Expanding horizons: a farmer’s journey from sheep fattening

In Serera Kebele, in Doyogena district of the Central Ethiopia Region, Abebe explains “It started with a mindset shift, seeing two sheep not as animals, but as a start of a business”. 

Today, Mr. Abebe Wol'amo, 42, is a prosperous full-time agricultural entrepreneur who takes pride moving along the rows of feeding troughs distributing the afternoon ration of concentrate feed to his seventy-eight fattening sheep. He mixes the concentrate rations in his feed mill. Abebe credits his success to ICARDA’s Market-Oriented Sheep Fattening Initiative, which empowers smallholder farmers to turn sheep fattening into profitable enterprises. The program promotes improved feeding practices, cooperative action, and market linkages to help rural communities, particularly Youth and Women strengthen income streams through sheep farming. Since its inception, the ICARDA initiative has created more than 250,000 income-generating opportunities in Amhara, Central and Southwest Regional States of Ethiopia.

In 2018, Abebe recalls, 

"I heard about the ICARDA’s sheep fattening initiative that was bringing young men and women banded in groups to facilitate fattening sheep for the market. The only perquisite to join a group was ownership of 2 sheep. I was glad, as that was all l owned, 2 male sheep."

Abebe joined Serara Youth and Women Sheep fattening group. This group has since transitioned into a sheep fattening cooperative. Abebe started his journey with two castrated rams and a dream to improve his livelihood. With limited resources but strong determination, Abebe ventured into sheep fattening, a practice that he reiterates requires “patience, skill, and strategic feed resource planning.  I steadily grew my business”, he is quick to point out. 

Training sessions from ICARDA and its partners went beyond technical farming. They focused on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and market orientation. They taught about sheep farming as an enterprise rather than a stopgap. 

Five years later, in 2023, with profits from sheep fattening, Abebe made a bold move. He installed a grain milling machine in Serera Kebele. This was not just a business decision; it was a step towards serving his community. The mill is in the center of the village, humming continuously from dawn until dusk. What makes Abebe’s approach remarkable is the synergy between sheep fattening and grain milling. He has created an integrated system where each enterprise supports the other.

Today, Abebe’s grain milling enterprise is more than a source of income; it is a lifeline for local farmers and households. By providing affordable milling services, he has reduced the burden on families who previously had to travel long distances to grind faba beans, wheat and barley grains. His initiative has created convenience, saved time, and strengthened local food systems. The mill does not just grind grain….In response to a need he identified through market-focused training, Abebe also blends feed mixes for poultry, sheep and cattle. He is a proud owner of seven mills, each with an operating capacity of 50kg per hour.

Beyond business growth, Abebe’s success has transformed his family life:

“From the profit I earn from sheep fattening and grain milling, I’ve been able to improve my livelihood, educate my children, put adequate food on the table for my family and build a permanent stone house. These two businesses have changed everything for us.”

Abebe’s story is a powerful example of how small beginnings can lead to big impacts. Through hard work, financial discipline, and a vision beyond personal gain, he has become a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs in rural Ethiopia.

The success of Abebe underscores essential lessons for rural entrepreneurship:

1. Ownership drives commitment: Abebe's personal investment in his business fostered a sense of ownership and responsibility, crucial for long-term expansion and effective partnerships with smallholder farmers.
2. Financial literacy modifies behavior before it alters income. Abebe’s perspective changed when he learned to keep tabs on expenses, make deliberate savings, and prepare ahead of time. Money ceased to be something that came and went. It developed into something that could be grown, managed, and reinvested. Just like any physical asset, that mental shift is crucial.
3. Making connections is the essence of entrepreneurship. The diversification into grain milling did not result from giving up sheep fattening. It resulted from an awareness of local needs. Cereals had to be ground. The livestock required feed. Abebe was able to identify areas where his abilities and the needs of the community overlapped thanks to market-oriented thinking.
4. Training is most effective when it is contextual and practical. ICARDA’s sheep fattening project is successful because it is based on real-rural situations in Ethiopian highlands. Not abstract business theory, but practical tools for farmers.

Abebe's story exemplifies the transformative potential of empowering small farmers. The lesson is that training is more than just beneficial. When knowledge, patience, and local opportunity are aligned, they can subtly rewrite what’s possible.