University of Gondar Expands Agricultural Impact Through Scaling Awareness Training

The University of Gondar, in collaboration with the Amhara Regional Bureau of Agriculture, has launched a major capacity-building initiative to strengthen Ethiopia’s agricultural extension system. As part of this effort, more than 500 mid-career Developmental Agents (DAs) are currently undertaking specialized training aimed at improving the scaling of agricultural innovations and ensuring they deliver meaningful, wide-reaching impact for farmers across the region and beyond.

To support this initiative, the university partnered with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) under the CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program to deliver a two-day intensive training held on April 20–21, 2026, at the University of Gondar.

The program focused on building awareness and practical understanding of scaling and covered key topics such as scaling frameworks, tools and resources, common implementation challenges, and strategies for overcoming barriers.

While the first day primarily engaged Developmental Agents, the second day extended participation to faculty members from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. This component aimed to deepen institutional understanding of responsible scaling and support its integration into academic programs, including the development of a dedicated scaling module for future training.

The training was facilitated by a team of senior researchers led by Nora Hanke-Lowe, Senior Program Coordinator and Deputy Country Representative (IWMI-Southern Africa). In addition to leading the sessions, the team held briefing and debriefing discussions with university leadership, underscoring the importance of aligning institutional priorities with scaling strategies to maximize long-term impact.

Overall, the initiative represents a significant step toward modernizing Ethiopia’s agricultural extension services. It also highlights the growing importance of collaboration among universities, government institutions, and international research organizations in advancing sustainable agricultural transformation.