Content
In Ethiopia, over 50 million people are younger than 15 years. As a result, a number equivalent to almost half the population will enter the labour market in the coming years. To match this demand, at least two million jobs need to be created every year. Agriculture has great potential in Ethiopia and a diversified rural economy will play a key role in building up the job market for young Ethiopians.
Moreover, in its reform effort, the Government of Ethiopia is focusing on promoting the private sector to a driving force for economic growth. In the Industrial Development Strategic Plan the private sector is considered an engine for the transformation of the agricultural sector.
This initiative requires a cooperation between the government and the private sector, founded on a sector-specific agricultural policy. The plan must also be complemented by efforts to enhance the capacity of local state actors to promote rural development and improve the access of smallholder farmers to agricultural inputs, services and markets.
Objective
The income and employment situation of actors in agricul-tural value chains in selected rural regions is improved.
Approach
To increase income and create jobs in the agricultural sector the project is
• Improving dialogue mechanisms between the government and the private sector in agriculture
• Offering advice to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) to create a private sector oriented agricultural policy
• Improving agricultural strategies as well as technical and management skills at the ministry, regional bureaus of agriculture and other institutions to promote rural economic development
• Improving access to agricultural inputs, services and markets for all actors along the avocado, onion and soybean value chains in the Amhara, Oromia and Sidama regions