With presentations on ways to fatten cattle so that they can besold at higher prices, Ethiopia's farmers who are members of thecountry's credit unions are learning how to ensure their financialsecurity.

“The Ethiopian model focuses on 'back to the basics' educationaldevelopment,” said Stanley Kuehn, World Council of Credit Union'sprogram director in Ethiopia. “We're not introducing new crops, butinstead providing greater access to credit so farmers have theresources they need to increase their yields, improve theirfinances and feed their communities.”

The farmers are members of Sasun RUSACCO, which means “ruralsavings and credit cooperative,” or credit union, and are requiredto attend farming as well as financial training as part of theirmembership.

Sasun is one of a growing number of RUSACCOs taking advantage ofa WOCCU program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture toimprove the lives of its farmer-members, WOCCU said.

The program's goals are to provide technical training that willhelp turn subsistence farmers into commercial producers, expandagricultural finance products to meet growing farmer-member demandand improve community infrastructure to support agriculturalproduction and marketing, according to Brian Branch, WOCCU president/CEO.

A class of 20 men and women recently attended a class held byRedai Halefom, a development agent assigned by Ethiopia'sgovernment to educate farmers in the northern region of Tigray. Hespoke on ways to fatten the native cattle so they would sell athigher prices.

“Ethiopia has an extensive credit union system already in placethat is able to serve members in remote rural areas,” Branch said.“By strengthening that system through member education andincreased resource availability, we hope to help raise the levelsof credit union service to improve food security for communitiesand financial wellbeing for members.”

Ethiopia's nearly 8,000 credit unions, many of which serve lessthan 100 members, comprise a movement that is now more than 50years old, according to WOCCU.

According to the U.S. Department of State, 85% of Ethiopiansrely on agriculture as their primary income source, which accountsfor 46% of the country's gross national product and 80% of itsexports.