Addis Ababa, Ethiopia -- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Agricultural Growth Program (AGP)-Livestock Market Development project hosted a grant signing ceremony between USAID and eight grantees today. The eight small grants valued at over $760,000 will encourage local Ethiopian investment and innovation in the livestock sector. The overall purpose is to improve productivity and competitiveness of selected livestock value chains including live animals, meat, and dairy.

The first eight grants were awarded to:

1.      Addis Livestock Production and Productivity Improvement Service (ALPPIS)

Emebet Mekonen, the owner of Emebet and Her Children Dairy, talks with the press after receiving a grant from USAID’s AGP-Livestock Market Development project. She will use the grant to develop milk collection centers and provide services for farmers.

Robert Sauers, USAID Ethiopia

2.      Emebet & Her Children Milk & Milk By-Products PLC

3.      Ethio-Feed PLC

4.      Project Mercy

5.      OMO Micro Finance Institute Share Company

6.      Kifiya Financial Technology PLC

7.      Zemam Sintayehu Enterprise

8.      Harme Milk & Milk By-Products PLC

In his opening remarks, USAID Ethiopia Mission Director Dennis Weller said, “Ethiopia’s livestock sector has enormous potential to reduce extreme poverty and malnutrition. These grants are to spur local entrepreneurship and innovation as well as unblock obstacles to producing and marketing better or new products and, eventually, grow more jobs in livestock businesses.”

The goal of USAID’s AGP-Livestock Market Development project is to improve productivity, competitiveness, and profitability of activities related to dairy, meat and animal production, processing, and export. Through this new Innovation Grants Fund, USAID’s AGP-Livestock Market Development project intends to award up to $5 million over the next three years. Each grant award may range from between $25,000 and $300,000. The type of grant is determined based on the applicant’s need and proposed activities. Successful grant applications will continue to address innovations and technologies that solve critical constraints along the value chain from farm to various markets.

USAID’s AGP-Livestock Market Development project is funded by the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Initiative as part of the U.S. Government contribution to the Government of Ethiopia’s Agricultural Growth Program.

See Also

Press Release LMD Grant Signing 2-19-14 [PDF, 48 KB]

Press Release LMD Grant Signing 2-19-14 - Amharic [PDF, 141 KB]

Mission Director Dennis Weller Remarks LMD Grant Signing 2-19-14 [PDF, 122 KB]

Fact Sheet LMD Grantees 2-19-14 [PDF, 53 KB]

LMD Innovation and Investment Partnership Grants - Call for Request for Applications [PDF, 78 KB]

Related Resources

USAID Ethiopia: Agriculture and Food Security

USAID Ethiopia: Feed the Future

USAID Ethiopia: Private Sector

USAID Ethiopia: Global Health Initiative

USAID Ethiopia: Nutrition