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Afar region achieves historic milestone in seed response and development
The Afar Region has reached a significant milestone in its seed production and supply self-sufficiency effort with the official endorsement of its first Seed Response and Seed Development Guideline. This achievement marks a transformative step toward establishing resilient agricultural practices and a robust seed development system in the region. The endorsement event, facilitated by Mercy
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Second round of Seed Production and Business Management short course kicks off at Haramaya University
In its continued effort to address the skilled manpower gaps in Ethiopia’s seed sector, Haramaya University has launched the second round of its Seed Production and Business Management short course. The initiative, organized in collaboration with the SWR Ethiopia ESP project, aims to enhance the skills and expertise of seed professionals across the country. During
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ESP 4th round internship launch highlights graduate readiness
Empowering young graduates in the Ethiopian seed sector The fourth round of the ESP Internship Program has officially commenced, welcoming 28 recent graduates (including 8 women) with diverse educational backgrounds in plant science, horticulture, rural development, agricultural extension, agribusiness, and crop production. This initiative continues to serve as a platform for fostering skilled professionals in
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Mapping the HDP Nexus in Ethiopia: Key insights from Afar, Tigray, and Amhara Regions
In the fragile and conflict-affected regions of Ethiopia; Afar, Tigray, and Amhara, agriculture plays a critical role in sustaining livelihoods and fostering stability. However, the governance of agricultural systems, particularly seed governance, has emerged as a key challenge within the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus framework. A recent assessment by the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) sheds light
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Ethiopian Seed Partnership: Planning for 2026 and beyond
In late September 2025, the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) convened a four-day workshop in Hawassa. This gathering brought together members of the partnership; SWR Ethiopia, RESILIENT BV, Mercy Corps Ethiopia, and the Ethiopian Seed Association; to reflect on achievements from 2024/25, strengthen collaboration, and develop a strategic roadmap for 2026 and beyond. The event was
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Strengtheningthe chickpea and grass pea value chains
As part of the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP), RESILIENCE BV Ethiopia, is actively enhancing the chickpea and grass pea value chains, which are important for ensuring food and nutrition security. These efforts align with ESP’s primary outcome area, which emphasizes strengthening the private seed sector. Recent developments in these value chains include stakeholder engagement and
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Strengthening seed labs for better seed certification service
The Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) has been actively working to bolster seed regulatory services across the country. As part of this initiative, ESP has focused on strengthening seed testing laboratories to ensure the delivery of high-quality seeds to farmers. Following an extensive assessment of existing seed laboratories, gaps were identified, including limited technical capacity among
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ESP internship success story: Aynadis Kifle’s journey from intern to entrepreneur
In this column of our newsletter, we highlight the incredible journey of Aynadiss Kifle, a determined young professional who turned her passion for horticulture into a thriving seed and agro-input business. Aynadiss’ story is a testament to the power of hard work, persistence, and the opportunities provided by programs like the internship program of ESP.
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Significant step forward in theEthiopia’s variety testing for release and registration
Ethiopia has achieved a significant milestone in its agricultural sector with the implementation of the new Seed Proclamation No. 1288/2023, particularly in the variety release and registration process for wheat and vegetable crops. This marks a major step forward in transforming the system, which was historically fragmented and inefficient due to the involvement of various
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Seed and Seed System Response Guideline – to alignhumanitarian and development efforts in fragile regions
The seed systems in seed-insecure regions of Ethiopia, such as Tigray, face significant challenges, often exacerbated by humanitarian seed aid that unintentionally disrupts local markets and systems. Recognizing this, Mercy Corps has spearheaded an initiative to develop the Seed and Seed System Response Guideline, a comprehensive framework aimed at fostering market-based seed interventions and strengthening
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Teaming-up and collaborative strategies to enhanceHDP nexus for sustainable seed systemin fragile and conflict affected states
In an effort to organize the seed sectors of the Somali and Afar Regional States, two separate workshops were held in Jigjiga and Semera towns on May 14 and June 13, 2025, respectively. The primary objective of these workshops is to lay the foundation for coordination mechanisms among humanitarian, development, and peace (HDP) actors within
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Internship opportunity
Background Stichting Wageningen Research Ethiopia (SWR Ethiopia) is an international NGO registered in Ethiopia with the FDRE Agency for Civil Society Organizations since March 2021. The organization aims to promote more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems in Ethiopia. One of the roles of SWR Ethiopia, through its Ethiopia Seed Partnership (ESP) project, is enhancing
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Coordination and collaborative strategies for advancing the Afar Region seed sector
A workshop was held on June 13, 2025, in Semera town to advance the Afar Regional State’s agricultural development through the establishment of a seed coordination committee. The initiative, aimed at transforming the region’s seed sector, seeks to foster collaboration and alignment among humanitarian, development, and peace (HDP) building actors to address critical challenges in
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Somali Regional State establishes seed coordination committee to enhance HDP Nexus collaboration
A workshop was held on May 14, 2025, in Jigjiga town, marking a significant step in the Somali Regional State’s efforts to transform its seed sector through the establishment of a seed coordination committee. The initiative aims to foster collaboration and coherence among humanitarian, development, and peace (HDP) building actors to address critical challenges in
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Humanitarian and development organizations in Tigray region endorses seed and seed system response guideline
In a significant development for the seed sector in Tigray, Ethiopia, Mercy Corps in collaboration with the regional seed core team has successfully facilitated the review and validation of the Seed and Seed System Response Guideline. This milestone was achieved after incorporating valuable feedback and inputs from various stakeholders, leading to the finalization of the
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Synchronizing seed aid with sustainable seed system development in Tigray region
Mercy Corps Ethiopia organised a workshop on 30th April 2025 in Wukro town to validate draft guidelines and Terms of Reference (ToR) for Emergency Seed Aid Distribution in the Tigray region. This initiative aims to enhance governance and resilience in seed systems, promoting sustainable practices for both humanitarian and development contexts. The workshop was inaugurated
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Discussion forum on seed production plan, performance and seed sector coordination
On March 22, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP), facilitated a discussion forum in Adama to address seed production planning, performance evaluation, and sector coordination. The event brought together stakeholders from the Oromia, Amhara, Tigray, Afar, Benshangulgumuz, Somali, Sidama, Southwest Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, Harari and Gambela regions, including
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Efforts to combat counterfeit seeds with barcode tagging system
In an effort to tackle the persistent issue of counterfeit seeds in Ethiopia, the use of barcode technology for seed certification has gained significant momentum. Originally piloted in 2024, this innovative system has proven to be a game-changer in ensuring seed authenticity, strengthening regulatory efficiency, and enhancing farmer confidence. The Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) has
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Strengthening the seed sector in southern Ethiopia: A collaborative step forward
A workshop was conducted on 08th March 2025 in Hawassa town with the aim to facilitate the establishment of regional seed coordination committee in the South Ethiopia People Region. Participants from various organizations in the seed sector attended the workshops. The event aimed to establish a regional seed coordination committee, bringing together stakeholders from diverse
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Ethiopian Seed Association’s participation in AFSTA 2025 Congress: Key insights and take aways
The Ethiopian Seed Association (ESA) has consistently demonstrated its commitment to learning, collaboration, and the advancement of Ethiopia’s seed industry by actively participating in the annual AFSTA Congress. This year, ESA management and Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) staff joined the AFSTA 2025 Congress held in Kigali, Rwanda, from March 3-5, 2025. With the support of
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