L e s s o n s a n d c h a l l e n g e s

Knowledge sharing, trainings, follow up of interventions, and partner linkages contribute to •improving the skills and knowledge of value chain actors and service providers, including womenRapid market assessments are helpful in identifying potential markets. New market •arrangements still need to be developed once volumes of improved fruits increaseSophisticated post harvest handling (ripening, packaging), better market arrangements and •better actor linkages will be required when dealing with increased commercial quantitiesEstablishmentofprivatenurserysystemisthemostsignificantintervention,especiallyfor•women, since it requires little land. These private nurseries should be registered and linked to centralized/coordinated sources of improved varieties to maintain a sustainable system for commercial operationA farmer-to-farmer sucker supply system was successfully developed for banana. Future •expansion of the system should consider the development of ripening and appropriate phyto-sanitary arrangements to avoid the possible spread of soil/plant born diseasesPrivate nursery operators’ skills in grafting were easily developed and examples of •spontaneous adoption of grafting have been observed

Ta r g e t i n g

K n o w l e d g e m a n a g e m e n t /

S k i l l d e v e l o p m e n t

Va l u e c h a i n a c t o r s , s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r s a n d l i n k a g e s

Fruits value chain developmentInterventions and lessons

Va l u e c h a i n i n t e r v e n t i o n s

K n o w l e d g e m a n a g e m e n t /

C a p a c i t y d e v e l o p m e n t

Private fruit nurseries and private banana sucker supplies promoted in areas where markets for fruits looked promising.

Women earned additional income from fruit seedling sales

Small local markets are often insufficient to absorb the high volume and more expensive products

Creating sustainable fruit seedling supply system at village level

Introduction of basin irrigation: a way to reduce impact of water-borne diseases

Introducing varieties with good international reputation to respond to market demands.

Regional and national agricultural exhibitions: a fast and efficient means of knowledge dissemination

Access to knowledge through training, study tours, farmer field days

Knowledge sharing arrangements: transferring knowledge from skilled to unskilled farmers.

Plant height: a critical feature for tree management and harvesting (dwarf fruiting trees)

Women and farmers with entrepreneurial skills willing to invest

Tackling marketing problems: training in the use of kerosene burners for ripping banana in Metema

I n i t i a l d i a g n o s i s Farmers and traders recognized the market potential for improved •qualityfruits.Howevermarketchannelswerenotsufficientlydeveloped. Farmers were price takers of fruit market “monopolies” Inadequate knowledge and skills on improved quality fruit •production systems among value chain actorsInvolvement of women in harvesting and selling of fruits is •significantwhenproductionissmall,whiletheirinvolvementwaslimitedwhenproductionissignificantLocal fruit production systems had limited economic potential •because most varieties/cultivars were unimproved; do not mature quickly; had poorer fruit quality; had canopies that interfere with understorycrops;andweredifficulttoharvestImproved fruit seedling production/supply system was mainly •handled by the government and/or NGO programs and had very limited reach/capacity, which resulted in inadequate supply of improved seedlingsLimited linkages between producers, other chain actors and •service providers .

Additional ICT-supported information /knowledge via Ethiopian Agriculture Portal (EAP) www.eap.gov.et

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I n p u t s u p p l y i n t e r v e n t i o n s :

P r o d u c t i o n i n t e r v e n t i o n s :

P r o c e s s i n g / M a r k e t i n g i n t e r v e n t i o n s

Fruit Producers

MoA, BoA, OoAEARS (Melkassa, Jimma, Adet, Alamata)Advanced farmers (shared cropping)CGIAR (IWMI)NGOs

MicrofinanceinstitutionsCooperatives unionNGOs/ projects (lenders/funders)Traders

Regional marketing agenciesBoA(Regulation-CertificationCooperativesTraders

Private nurseries linked to EARS, Churches, Agro-industryPrivate and Coop shops (farm tools, chemicals, irrigation accessories)

Processing /Marketing

Credit

Input supply services

Knowledge/Skills