Ethiopian Netherlands Trade for Agricultural Growth (ENTAG)
Aug 23, 2024
Problems
The Ethiopia-Netherlands Trade for Agricultural Growth (ENTAG) programme has been supporting agribusinesses & entrepreneurs operating in Ethiopia. ENTAG’s goal is to increase agribusiness productivity, trade and foreign direct investment by strengthening the private sector in working more effectively with smallholders in applying new technologies and accessing finance for investment purposes.
Solutions
Focus sectors: Spices, Herbs & Aromatics; Legumes; Poultry; Aquaculture; Dairy; Potato; Sesame
- Subsector Business Platforms – address sector issues and opportunities create new linkages between the companies;
- Front Office Support: website, personal care for entrepreneurs, investors or policy makers;
- Business to Business; individual support with business plan development, B2B linking and trade missions
- Inclusive Business Support: hands-on support and advise to agribusiness entrepreneurs interested in inclusive business development (e.g. outgrowers)
- Private Sector Association Support: to associations in increasing their member base, training and setting up a sustainable business models à Part of the exit-strategy
- Internship Program – facilitation of internship placement of fresh graduates in agricultural studies from Ethiopian universities with investors in Ethiopia.
- Context Sensitive Investment Program – various instruments and activities to address community-company outreach and relations and mitigating risks for land-based investments in Ethiopia.
The Flexible Budget component Assignment examples:
- Food Safety / Aflatoxin
- Investment services for Amhara Regional Government
- Stakeholder Mapping Ethiopian Horticulture sector
- Overview of Dutch investments in Ethiopia
- Compilation of the report: Investing in Ethiopia – The Dutch Experience
Impact
- In 2018, more than 148 beneficiaries representing commercial farms, entrepreneurs, government offices, associations and NGOs were given sector-based information on start-up business, production and productivity of sustainable agribusiness;
- In 2018, a total of ten hands-on local trainings were given to 277 model farmers, private companies, farmer unions and cooperatives, traders and exporters, agricultural experts, and NGOs on improved best practices of doing sustainable agribusiness. Some of the themes of the trainings were on spice production, marketing and postharvest handling, chicken slaughtering and processing, poultry financial model analysis, and basics of aquaculture management;
- ENTAG organized 15 trade missions so far in agribusiness and more specialized missions for its focus sectors.
- ENTAG organized around 30 business platforms in its four priority subsectors. These business platforms brought together stakeholders from within and outside Ethiopia to discuss the most pressing issues in the respective focus sectors. Participating private sector actors and some government agencies have shown strong commitment to take up issues raised in the meetings;
- ENTAG lobbied to solve bottlenecks facing the Ethiopian poultry, spices, aquaculture and legumes sectors. Some of the critical issues in these sectors have been brought to the attention of respective government agencies and other relevant stakeholders. As a result of this effort:
- A poultry disease control strategy document has been developed and handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA);
- A poultry policy has been drafted and it is under review; where ENTAG is engaged as an advisor and facilitates stakeholders meetings to refine the policy;
- Consultative meetings were organized for the MoA to meet the ambassadors of some target countries, for example Pakistan, and prominent private companies to discuss on the export challenges of commodities in priority subsectors, especially regarding quality and food safety issues. The food safety agenda was further taken up; The first Ethiopian spice market regulation has been drafted and reviewed by stakeholders;
- A strategy and action plan for the Ethiopian Aquaculture Association has been developed and rewarded with an association grant.
- A strategic roadmap document has been developed for the establishment of an Ethiopian Pulses Council;
- Twenty-one ENTAG innovation fund projects were granted
- Private sector association support has resulted in an increase in the annual income of the associations and strengthened the membership bases for the sustainability of sectoral development. The membership base of the spices, aquaculture and poultry private sector associations increased by 29%, 100% and 20% respectively. The spices sector association particularly has increased its income from membership fee by 30%;
- Through ENTAG’s internship initiative, in 2018, 83 agricultural graduates were assigned to 37 agribusiness companies out of the 83 interns, 30% were female.
