Ethiopia

Agricultural Growth Program – Livestock Market Development

Overview:

The six-year (2012-2018), $41.1 million Agricultural Growth Program-Livestock Market Development (AGP-LMD) project was a livestock market development project funded by USAID, as part of the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Initiative. AGP-LMD fostered growth, created jobs for rural households and reduced hunger and malnutrition by increasing the competitiveness of livestock value chains, including meat and dairy.

The project was part of USAID’s broader contribution to the Government of Ethiopia’s Agricultural Growth Program, which increased agricultural productivity and market access for crop and livestock products in targeted areas while bolstering the participation of women and youth. Additionally, CNFA supported local partner organizations to lead interventions through existing cooperatives, associations, government agencies and private firms, spurring sustainable economic growth in Ethiopia.

Approach:

  1. Increased Productivity and Competitiveness of Selected Livestock Value Chains: AGP-LMD provided training to livestock producers, enabling them to improve their production and increase their competitiveness in domestic and international markets. They also built the capacity of agro-input retailers and private farm suppliers to expand their businesses and offer improved commercial farm inputs and services.
  2. Improved Enabling Environment for Livestock Value Chains: The AGP-LMD team facilitated policy discussions to reform bottlenecks and involved a variety of stakeholders in project workshops and platforms. The project also built capacity for public and private sector actors, coordinated linkages with other USAID programs and applied research to yield successful interventions. Over the life of the project, AGP-LMD developed and supported 11 livestock-related policies, regulations and administrative procedures.
  3. Improved Quality and Diversity of Household Diets: AGP-LMD integrated communications and community mobilization efforts related to nutritional practices throughout its activities, targeting improvements in quality and dietary diversity for children under two and people living with HIV/AIDS. Through development agents and health extension workers, AGP-LMD reached more than 160,000 people with nutrition messaging.
  4. Facilitated Women’s Empowerment: AGP-LMD trained more than 400 women entrepreneurs in business and leadership, equipping them with skills like time management, strategic planning, business relationship management and information and communications technology (ICT) to help them participate more formally in the marketplace, increase their savings, improve the quality of their products and strengthen their household decision-making power.

Partners:

 

PROGRAM IMPACT:

  • $106.3 million in livestock export sales facilitated
  • $33.2 million in new private investment leveraged in the livestock sector
  • 37,879 individuals trained on agricultural-sector productivity

Related Expertise

Related Success Story:

"My cooperative received training in high-quality meat production and hygiene from AGP-LMD. With this training, my cooperative decided to spend over 15,000 Birr ($750 USD) to share this knowledge and train our own workers. With most of our staff now fully trained, we have increased the average slaughtering from 120 to 200 animals per day and have increased the profit from 6MM ETB ($300,000 USD) to 8MM ETB ($400,000 USD) per year."

- Taye Leta, General Manager of the Sululta Abattoir Farmer’s Cooperative in Oromia

Women’s Entrepreneurship Training in SNNPR

“AGP-LMD trained me in how to better manage my resources. After the training I bought an extra goat to rear for additional income for my family. I have been making good income from the selling the newborn goats and I plan to sell them at even better prices and save the income from the goat sales so that I can eventually build a better barn for my animals.”

- Haijara, Program Trainee

AGP-LMD provided me with both a grant to support my dairy business and trainings in quality milk production, value addition, entrepreneurship and leadership. Before working with USAID, my business idea was to only supply cheese to my own pizza house. Today, I have a growing business and supply various markets throughout the country, including a daily supply to a supermarket in Mekelle. I know that my family’s livelihoods improved and my income has increased as a result of working with AGP-LMD.

- Emebet Mekonnen, General Manager of Emebet and Her Children Milk & Milk Products PLC in Amhara

Consortium

CNFA is proud to share the privilege of implementing our work with these local and international organizations.

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