Elders enjoying sugarecane juice Sugarcane is cultivated in different parts of Ethiopia by sugar processing factories and small-scale farmers.  Bure Pilot Learning Woreda (PLW) is one of the major sugarcane growing woredas in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. Even though studies have shown the profitability of small scale sugarcane  processing and marketing, not much has been done in Bure to develop the sugarcane business.  Most sugarcane produced is sold at the local market. The typical consumption of sugarcane involves chewing the stalks to extract the juice. The IPMS project in collaboration with BahirDar Farm Mechanization Research Center introduced a simple hand-operated tool that can be used to extract sugarcane juice. This manual cane crusher (juice maker) was more appropriate considering the electricity scarcity in the Woreda.    Bagasse (by product of  sugarcane processing) used for animal feed    This simple technology increased the value of sugarcane from 1.50 birr per cane, when sold for chewing, to 8.00 birr when processed and sold as juice.  The machine can extract four glasses of juice from an average cane and a glass of cane juice is sold for 2 birr.  In addition, this processing has increased the number of sugarcane consumers since it broadened the age groups that can consume sugarcane juice — including older men who previously had trouble chewing the cane to extract the juice. The juice can be served with lemon to add flavor or as jelatin- candy prepared by freezing the juice. Another benefit of this technology is the use of sugarcane processing by-product or bagasse for animal feed and fuel wood. Even though, sugarcane processing is new in Bure, its profitability is likely to encourage other sugarcane growers in the country to adopt this technology.  Currently, the project is exploring possibilities of other processed products such as jaggery (brown sugar). Contributed by Yigzaw Dessalegn and Yohannes Mehari