The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI) held a partnership meeting with members of the CADU–ARDU Friends and Families Association on 17 September 2026 to explore potential areas of collaboration in research, knowledge preservation, capacity building, and resource mobilization.

CADU–ARDU refers to the Chilalo Agricultural Development Unit (CADU) and Arsi Rural Development Unit (ARDU), two pioneering integrated rural development initiatives in Ethiopia that brought together agricultural development, research, extension services, and community participation.

The meeting brought together senior representatives of HESPI and the CADU–ARDU Association, including HESPI Board Chairman and former Ethiopian Minister of Finance Mr. Sufian Ahmed, former Ethiopian Minister of Water Resources Mr. Shiferaw Jarso, and representatives of both organizations.

The discussions provided an opportunity for the two sides to learn about each other’s institutional objectives, areas of interest, and ongoing activities, while identifying potential areas of common interest.

A key area of discussion was the importance of documenting and preserving the experience and institutional knowledge generated through CADU and ARDU. The Association expressed interest in working with HESPI and Arsi University to undertake research on the long-term impacts of these initiatives on Ethiopia’s rural and agricultural development, examine the factors that contributed to their discontinuation, and draw lessons that could inform contemporary rural transformation and agricultural development efforts.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to further explore opportunities for joint research, capacity building, knowledge development, and resource mobilization, with a view to developing practical areas of collaboration between HESPI and the CADU–ARDU Friends and Families Association.