High-Level Delegation Visits ATI’s HDP Interventions in Somali Region

A high-level delegation led by the Denmark Ambassador  to Ethiopia, H.E Sune Krogstrup, together with ambassadors, UN agencies, regional government leaders, ATI leadership, implementing partners, and humanitarian and development organizations, visited ATI’s Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus initiative in Ethiopia’s Somali Region from September 28–29, 2026.

The two-day field visit covered Bereano, Gode and Babile Woredas, providing an opportunity for the delegation to see firsthand how humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts are being connected to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees and host communities.

Opening the visit, ATI Deputy CEO Prof. Firew Tegegne reaffirmed ATI’s commitment to advancing innovative, inclusive and impactful approaches to agricultural transformation. He highlighted the HDP initiative as an important example of linking humanitarian support with longer-term development and peacebuilding, and expressed appreciation to the Government of Denmark for its continued financial support.

Briefing the delegation, Dr. Dagnachew Lule, Senior Director of ACC at ATI, described the initiative as a co-created effort between ATI and the Government of Denmark to support pathways toward self-reliance, peaceful coexistence and sustainable livelihoods for IDPs, refugees and host communities.

In its first year, the initiative targeted 109,000 IDPs and refugees and has achieved more than 90% of its target. The initiative is piloting an integrated approach that connects communities to opportunities in:
Crop commercialization and cluster farming
Livestock commercialization
Natural resource and water management
Agribusiness and agro-processing
Digital agriculture

One of the encouraging examples visited was in Bereano Woreda, where IDPs and host communities supported by ATI cultivated maize on 95 hectares and have now progressed toward producing crops independently of external financial support. The communities have subsequently expanded into horticultural production, including pepper, watermelon and sesame, demonstrating the potential of agriculture-led pathways toward self-reliance.

The visit also highlighted important lessons and priorities for the next phase, including sustainability, expanding the initiative’s coverage, transitioning IDP/refugee-based SMEs and Farmer Production Clusters into stronger enterprises, private-sector engagement, and improved access to finance, markets and infrastructure.

The Danish Ambassador commended ATI for the progress achieved and highlighted the initiative’s potential to improve livelihoods, strengthen social cohesion, and help IDPs and host communities build more sustainable and self-reliant futures. The Ambassador also encouraged greater collaboration among humanitarian and development partners around approaches that bridge immediate assistance with longer-term livelihoods, development and peacebuilding.

During the visit, the delegation toured the Berano Horticulture Farm, Beyaho water-harvesting and rangeland-management activities, and Kolaji agribusiness initiatives, and received briefings from the Somali Agricultural Transformation Center (SoATC), Somali Development Association (SDA), and Somali Livestock and Agricultural Research Institute (SoLARI).

The field visit demonstrated how the HDP Peace Nexus approach is translating humanitarian and development support into livelihood opportunities, agricultural productivity, social cohesion and pathways toward sustainable self-reliance.

ATI extends its appreciation to the Government of Denmark, regional stakeholders, implementing partners and development and humanitarian organizations for their collaboration and support.