Agri-ProFocus network day

Welcome !

Friendship Intern. Hotel Addis

December 13, 2013

Agri-ProFocus coordination

Program Agri-ProFocus network day 13 dec

08.30 Arrival and registration

09.00 Opening by Mrs. Mulu Solomon, Ethiopian CoC

09.10 Overview program

09.20 Presentation on fertiliser supply by ATA

09.50 Progress in 2013 and Plans for 2014

10.30  Coffee break

11.00 Progress & Plans of WG: Gender, A2F, Coop. Dev.

11.30 Progress & Plans: Contract Farming, R-BDS, A-TVET

12.00 Lunch

13.00 Food Security and Farmers Entrepreneurship Fund

13.30 Dare to Share !!

14.00 Agri-Hub fair and networking

15.00 Cocktail

 

We vision an Ethiopia in which farmers earn a decent living and contribute to food security

photo credits: Bioversity International

Our mission

Agri-ProFocus promotes farmers’ entrepreneurship in Ethiopia. Members and partners of out network:

•Support entrepreneurial farmers (business models, farmers’ organisation, market linkages)

•Foster farmer support systems (finance , BDS, skills and inputs)

•Support sustainable food production for domestic markets (agro-food industry, market information, link to livelihoods)

•Cross-cutting: Sustainability and inclusiveness.

Our network is a marketplace where people share expertise and do business

photo credits:Sandra tout Court

Network -> Members/Partners -> Farmers

Four output areas of our network:

1. Business and partnership brokering: Finance Fairs Direct B2B linking

2. Innovation communities Six Working Groups Learning Agenda FSRE

3. Platform for debate and learning The hub website: ‘Ning’ Quarterly network events

4. Network development and coordination WGs chairs in the Steering Committee Strengthen the secretariat

1. Business and partnership brokering

Aim: Create a pre-competitive environment for deal making between chain actors

• Market intelligence on food, agriculture and business:

– Profiles of 51 organisations on ‘Ning’; 25 profiles of companies in catalogue (display). YOU are WELCOME!

– Quick scans, Q&A

– Overview investment instruments and calls

– Overview of policies and strategies

• Brokering support

– On demand matchmaking business, farmers, supporters

– Engaging in joint resource mobilisation

– Agri-Business Finance Fairs

2. Innovation communities

Aim: Coalitions of members solve issues and put solutions into use.

1. Six Working Groups will explain their progress themselves

Gender in Value Chains (17 members; SNV)

Rural BDS (14, Yared Girma)

Access to Finance (4, plus 25 in the field; lead CDI)

Cooperative Development (12, EthioConsumers coop)

Contract Farming (26, Lead Solagrow)

Agricultural TVET (13, Lead: ReK and ICCO)

2. Learning Agenda of the FSRE

Discuss Learning Questions in relevant Working Groups

Learning events based on common findings field visits (with KIT)

Field visit Finance Fair

Training on Gender in Value Chain

3. Platform for debate and learning

Aim: The Agri-Hub network serves as an informed platform for debate, mutual learning and information exchange

• Cooperative event: Linking practitioners to policy via a dialogue on farmer entrepreneurship. In Ethiopia the focus is on cooperative development with FCA, ATA and Ardaita

• Online information sharing and learning. Limited but growing slowly. November 2013: 1,333 visitors of which 70% new. Aim is 2000 visitors per month.

• Factsheets, policy briefs, video testimonials: not yet in Ethiopia. Volunteers??

Cooperative event

4. Network development and coordination

Aim: A dynamic network that promotes farmers’ entrepreneurship issues and creates synergies

• Grow a large and strong membership based on shared values and code of conduct. Today 683 members.

• Collaborate with private sector platforms and organisations to enable delivery of complementary services around food and business brokering: RNE, ENLBA, ABSF, ATA, Etc.

• Cooperation with RNE on Food Security Policy issues and promote Dutch - Ethiopian business linkages

• Strengthen the secretariat with fulltime coordinator

Agri-Hub Management and Governance

Membership

Agri-Hub members: individuals & organisations. Future more formal membership of organisations

Working groups

Members contribute resources to activities and participate actively. Group leaders pro-actively lead the group and joins the steering committee.

Coordination

Day to day facilitation is by ICCO (lead, F&S contracted), Dutch APF secretariat and KIT. Needs permanent coord.

Steering Committee

Founding members and leaders of the Working Group

Budget

• Target € 200.000 / year

• Members contribute financial and human resources. This is matched on a 50/50 base by DGIS-DDE

• Core support from ICCO. Specific contributions of SNV, Agriterra, ISSD, Cordaid, Terrafina, ReK planned for 2014.

• “Letters of Intent” (LOI) are used as a contract with member programs.

• Financial management is done by coordination/secretariat. Reporting to steering committee and APF-secretariat (NL)

• Longer term strategy for financial sustainability still open

Join us too on http://apf-ethiopia.ning.com

Thank you !