Strengthening Market Access through Rural Technologies for Potato Production (SMART Potato)

Country: Ethiopia
Project details
Services:
Access to finance
Capacity building
Climate-smart agriculture
Market assessment
Reliable Market
Value chain development
Crops:
Roots and tubers

Ethiopia: Strengthening Market Access through Rural Technologies for Potato (SMART-Potato), RTI Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture, USD 249,927, 2025-2027

Donor: Research Triangle Institute (RTI), Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture

Goal 

The project aims to improve market access for smallholder ware potato producers in seven woredas, who will supply locally sourced ware potatoes to a buyer through long-term contractual arrangements, thereby empowering smallholders and enhancing their livelihoods.

What we do

The activities contribute to income and food security of potato producers in 4 woredas in Oromia Region and 3 woredas in Southern Central Region. Most farmers in the intervention areas live in highland regions with limited opportunities for cash crops.

The work will have the following four outputs:

  1. Select and strengthen 3,221 ware potato producers by prioritizing women and youth producers and train on GAP and quality ware potato production.
  2. Increase potato yields through access to G3 Gudanie potato mini tuber, inputs, and mechanization services for 3,221 smallholder ware potato producers by
    prioritizing women and youth farmers.
  3. Reduce post-harvest loss from 30% to 10% through training and materials support by prioritizing women and youth farmers.
  4. Increase access to finance for 3,221 smallholder ware potato producers with special focus on women and youth farmers to enable production.

Project Updates

  • Project launch event conducted and 16 cooperatives with 2,081 beneficiary farmers were selected from seven woredas.
  • In July 119 farmers produced potato on 30.25 hectares. Preparation has been completed to produce potato on 458 ha both under irrigation and during the short “Belg” season.
  • Agronomic Training of Trainers (ToT) was organized for 48 extension agents across all seven intervention woredas and training of 2081 farmers.
  • Currently, 16 of the cooperatives signed agreements with 2081 ware potato producers.