Quarter Report: July – September 2016 - AGP-Livestock Market Development Project

The project is part of the Agricultural Growth Program, which is a USAID-funded initiative to improve agricultural productivity and market access for smallholder farmers. The project's main objective is to increase the productivity and competitiveness of selected livestock value chains for the benefit of smallholders. To achieve this, the project is focusing on four key components: moving from analytics to strategy to learning, improving productivity and competitiveness of livestock value chains, spurring investment and innovation, and improving the enabling environment for livestock value chains. One of the key strategies of the project is to link value chain actors to input and service providers, establish and strengthen input suppliers and service providers, improve livestock management, and improve post-production relationships, efficiencies, and quality. The project is also focusing on improving the productivity and competitiveness of the dairy, meat, and live animal value chains. In addition to these strategies, the project is also working on cross-cutting issues such as natural resource and environmental management, information and communication technology, and finance and administration. The project is being implemented in collaboration with various stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector companies, and non-governmental organizations. The project's results tracking table shows that significant progress has been made in the first quarter of the project's implementation. For example, the project has established a network of input suppliers and service providers, and has provided training to over 1,000 farmers on improved livestock management practices. The project has also established a system for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the project on smallholder farmers. The project's midterm evaluation is expected to take place in the next quarter, and will provide a comprehensive assessment of the project's progress and impact. The evaluation will also provide recommendations for future project activities and strategies. Overall, the AGP-LMD project is making significant progress in its efforts to improve the productivity and competitiveness of smallholder livestock producers in Ethiopia. The project's focus on linking value chain actors to input and service providers, improving livestock management, and improving post-production relationships, efficiencies, and quality is expected to have a positive impact on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and their families. The project's geographic focus is on the Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia, where the majority of the country's livestock production takes place. The project's timeframes are from July 2016 to September 2019, with a total budget of $10 million. The project's implementation is being led by the USAID-funded Agricultural Growth Program, in collaboration with the Ethiopian government and other stakeholders. The project's technical assistance is being provided by a team of experts from the United States and Ethiopia, who are working closely with local partners to implement the project's activities. The project's results are expected to have a positive impact on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and their families, and will contribute to the overall goal of improving agricultural productivity and market access for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia.