Ethiopia Priority Country Program annual report

Abstract

The Ethiopia priority country project focuses on Small Ruminant Value Chains (SRVCs) to supply a growing market in Ethiopia with quality products. Since 2013, ICARDA and ILRI, with partners, have been pilot-testing and validating productivity-enhancing best-bet technologies as well as institutional interventions to address specific value chain constraints, first in the framework of the CGIAR Research Program Livestock and Fish, and since 2017 through the CRP Livestock. The tested interventions included improved feeding, genetics, herd health and marketing as well as facilitating community action. The testing was accompanied by capacity building of farmers and other value chain actors. These best-bet technological interventions were tested in small scale pilots and implemented separately. It is assumed that full integration of the piloted best-bet interventions at the production node will result in higher gains and positive outcomes for farmers and other actors. Thus, the proposed country project aims at improving livelihoods of women and men farmers through consolidation, testing and promotion of an integrated package of interventions (SmaRT pack) at producer level while facilitating equitable access to input supplies and services through community action and political support.