Ethiopia:
Ethiosis and the Digital Agriculture Roadmap (DAR)

The Ethiopia soil data initiative both informed and was informed by the evolving techniques within the FAIR Process Framework, applying a people-first approach to nationally adopted data practices.

What is the context?

Over the years, Ethiopian agencies and individuals have collected and mapped extensive data on the country’s soils. This data holds valuable insights into soil health and supports effective decision-making in agriculture, ultimately benefiting farmers. However, by 2018, it became evident that the expected benefits of this data collection were not being fully realized. A significant barrier was the absence of a national policy that clearly defined the terms for data sharing. While informal connections between departments and individuals existed, formal mechanisms for data sharing were lacking.

Paving the way for the publication of the National Soil Information System of Ethiopia (NSIS):

In 2023, the Soil and Agronomy Data Sharing (SADS) directive of the Ministry of Agriculture, was issued as a formal law. For the first time Ethiopia has updated soil maps which enable everyone across the data value chain to make more informed decisions about soil use.

Recognizing this issue, a group of experts and stakeholders from the agriculture sector, with an interest in soil health and data related to it, formed a ‘Coalition of the Willing’ (CoW) to address the problem and lay the groundwork for national soil data sharing. They raised the issue with donors, and CABI was invited to facilitate the development of a soil data-sharing policy directive.

 

CABI had already been approached by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2018 to help understand the challenges grantees faced in implementing best practices for data management, sharing, and access. The CABI-led study that year delved into these challenges, focusing on both regional aspects and investment-related perspectives. The study revealed that, while technical difficulties in accessing soil data were significant, cultural, political, and institutional barriers to data sharing were often more substantial.

Co-developing tools with national partners

In collaboration with the Open Data Institute (ODI), CABI convened a diverse group of stakeholders to review the challenges hindering effective data sharing and to develop a lasting solution. These challenges included limited capacity and a lack of data-sharing skills. The work focussed on people and processes to better understand why data sharing was not happening and what environment and capacities were needed to change that. CABI employed the FAIR principles – ensuring data is findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable – to guide the development of the directive. By doing this work CABI was also able to develop a process for implementing FAIR in other data-rich investment activities.

 

Here is how we applied process, and learnings that led to what became the six-step process:

CABI’s role centered on facilitating the process and adhering to best practices in data sharing. The team built consensus from the ground up, identifying the processes and resources needed to address gaps in data-sharing awareness and skills. They advocated for the adoption of sound policies nationwide, leading to the broader implementation of FAIR practices across various departments. As a result, decision-makers were equipped with practical tools for better data management, sparking a culture shift around agricultural data sharing in Ethiopia.

 

In 2023, the SADS directive of the Ministry of Agriculture, was issued as a formal law, paving the way for the publication of the National Soil Information System of Ethiopia (NSIS). For the first time, Ethiopia has updated soil maps which enable everyone across the data value chain to make more informed decisions about soil use.

 

Inspired by recent developments in data and digital initiatives, the Agriculture Transformation Institute and Ministry of Agriculture spearheaded the development of the Digital Agriculture Roadmap (DAR) with financial support from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. CABI was called upon to support the analysis of the policy landscape and provide recommendations on issues related to data governance.

Micro level impact

A smallholder farmer, for instance, can really benefit if they have more robust digital intelligence around what kind of pests are potentially likely to endanger specific crops that they are interested in growing.

Ameen Jauhar, Data Governance Lead, CABI

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