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Five interns, four new careers: How ESP+ is helping build Ethiopia’s seed sector workforce
For many young graduates, the transition from university to employment can be a difficult journey. For five graduates placed at Ethio LEAP Agro-tech through the Ethiopian Seed Partnership Plus (ESP+) internship programme, that journey became an opportunity to gain practical experience, develop valuable skills, and launch careers in the seed sector. Today, four of those…
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Benchmarking variety-testing costs: Regional lessons for Ethiopia
As Ethiopia strengthens its variety release and registration system, regional experience offers practical lessons for building testing services that are transparent, standardized, reliable, sustainable and affordable. Getting the model right matters to regulators, breeders and seed companies and ultimately to farmers who depend on well-performing varieties. Variety testing provides the evidence needed to confirm that…
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El Niño risks: What Ethiopia’s seed sector should do now
Ethiopia’s seed sector faces two contrasting El Niño risks: below-average June–September rainfall in western and central areas, and above-average October–December rainfall with greater flood risk in eastern and southern areas. The August 2026 FSNWG special report, “Strengthening El Niño Conditions: Implications for Rainfall, Flood Risk and Food Security in Eastern Africa” warns that these conditions…
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ESP+ charts priorities for 2027 and beyond
The Ethiopian Seed Partnership Plus (ESP+) consortium has begun planning for 2027, building on progress to date while responding to emerging challenges and lessons from implementation. The process is identifying priority areas for greater attention and using experience from across the partnership to shape the next phase.Workshop discussions highlighted steady gains across the project’s components.…
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Market-based seed insecurity response pilot in Tigray
In the face of seed insecurity, particularly in fragile areas, humanitarian efforts have traditionally centered on immediate relief through emergency seed aid. However, as the challenges in regions like Tigray, Ethiopia, have shown, sustainable solutions are crucial for long-term resilience. In response, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has piloted a market-based seed insecurity response in Tigray. This…
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Breaking barriers: New directive sparks more crop variety registrations
Ethiopia’s seed sector is witnessing a significant change, as the new seed directive being implemented which ease the process of registering crop varieties and encourage private sector participation. Historically, the variety registration system was criticized for its lengthy, complex, and costly procedures that slowed the introduction of high-yielding and high-quality crop varieties. Today, thanks to…
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Strengthening collaboration between seed producers and regulators in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, the seed system is the backbone of agricultural productivity and food security, yet it faces numerous challenges. At the heart of these challenges lies the critical relationship between seed producers and regulatory authorities. This partnership determines whether farmers receive high-quality, certified seeds on time. However, mismatched expectations, resource limitations, and regulatory bottlenecks have…
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Innovative finance to boost Ethiopia’s seed sector: A celebration of success
In an effort to strengthen Ethiopia’s agricultural sector, the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) has unveiled a transformative financial initiative that promises to revolutionize the way seed companies access funding. The Guarantee to Grant Facility (G2G), developed by Stichting Wageningen Research (SWR) Ethiopia ESP project, Awash Bank, and RSLNC Consultancy PLC, is providing much-needed collateral support…
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Key discussions from the Ethiopia-Netherlands Seed Committee meeting
On April 24th, 2026, the Ethiopia-Netherlands Seed Committee had a regular meeting to discuss on pressing issues that affect vegetable seed business and chart a path forward for Ethiopia’s seed sector. The agenda covered pivotal topics such as variety testing for registration, legal framework approval and enforcement, Plant Variety Protection (PVP), illegal seed trade Tackling…
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Hands-on training to strengthen private seed companies seed quality analysis capacity
In an effort to enhance food security, improve nutrition, and bolster climate resilience, the role of high-quality seeds cannot be overstated. Recognizing this, the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) has been working diligently with domestic seed companies to strengthen their capacity in seed production and quality assurance. By equipping these companies with the tools and knowledge…
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Seeds for resilience in fragile context: A new chapter forcommunity-based seed production in Afar Region
In Ethiopia’s Afar Region, farmers long reliant on humanitarian seed aid due to droughts and floods are now seeing change. Efforts are underway to transform the seed system, offering hope to these resilient agro-pastoral communities. The region has long faced seed insecurity, relying on external seed assistance due to the lack of local producers except…
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Training of Trainers to strengthen Alage ATVET Business Incubation Center
To strengthen the capacity of Alage Agricultural TVET College Business Incubation Center (BIC), a four-day Training of Trainers (ToT) program was recently conducted for the academic staff and management of the college alongside representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS). This ToT aimed to equip participants with the required technical skills and knowledge…
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Strengthening international seed partnerships through AFSTA 2026 annual congress
The Ethiopian Seed Association (ESA), in partnership with the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP), led a delegation to the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) 2026 Annual Congress, held from March 23–25, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. Under the theme “Empowering Africa’s Future, One Seed at a Time,” the congress brought together key stakeholders from the…
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Seed self-certification pilot to advance seed quality
Ethiopia’s seed sector is undergoing a significant transformation with the introduction of Seed Self-Certification as outlined in the new seed proclamation. This proclamation introduces diverse seed certification systems, with self-certification being a pivotal component. However, translating the provisions of the proclamation into actionable outcomes presents notable challenges. In response, the Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) has…
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National Seed Forum highlights challenges and opportunities in Ethiopia’s seed sector
A National Seed Forum was convened on March 7, 2026, at the Ministry of Agriculture meeting hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Organized by the Ethiopian Seed Association (ESA) with support from the Ethiopia Netherlands Seed Partnership (ESP), and Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), the forum was held under the theme “Quality Seed for Food System Transformation.”…
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Stakeholders discuss strategies to reinitiate Direct Seed Marketing in Oromia Region
In a concerted effort to enhance seed marketing and ensure the efficient delivery of quality seeds to farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), in collaboration with the Oromia Bureau of Agriculture (BoA), Oromia Seed Enterprise, and Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP), hosted a regional stakeholders’ consultative workshop in the Oromia Region on 5th of March 2026.…
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A field that speaks for itself: Farmers’ Field Day brings new hope for seed producers in Afar
In the arid and sun-scorched lands of the Afar Region, a green revolution is taking root. A homegrown maize seed production initiative is offering hope to local communities, ensuring the availability of quality seeds that are accessible and tailored to farmers’ needs. The story of transformation begins with a simple yet powerful belief: “Afar can…
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Exploring new horizons: Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships in Ethiopia’s forage seed sector
DLF, a globally renowned seed producer based in Denmark, recently visited Ethiopia and engaged in constructive discussions with the SWR Ethiopia Ethiopian Seed Partnership (ESP) project and RESILNCE teams. As a leading international company in forage seed production, DLF is committed to fostering public-private partnerships (PPP) to introduce high-quality forage crop varieties to the Ethiopian…
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Direct Seed Marketing (DSM) to be resumed to address seed marketing challenges in Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s agricultural sector stands as a cornerstone of the country’s economy, and the seed sector plays a pivotal role in ensuring food security and improved agricultural productivity. However, the seed market in Ethiopia faces numerous challenges, particularly with issues related to carry-over seed. In 2025, the National Seed Technical Committee (NSTC) identified this issue as…
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Collaborative planning for coordinated seed emergency response in Tigray
Recognizing the critical importance of sustainable seed systems in fragile contexts, a consultative and joint planning meeting was held on 30–31 December 2025 in Wukro town, Tigray region. The event brought together key humanitarian and development (HD) actors to discuss, jointly plan market-based seed response in the region. The meeting convened 37 participants representing government…
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