Experts engaged in Ethiopia’s seed sector development are urging the government to move away from its traditional focus on state-owned enterprises in seed production and supply. They emphasize strengthening private sector and cooperative associations to better address agricultural needs and market realities.
Mohammed Hassena, PhD and project manager of the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP), explained that although policy documents advocate for a participatory approach involving government, private, and cooperative actors, implementation has largely centered on state-run seed production. He noted this approach creates significant challenges, citing the diverse nature of crops—for instance, potatoes cannot be produced centrally and distributed nationwide, making regional private and cooperative involvement essential.
Mohammed urged the government to fully implement the recently issued Startup Proclamation, highlighting the need for financial and training support—especially paper-based mechanisms—to empower young and female entrepreneurs entering the seed sector.
These remarks were made at the closing ceremony of the Ethiopian Interracial Partnership Women and Youth-Led Business Incubator in Addis Ababa. The incubator, part of the ESP, focuses on enabling private sector provision of high-quality improved seeds to farmers, with support from the Dutch consultancy Resilience Consultancy PLC. The 10-month program offered participants vital business knowledge, innovation exposure, and networking opportunities to boost seed value chain enterprises.
Mekdes Tamrat, Agribusiness Consultant at Resilience Consultancy, praised the growth seen among participants, noting that recent incubator rounds have increasingly included young entrepreneurs alongside women business owners.
At the event, winners of the third annual Business Incubator Bidding Competition were announced: Eleni G/Senbet won the women’s category as a seedling producer; Nibretenesh Ali secured second place. In the youth category, Emmanuel Yazew placed first, with Dagmawi Amha second. Zerubabel Zeleke received third place overall.
Sector experts recommended eliminating bureaucratic hurdles in seed marketing to facilitate private and cooperative involvement, which they deem crucial for overcoming current challenges and advancing the seed sector sustainably.
