Ethiopia combats hunger with new crop and better water management – in pictures

Feynata Demissie Seid tends her herd on the once-degraded and barren hillside in the Dessie Zuria district, in Ethiopia's Amhara region. NGO Concern Worldwide introduced terracing and irrigation systems in the region, to capture and use scarce water resources and improve the management of soil and vegetation Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Mohammed Ibrahim, 55, a father of five, has also benefited from the water programme. It has allowed people to grow a greater variety of crops and led to higher agricultural productivity, while conserving natural resources Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Seid Muhie, 30, a father of three, harvests potatoes on his field in Geisha district. Since he started growing potatoes, he has managed to build his own house with the extra income he has earned from selling them Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Mebrat Yosef in Geisha carries potatoes that have just been harvested. Since potatoes were introduced into the area, villagers' livlihoods have greatly improved Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Beeyenech Assen in Geisha cooks freshly harvested potatoes Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Awel Yemar, 40, a father of three, wrestles with a young oxen outside his house in Geisha Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Fatuma Fantaw, 25, is a member of the Health Development Army, a community volunteer group that promotes better health practices. She helps prepare supplemental food for infants and young children at a health post in the village of Dessie Zuria Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Fatuma Gashaw, 22, and her 12-month-old child Samira Seid receive food prepared by the Health Development Army Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Members of the Megra saving and credit association, a community based microcredit union, meet at their office in Dessie Zruia. The association was set up by Concern to encourage women's economic empowerment Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Traditional Ethiopian coffee is served by a member of a woman's self-help group in Guguftu. The aim of the groups is to offer vulnerable women and girls the chance to get involved in income generation activities Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide

Clean water flows freely at the water point in Tefrefo village. Before the construction of the water point, villagers sourced water from the creek, which was contaminated by a nearby town. The area had the highest water-borne disease rate in the area Photograph: Jiro Ose/Concern Worldwide