Agricultural Growth Program – Livestock Market Development
Ethiopia
Overview
The six-year, $41.1 million Agricultural Growth Program-Livestock Market Development (AGP-LMD) project (2012-2018) 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.
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
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
- 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 input retailers and private farm suppliers to expand their businesses and offer improved commercial farm inputs and services.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 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
To implement AGP-LMD, Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) collaborated with a diverse group of both international and local partner organizations, including the Netherlands Development Organization, International Medical Corps, Self-Help Africa- Ethiopia, Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara, Relief Society of Tigray, Institute for International Education, and The Oromo Grassroots Development Initiative.
