From Struggle to Strength: A Young Farmer’s Journey Toward Sustainable Prosperity

Aug 4, 2025 | Desalegne Tadesse
CIMMYT
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At just 25 years of age, Tigist Adamo’s experience epitomized the daily realities of countless smallholder farmers in South Ethiopia. Confronted by declining crop yields, scarce resources, and exhausted soils, Tigist faced a future clouded with uncertainty. Traditional agricultural practices had left her land depleted and her capacity to support her family increasingly fragile.

Yet, a serendipitous moment would mark the beginning of a profound transformation.

“Thanks to the Scaling Conservation Agriculture-based Sustainable Intensification (SCASI) project implementing partners,” Tigist recalls, “we feed the soil, and the soil is feeding back.”