Ethiopia

Agriculture is the foundation of Ethiopia’s economy, accounting for about half of GDP and engaging three-quarters of its labor force.

Synergos has worked in Ethiopia since 2011 with partners including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agricultural Transformation Agency, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Regional Bureaus of Agriculture and other partners at the national and regional levels, increasing individual and institutional capacity for collaboration, innovation, and service delivery.

We help them strengthen their partnerships, collaboratively identify systemic bottlenecks, and jointly develop solutions that promote food security and improve the lives and livelihoods of small-scale farmers. We use bridging leadership to create and sustain effective working relationships among key partners and stakeholders in the agriculture system.

Today, Synergos works with the Ministry of Agriculture to transform its human resource activities into a business-driven, high-impact system that better serves its strategic objectives. This project is aligned with the broader reform agenda the government of Ethiopia and can serve as a model to be replicated by other government institutions.

We also continue work to improve the lives of 30,000 smallholder farmers and their families through increased productivity and income resulting in improved nutrition, health, education, and overall quality of life. We have engaged stakeholders including the Ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Institute, Agricultural Transformation Agency, Federal Cooperatives Agency, regional, zonal, and woreda government institutions, and the private sector in these efforts. Activities include training of trainers and of farmers (particularly youth and women) and creation of alliances along agricultural value chains.

Through a collaborative approach to agriculture, Synergos and its partners are helping improve the lives of all Ethiopians.

For more information

Abera Tola, Regional Director
atola@synergos.org