The agro-input sector in Ethiopia faces a number of constraints including low rates of private sector participation in fertilizer importation. The goal of the AGP-AMDE project (2011-2015) is the long-term reduction of poverty and hunger through improvements in the productivity and competitiveness of value chains that offer income opportunities for rural households. The project is implemented by ACDI/VOCA and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the U.S. government’s Feed the Future (FTF) initiative.
As a member of the ACDI/VOCA Support for Food Security Activities (SFSA) team, IFDC is helping to build agro-input supply and distribution systems and facilitate farmers’ access to and use of agro-inputs. IFDC is also supporting the development of private sector agribusinesses to produce and market seeds.
Additional IFDC activities include training programs on agro-input market development, natural resource management and value chain clusters; international learning tours for agro-input suppliers; field days and demonstrations to facilitate technology and information transfer; and annual agro-input policy workshops.