. 
• Delays in the delivery of grants, which lead to late delivery of drip kits and other 
inputs. It was discovered, during the course of project implementation, that the 
AMAP IQC-base contracts do not provide authorization for USAID contractors to 
execute grants under the AMAP IQC. This negatively impacted on all Task Orders 
issued by USAID Missions under the IQC, which include grants components such as 
UAPHAW. It took a long time to resolve the matter and it was after 5 months that the 
Head of Contracting Authority in Washington D.C. authorized the contracting officer 
to add the "grants under contracts" language to the AMAP IQC. The process of 
sorting these issues delayed the issuance of further grants under UAPHAW. 
• Unavailability of transport for extension officers to enable them to reach beneficiaries 
easily and regularly. 
• A large number of beneficiaries (400) per extension officer; intensive training and 
regular monitoring not easy. 
• The assumption that extension officers would be able to train beneficiaries on issues 
of nutrition and record keeping is not correct. 
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10.4. IMPACT ON HEALTH 
The impact of the HNG on the health status of those living with HIV/AIDS is difficult to 
assess because affected people do not wish to discuss such matters with strangers. 
However, the beneficiaries proclaim that they are feeling and look better now than before 
they joined the HNG project. 
11. RECOMMENDATIONS 
11.1. MICRO-IRRIGATION SYSTEMS 
The drip-kit irrigation systems are appropriate for use by home nutrition gardeners in the 
urban setting. However, to be able to expand its use (commercialization), it is necessary to 
identify a local manufacturer of the kits to reduce delivery time and to make the kits 
affordable by poor urban and rural dwellers who may like to adopt this technology. The 
private sector should be contacted and encouraged to manufacture and supply drip kits. 
This will reduce the delays of delivery of drip kits to the beneficiaries. 
11.2. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
The government has been very supportive of UAPHAW and municipalities and sub-cities 
have allocated land for HNGs. For the program to move to the next level, when all the 
beneficiary households will be able to produce enough for home consumption and remain 
with a surplus to sell and earn money for other essentials, households require bigger plots 
of land to be allocated to them. The HNG project should campaign to get allocation of the 
areas in the cities and sub-cities that are already earmarked as ‘green areas’ which are 
supposed to be planted with trees and flowers. A submission should be made to the city 
managers that green areas should be turned to garden areas for the poor. 
11.3. DATABASE DEVELOPMENT
A proper and detailed database should be set up on all issues regarding the project, 
especially on: 
• Soil types and fertility in the different areas of the project; 
• How much water is available in the project areas and for how long the resource can be 
expected to be available for gardening; and 
• Institutional learning that is taking place about HIV/AIDS among the different NGOs. 
The use of grow bags at household level and at institutions such as schools and clinics 
should continue to be promoted. Grow bags are an appropriate intervention for growing 
vegetables for home consumption in very limited space typically found in big cities like 
Addis Ababa. 
11.4. CONTINGENCY PLAN ON BENEFICIARY RECRUITMENT
As expected, some heads of households who are the registered beneficiaries have either 
died or become too sick to work. To ensure sustainability and continuity of the project, it is 
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necessary to choose households which have a number of people who can be able to take 
over the work of gardening if the registered beneficiary passes on or s/he is too weak to 
continue. 
11.5. OPERATIONAL AND MARKET ISSUES
A need was expressed by IPs to develop a more explicit way of assessing the nutritional 
security and quality of life other than simply noting the frequency of vegetable 
consumption. Different vegetables have different nutritional contents (in terms of vitamins, 
minerals and other trace elements). It is thus necessary to carry out laboratory tests on 
vegetable extracts to ascertain the nutritive value. University departments of nutrition and 
food processing could be brought on board as partners to undertake such in-depth analysis, 
using students. 
An integrated pest management and nutrition program should be organized in collaboration 
with the appropriate university departments that would be able to engage students in 
practical work for their learning, at the same time benefiting the beneficiaries. 
The HNG activity has to be expanded beyond what is needed for home consumption, so 
that the risk of sexual behavior to earn money for food is reduced. This will only be 
achieved if beneficiaries are allocated sufficient land with access to water for them to 
produce much more vegetables than what they need for home consumption. One IP 
volunteered to explore university partnership options. 
Access to market has not been a problem yet, but it would be necessary to plan ahead and 
undertake a market linkages study to look into possible market outlets for anticipated 
produce. To combat the problem of transportation it might be necessary for beneficiaries to 
form associations or unions to create economies of scale. Since the markets for any 
particular type of vegetable is not big, it is also necessary to develop a diversification plan 
and phasing plan to avoid flooding the market with one type of vegetable in a given time 
period. 
Transport arrangements for UAPHAW STs and HNG extension officers could be 
improved to enable them to render services to the large number of beneficiaries as the 
project expands. A creative and cost effective solution should be worked out between 
UAPHAW project and the IPs. 
The ECIAfrica/DAI implementation team, lead by the COP, should spearhead a dialogue 
with senior representatives from all the NGOs and extension officers involved in 
implementing the HNG to discuss how best to deal with the distribution of IPs in the 
implementing areas of the project to maximize on IP utilization in project areas. 
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12. APPENDIX 1 
IM P LE M E N IN G P AR N E R S (N G O )
IS AP S O W E S M C O H AP C S O B IO E C O N O M Y E D A D O H M O D F S C 1 s Q 2 Q3 G rand*
1 G eneral G L, A R A R K K , A K , Y K Y K AK K b. 08, 15 K b.13
1.1 N um ber of B enef ciaries R egistered Num ber 856 1320 1173 3349
1.2 N um ber of G ardens E stabl shed N o. of G ardens 1 0 18 53 00 1 0 800 336 58 1418 11 3 3349
 100m 2 '' 3 5 80 60 82 8 176 314 248 738
 30m 2 '' 200 156 126 153 150 57 279 515 228 1022
 G row B ag 175 182 267 165 176 235 303 589 697 1589
1.3 N um ber of O V C S erved by P roject N o. of O V C 12 7 2 8 1398 627 969 35 586 70 1329 4876 6275
 M ale 680 1 0 6 8 296 7 3 26 252 30 575 2348 2953
 F e m a le 567 1 750 331 9 6 9 3 3 40 754 2528 3322
1.
N u m b e r of C h ild he a de d h o us e ho ld s 
P a rtic ip a tin g in P roje ct N o. of H H s 1 66 90 16 5 9 26 72 31 149 211 391
 M ale 5 13 9 1 9 1 9 3 1 0 48 62 120
 F e m a le 92 55 1 1 2 076 9 21 101 149 271
1.5
N um ber of E lderly headed households 
P a rtic ip a tin g in P roje ct N o. of H H s 88 89 0 5 89 33 113 201 170 484
 M ale 37 67 37 7 6 12 0 24 123 43 190
 F e m a le 72 15 2 3 3 3 9 7 7 3 3 89 7 8 127 294
1.6
N um ber of W om en headed households 
P a rtic ip a tin g in P roje ct N o. of H H s 29 200 27 337 357 353 2 6 712 840 591 2143
1.70 % of G ardens m anaged by wom en % of H H s 87.0 8.0 72.0 70.0 85.0 9 .0 60.0 93 93 59 23 50 38 67.847
1.13
% of w om en m anaging G ardens w ho 
m ak e d e cisio n a bo u t s p en d in g in co m e from 
garden % of H H s 100 100 72 100 8 97 58 100 100 100 100
2 rain in g
2.1 N u m b e r of C o nta ct G a rd en e rs T ra in e d Num ber 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 147 148 79 374
2.2 N um ber of B enef ciaries T rained '' 369 360 53 00 0 0 08 0 781 1433 761 2975
2.3
T otal N o. of persons trained in providing 
p allia tive ca re fo r H IV -in fec ted ind ividu a ls N o. of people 2 5 12 0 2 1 6 89 0 76 9 2 227 395
2.
N u m b e r of p rovid e rs / ca re ta k ers tra ine d in 
caring for O V C N o. of people 2 5 12 180 0 1 6 30 0 44 128 227 399
3 P roduction
3.1 Q u a ntity o f V e g eta b le s p ro du ce d Kg /bunches 29400 33807 8 818 4 1600 22195 39300 7279 47360 44 367 00 96075 187,802.00
4 U tilizatio n
.1
Q u a ntity o f V e g eta b le s fro m H N G 
consum ed
Kg /bunches of 
vegetable 18600 21970 436 800 14352 37636 5998 30784 24 483 53 297 108563
.2 F re qu e nc y o f V e g eta b le co n su m p tio n day /week 3 3 2 371 1 1 2 1.50
.3
F requency of protein(m eat,egg,f sh) 
consum ption day /w eek 2 0 2 110 0 11 1.000
.
% o f h ou se h old s th at c on su m e veg eta b le s 
every day % of H H 8 18 0 75 8 5 0 0 0 24 125 41 875 33
.5 Quan tity of H N G V egetab es so d Kg /bunches 9 00 76 0 23 600 6600 5 0 928 14208 15480 30244 59932
.6
Quan tity o f V e g eta ble s tra de d o r g iven 
away Kg /bunches 1200 2939 79.5 100 1102 1100 78 2321 4208 10 796 17325.00
.7 Quan tity o f V e g eta ble s s po ile d Kg /bunches 200 1258.8 6 100 1 1 60 275 47 196 3 1738 5 1981.8
5 H o u seh o ld N utritio n G ard en In co m e
5.1
A verage househo d Incom e from sale of 
V egetables
E B /m onth /hou
sehold 30 3 6 25 30 35 1 5 5 60 33 4 33 75 42.38
5.2
% of households that report food purchase 
as one of the three the m ain expenditures 
w ith H N G in c om e % o f ho u se ho lds 2 8 1 20 0 75 3 2 5 0 63 25 57 2 60.225
5.3 H o us e ho ld e xp en d itu re o n fo o d item s B irr/w e e k/m on . 15 2 9 5 0 0 22 1 0 1 87 5 63 25 69 4 73.38
5.
% of households that report m edical 
e xp en s es as on e of the thre e th e m a in 
e xp en d itu re s w ith H N G in co m e % o f ho u se ho lds 3 0 16 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 20 21 3 20.65
5.5
% of h h w h e re m ed ica l a tten tio n w as so u gh t 
in th e la st m e d ic a l c ris is % o f ho u se ho lds 3 2 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 26 37 31 31.33
5.6
% of households that report school 
e xp en s es as on e of the thre e th e m a in 
e xp en d itu re s w ith H N G in co m e % o f ho u se ho lds 6 3 0 0 1 5 0 67 0 12 5 25 75 19.13
5.7
 H o us e ho ld e xp en d itu re o n sc ho o l 
expenses B irr/m on . 58 4 0 0 6 00 6 1 0 15 33 15 33 15.33
5.8
% of c hild re n in s c ho ol p er b en e fic ia ry 
h ou s eh o ld
% o f ch ild ren / 
household 50 6 7 0 0 23 0 5 6 03 5 3 5 35
5.9
% of households that report purchasing 
a ss ets as on e of the thre e th e m a in 
e xp en d itu re s w ith H N G in co m e % o f ho u se ho lds 2 1 1 3 8 0 0 1.5 01 1 5 1.25
5.10
% of h ou se h old s th at inc rea s ed exp en d itu re 
o n a ss e t p u rch as e in th e la st 1 2 m o nth s % o f ho u se ho lds 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 01 1 1
5.11
% of ho u se h old s tha t rep o rt re inve sting in 
the garden as one of the three the m ain 
e xp en d itu re s w ith H N G in co m e % of households 15 0 0 66 55 0 6 1 02 7 3 9 5 33.25
otal
 Ap pendix 1: H N G P roject P erform ance / P rogress M onitorin g
N o Activities / In d icators U nit
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13. APPENDIX 2 
Organization Name Contacts 
USAID -Ethiopia Michelle Evans Addis Ababa 
Addis Ababa City Government 
Trade & Industrial Dev’t Bureau 
Girma Demissie - 
Head Urban Agriculture 
Dept. 
E-mail: girma38@yhoo.com
Arada Sub-City Administration AtoMitiku Habene 
W/Mariam - 
Chief Executive 
Mobile: +091 1408727 
Agriculture Sector Support 
Programme 
Mr. Tessema - Project 
Coordinator 
TEL: 251-115-175-7138 
Amhara Women Association 
(CIDA-HNG implemented under 
them) 
Ms. Misrak Mamo - 
V/Chair person 
Fax: 08-20 01 31 
Bahir Dar 
Bahir Dar Municipality Ato Marye Kefyalew, 
The City Mayor 
Bureau of Labour and Social 
Affairs (BOLSA), Bahir Dar 
Zenebu Tadesse, Head E-mail: 
zenebut2001@yahoo.com 
ECIAfrica - Ethiopia Tesfaye Getachew - 
COP 
-do- 
 Mandefro Messele - 
Supervisory Trainer 
-do- 
 Fikire Enku - 
Supervisory Trainer 
-do￾Messeret Girma - 
Supervisory Trainer 
-do￾Tirsit Sisay - 
Administration 
 Buruktawit Metik - 
Accounts 
Mulat Yiman - Sub 
Office Coordinator 
Bahir Dar 
Tel.251-058-222-1706 
Emebet Achenef - 
Supervisory Trainer 
Bahir Dar 
Family Health International (FHI) Ms Francesca Stuer￾Country Director 
Tel. +251-11663-9880 
Fax: +251-163-9883 
E-mail: fstuer@fhi.org.et 
Save the Children Ms Karen Doll Manda - 
COP 
Tel: +251-172-8455 
Fax: +251-172-8045 
E-mail: 
Kmanda@savechildren.org.
et 
WESMCO Eshetu Mengistu - 
General Manager 
Tel +251-911-215519 
Fax: +251-123-5422 
E-mail: 
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wesmco@telecom.net.et 
BIO-ECONOMY Association -Mr. Sisaye - Deputy 
Manager 
-Mr. Kifle Julo - 
Marketing 
Officer 
Mr. Assaye Nigussie, 
Extension Officer 
HAPCSO -Mr. Samwel Adera – 
Extension Officer 
-Mr. Ahmed 
Mohammednur - 
Extension Officer 
-Ms Turuwork Tobera 
Tel: +25i-485067 /726169 
E-mail: 
hapcso@telecom.net.et 
Emmanuel Development 
Association (EDA) 
-Mr. TessemaBekele - 
Founder & Executive 
Director 
-Ms. Belete Gadissa - 
Site 
Coordinator 
-Meseret Tariku - 
Extension Officer 
Tel: 251-146-0188/46 0199 
E-mail: 
tessema@edaethiopia,org 
Integrated Service for AIDS 
Preventionand Support 
Organization (ISAPSO) 
-Ms. Beletu Mengistu - 
Managing Director 
Tel: 251-11-23-3252 / 
233252 
E￾mail:ISAPSO@hotmail.com
Progress Integrated Community 
Development Organization 
(PICDO) 
-Mr. Demeke Debabe - 
Executive Director 
-Mr. Aysheshim 
Minlargih 
Programme Director 
-Mr. Tsehaynesh Getinet 
- 
Extension Officer 
Tel: 251-114-0752 
E-Mail: picdo@telecom.net.et
Dawn of Hope (DOH) -Ms Azmach Mulat - 
Project Coordinator 
-Mr. Sitotaw Assaye - 
Project Officer 
-Mr. Haddis Bitew - 
Agricultural Extension 
Officer 
-Mr. Minayehu G/tsadik, 
Finance Officer 
Bahir DarMedehanialem Orphans 
Destitute Family Support& 
Training Center (BMODFSC) 
-MenaleSendeku - 
General Manager 
-Mr. Elias Hizkeal - 
Ass. General Manager 
-Lijalem Enyew Ambaw 
Extension Officer 
Tel:251-1455292 
E-mail: 
modifstct@telecom.net.et 
MID-TERM LEARNING ASSESSMENT
OF THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM FOR HIV-AFFECTED WOMEN IN ETHIOPIA:
FINAL REPORT
Prepared by ECIAfrica (Pty) Ltd, proprietary and confidential 64
14. APPENDIX 3: 
Correlations between various economic variables 
 Quantity 
of HNG 
vegetable
s sold 
(kg) 
Average 
household 
income 
from sale 
of 
vegetable
s (ETB) 
% of 
household
s report 
food 
purchase 
as main 
expenditu
res with 
HNG 
income 
Househol
d 
expenditu
re on food 
items 
(ETB) 
% of 
household
s that 
report 
medical 
expenses 
main 
expenditu
res with 
HNG 
income 
% of 
household
s that 
report 
school 
expenses 
main 
expenditu
res with 
HNG 
income 
Househol
d 
expenditu
re on 
school 
expenses 
(ETB) 
% of 
household
s 
purchasin
g assets 
as main 
expenditu
res with 
HNG 
income 
% of 
household
s that 
increased 
expenditu
re on 
asset 
purchase 
in the last 
12 
months 
% of 
household
s 
reinvestin
g in 
garden as 
main 
expenditu
res with 
HNG 
income 
% of 
household
s that 
increased 
expenditu
re on 
HNG 
inputs in 
the last 12 
months 
% of 
responden
ts report 
using 
condom 
every 
time they 
had 
sexual 
intercours
e in 
previous 
year 
Quantity of HNG 
vegetables sold 
(kg) 
1.000 .634 .805 .130 .638 -.163 .913 -.327 .628 -.173 -.175 .325 
Average 
household 
income from sale 
of vegetables 
(ETB) 
.634 1.000 .578 .399 .403 -.685 .673 .189 .195 -.141 .364 .326 
% of households 
report food 
purchase as main 
expenditures 
.805 .578 1.000 .356 .307 .022 .948 -.476 .093 -.105 -.198 -.237 
MID-TERM LEARNING ASSESSMENT
OF THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM FOR HIV-AFFECTED WOMEN IN ETHIOPIA:
FINAL REPORT
Prepared by ECIAfrica (Pty) Ltd, proprietary and confidential 65
with HNG 
income 
Household 
expenditure on 
food items (ETB) 
.130 .399 .356 1.000 .442 -.415 .235 -.462 -.080 -.632 -.391 -.403 
% of households 
that report 
medical expenses 
main 
expenditures 
with HNG 
income 
.638 .403 .307 .442 1.000 -.324 .437 -.287 .789 -.572 -.465 .459 
% of households 
that report school 
expenses main 
expenditures 
with HNG 
income 
-.163 -.685 .022 -.415 -.324 1.000 -.142 -.219 -.126 .537 -.208 -.365 
Household 
expenditure on 
school expenses 
(ETB) 
.913 .673 .948 .235 .437 -.142 1.000 -.354 .268 -.184 -.155 .036 
% of households 
purchasing assets 
as main 
expenditures 
with HNG 
income 
-.327 .189 -.476 -.462 -.287 -.219 -.354 1.000 -.132 .538 .865 .564 
MID-TERM LEARNING ASSESSMENT
OF THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM FOR HIV-AFFECTED WOMEN IN ETHIOPIA:
FINAL REPORT
Prepared by ECIAfrica (Pty) Ltd, proprietary and confidential 66
% of households 
that increased 
expenditure on 
asset purchase in 
the last 12 
months 
.628 .195 .093 -.080 .789 -.126 .268 -.132 1.000 -.187 -.240 .713 
% of households 
reinvesting in 
garden as main 
expenditures 
with HNG 
income 
-.173 -.141 -.105 -.632 -.572 .537 -.184 .538 -.187 1.000 .700 .090 
% of households 
that increased 
expenditure on 
HNG inputs in 
the last 12 
months 
-.175 .364 -.198 -.391 -.465 -.208 -.155 .865 -.240 .700 1.000 .357 
% of respondents 
report using 
condom every 
time they had 
sexual 
intercourse in 
previous year
.325 .326 -.237 -.403 .459 -.365 .036 .564 .713 .090 .357 1.000 
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (1-tailed). ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (1-tailed).