Paulos Desalegn
Agribusiness partnership building and facilitation
For over 30 years, iCRA has been working with researchers, educators and agribusinesses in Ethiopia. We support agricultural commercialisation by building lasting partnerships. We also assist educational institutions to foster the entrepreneurial skills agribusinesses need from graduates.
Contact
Mariette Gross
Our impact in Ethiopia
Our pool of partnerships facilitators is the legacy we leave. Because we focus on training local professionals, our results grow along with our network.
11
Education institutions collaborated with
6
Agricultural sectors where iCRA is active
140
Training course alumni
iCRA Partners in Ethiopia
Our work in Ethiopia
Three decades ago, iCRA began supporting researchers to conduct action-oriented and development-focused research. This led to numerous impactful field studies in Ethiopia. We are proud to host a network of alumni who now hold key leadership roles in government, research and education. Our focus now is supporting agricultural commercialization in Ethiopia. We also support educational institutions to teach their students more entrepreneurial and agribusiness skills.
Success with our partners in Ethiopia
Our long-standing collaboration with Holeta Polytech College demonstrates our success. Since 2012, we’ve helped transform the college. What was an aspiring agricultural institution with limited project experience has become a leading polytechnic. Holeta is now recognized for its inclusive education and high graduate employment rates. In collaboration with Ambo University, they now offer BSc and MSc programs in agriculture and agro-processing. This has significantly enhanced Holeta’s reputation and impact. The college also gained an entrepreneurial and externally oriented mindset. Since then Holeta has participated in several projects and received financial support from the World Bank. We have scaled up the same approach that succeeded here to several other TVETs.
Innovation in Ethiopia’s agricultural sector
Our work also encompasses agribusiness in Ethiopia. We work with businesses and cooperatives to drive sustainable growth. iCRA has contributed to developing agricultural innovation systems. Through the CDAIS project, we have supported public-private partnerships in the agri-food sectors. Notably through the 2SCALE incubator program funded by the Dutch government. Our work spans a range of agricultural sectors, including dairy, horticulture, pulses, and cereals.
We continue to strengthen our network and impact in Ethiopia. We were proud to formalize our collaboration with TaP Consultancy.
