Seeds that grew – tracing the SLU-Ethiopia partnership

As Sweden and Ethiopia celebrate 80 years of academic relations this year, this article is part of a series reflecting on the long-standing collaboration between SLU and Ethiopia—and how it continues today.

A research partnership takes shape

Since the mid‑twentieth century, Swedish agricultural scientists have worked with Ethiopian institutions to improve crop production, strengthen extension services, and support rural development through applied research and training. Much of this collaboration took shape in the 1960s and 1970s, when Swedish agronomists became involved in one of Ethiopia’s earliest integrated agricultural development initiatives, the Chilalo Agricultural Development Unit (CADU), launched in 1967. 

Rather than focusing on a single intervention, the programme combined scientific knowledge with practical fieldwork to support Ethiopian farmers and institutions. It brought together research, education, advisory services, rural credit, and infrastructure development into a coordinated strategy—an innovative approach for its time. 

Researchers and agronomists connected to Swedish colleges, that later formed SLU, played an important role in shaping the programme. In its early years, many department heads were Swedish specialists who designed field experiments, organised farmer outreach, conducted soil surveys, and introduced crop management practices adapted to local conditions. Over time, leadership was gradually transferred to Ethiopian professionals to strengthen national capacity and ensure long‑term sustainability.

Leadership and collaboration in practice

A key contributor in CADU’s early development was Swedish agronomist Lennart Hjelm, the project’s first director and later SLU’s first Vice‑Chancellor (1977–1982). Under his leadership, the programme combined agricultural experimentation with extension services and institutional development in new ways. He emphasised adapting technologies to local farming conditions rather than transferring European models—an approach that strengthened the programme’s credibility among farmers and policymakers.

A glimpse into everyday work in CADU 

While preparing this article, we spoke with Örjan Hansson, whose father, agronomist Karl‑Axel Hansson, worked as a crop protection specialist and later deputy manager in CADU. Through the letters Karl‑Axel sent home, and through the nearly one thousand photographs he took — along with the images Örjan so generously shared — we gained a vivid sense of everyday life inside the project.

The images show field demonstrations during official visits—including several by Haile Selassie and Sweden’s Crown Prince—as well as meetings with farmers in remote villages where travel was often difficult. They also capture the practical experimentation that shaped the project: testing crop varieties and cultivation methods on mechanised farms and with smallholder farmers to find solutions suited to local conditions.

Enhancing farming capacity and rural infrastructure

Strengthening agricultural capacity and rural development CADU contributed to increased crop productivity through improved seeds and fertilisers, particularly for wheat and barley. Farmers also gained better access to extension advice and rural credit, supporting the adoption of new agricultural practices. The project supported the construction of rural roads and marketing systems that improved access to markets and strengthened regional production capacity. Surveys of soils, rainfall patterns, pests, vegetation, and farming systems helped build a stronger knowledge base for development planning. 

CADU’s livestock programme focused on improving animal health and management. Dedicated veterinary agents and equipment helped reduce mortality through major vaccination campaigns, while better herd practices were encouraged through measures such as supplementary calf feeding and controlled stocking. Milk collection points were also established to support local dairy production

Beyond the production gains, CADU also contributed to building agricultural institutions by testing approaches later incorporated into national programmes and by training Ethiopian extension workers, technicians, and administrators—supporting the development of a stronger national capacity for agricultural planning and rural development.

A model with global influence 

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, CADU gained international recognition as one of the most innovative integrated rural development programmes of its time. Its methods influenced later development initiatives in Ethiopia and inspired similar programmes elsewhere. The project also formed part of Sweden’s long‑term development partnership with Ethiopia, one of Sweden’s most enduring international cooperation relationships.

Lessons from CADU 

Despite its successes, CADU also revealed important challenges. Access to improved inputs and credit often depended on land ownership, meaning larger landholders sometimes benefited more than poorer farmers. The project also relied heavily on foreign expertise in its early stages, creating coordination challenges with Ethiopian institutions and government agencies. A gradual shift in leadership—from Swedish experts to Ethiopian professionals—helped address some of these limitations.

At the same time, questions remain about how well CADU’s achievements were measured. CADU’s evaluation data relied heavily on its own internal assessments, which may have overstated impacts. The project also lacked rigorous comparison with non‑project areas, making attribution of results less certain.

Why CADU still matters today 

More than fifty years after its launch, CADU remains an important reference point in discussions about rural development cooperation. It demonstrated how combining research, infrastructure, training, and farmer support could produce measurable improvements in agricultural production—and how collaboration between universities, governments, and development agencies could support long‑term institutional change. The involvement of researchers affiliated with what later became SLU helped lay the foundations for a long‑term academic partnership between Sweden and Ethiopia—a partnership that continues today.

Stay tuned for upcoming stories in our series on SLU’s collaboration with Ethiopia. Discover interviews with researchers, alumni, and key voices who have been part of this journey—past and present.

References and links

Swedish Development Cooperation with Ethiopia: Sixty Years of Lessons Learned Expertgruppen för biståndsanalys EBA 2022:06

Bruno, K. (2016). Exporting Agrarian Expertise: Development Aid at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and its Predecessors, 1950–2009 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

All photos are taken by Agronomist Karl-Axel Hansson.

Facts about CADU

Location: Chilalo awraja, Arsi Province, Ethiopia. Expanded in 1973 into the Arsi Rural Development Unit (ARDU), covering the entire Arsi province and parts of Bale.

Established: 1967

Funders: SIDA and Imperial Ethiopian Government. Sida's support persisted until 1987.