Entrepreneurial Skill Development Training Manual

Abstract

Research has proven that wealth of individuals, communities and nations is highly driven by entrepreneurs. The livestock sub-sector, including the sheep fattening, is an integral part of the dominant agricultural sector in Ethiopia. Introducing and promoting entrepreneurship in such an influential system is imperative to create job opportunities and drive changes within farming communities. More importantly, entrepreneurship is the foundation of business development and empowerment of young people and women. It offers them a good opportunity to control their circumstances, help to recognize business opportunities, improves self-esteem, knowledge and skills to respond to situations. In collaboration with the National and Regional Agricultural Research Centers, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) embarked on scaling up improved sheep fattening practices and technology in three regions (Amhara, Oromia and SNNP) of Ethiopia. Its priority interventions include a progressive expansion of a network of benchmark sites in form of sheep fattening youth cooperatives (YCoop) and on-farm model farmers (champions) as disseminators of proven sheep fattening technologies and practices as well as facilitators of participatory learning.