1. An abstract of the Rockefeller Foundation supported Project under the Climate Smart for Rural
Development Initiative
Project Title: Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation (HARITA)
Grant number: 2009 CLI 312
Name of the Organization: Oxfam America Inc.
Country: Ethiopia
Name of the Contact Person: Abera Tola
Email: atola@oxfamamerica.org
Telephone: +251-11-6189508; +251-91-124-8218
Key Objectives
• To increase the effectiveness, accountability, and scalability of the HARITA model piloted in Adi-
Ha village by reaching 4 more villages in Tigray.
• To install new automatic stations and plastic rain gauges which would verify satellite data.
• To test the feasibility of crop insurance for small scale farmers engaged in irrigated agriculture.
Key Activities
• Pilot Expansion planning with partners.
• Community Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments.
• Installation of weather stations and distribution of plastic rain gauges to representative farmers.
• Training to farmers by National Metrological Agency on how to use the plastic rain gauges.
• Establishment of village-level design and consumer protection teams; financial Package
Preparation; financial education and outreach.
• HARITA farmer enrollment days and subsequent risk reduction implementation.
• Design and implementation of feasibility study for insuring irrigated farms.
• Impact, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning.
Key Deliverables
• A pilot report evaluating FY2009 pilot outcomes, describing implications for FY2010 activities in
new villages, and providing preliminary assessment of potential for scale-up in 2011.
• A Feasibility Study in Oromia region of Ethiopia, including the planning, research, study design,
data collection, analysis and report writing.
• A report on mid-season evaluation of expansion to new villages, including planning and
implementation, community assessments, expansion of village-level design teams, research on
the insurance contract, financial package preparations with financial service providers, and
FY2010 enrollment figures.
• Final narrative and financial report including an evaluation of all FY2010 activities, and an
assessment of potential scale-up in 2011.
Expected Outcomes
• HARITA was expanded to five villages and 1308 households were insured.
• More crops i.e., barley, wheat were insured, in addition to teff.
• Two policy options were availed to farmers, the dry and the very dry contracts.
• Farmers were engaged in Risk Reduction Activities designed to increase their resilience to
climate change- designed in collaboration with Mekelle University, the Tigray Agricultural
Research Institute and the Institute for Sustainable Development.
• Approximately 40% of insured households were female headed households.
• Growing interest in micro-insurance both as a development model by donors and practitioners
and as a business model by the insurance industry.