More than 20 solutions that are being developed in Ethiopia by CGIAR and its partners were shared

Using a share fair approach to unravel what needs to change to drive agricultural transformation in Ethiopia

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Driving innovation in the Ethiopian agriculture sector is critical if we are to ensure improved food security and livelihoods of farmers in the country. As part of this, solutions need to be developed that are context-specific and co-designed by those who are using them. This has been a gap within the research for development framework.

The Ukama Ustawi Share Fair was a two-day event (10-11 December 2024) structured into a series of interactive and participatory sessions aimed at fostering collaboration, sharing lessons and exploring solutions to advance agricultural innovation and food systems transformation in Ethiopia. More importantly, the Share Fair acted as bridge between the current set of CGIAR initiatives and the new portfolio for 2025–2030. The event was led by Ukama Ustawi’s Learning Alliance which connects to the new CGIAR scaling for impact accelerator, highlighting the continuity and strategic alignment of these initiatives.

Learning alliance

The event was supported by the CGIAR Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa (Ukama Ustawi) and the CGIAR East and Southern Africa region. The learning alliance is comprised of CGIAR centers in Africa along with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) and CORAF (Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricoles). Stakeholders, including national and regional research institutions, policymakers, farmers and development partners, convened to explore pathways to align innovations with Ethiopia’s priorities.

Namukolo Covic, ILRI Director General’s Representative to Ethiopia, opened the meeting. She underscored the importance of partnerships and knowledge sharing in driving change to align innovations with Ethiopia’s Food Systems Transformation Pathway, targeting food safety, nutrition, livelihoods, land restoration and resilience.

Diriba Geleti, deputy director general of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, highlighted some of the innovations being adopted in Ethiopia. He noted the limitations of traditional linear innovation models in agriculture and advocated for adaptive engagement frameworks that facilitate dynamic, collaborative knowledge spaces. He said, “It is critical that we move away from single interventions to adopt integrated systems approaches that address these complex issues holistically, ensuring long-term growth and sustainability.”

A key part of the Share Fair was an open space session where more than 20 solutions that are being developed in Ethiopia by CGIAR and its partners were shared. These solutions were divided around the CGIAR impact pathways and included innovations for mixed farming systems, improved climate advisory systems and ways to de-risk agriculture, improvements in productivity of key crops and lessons in public–private partnerships.

Key themes

The key themes that emerged during the workshop included: 

  • Digitization: Strong innovations in using digital information to reach farmers more effectively were highlighted but it was also recognized that trust, communication and strong partnerships play an important role in uptake.
  • Establishing robust knowledge hubs to disseminate best practices and innovations is critical, with a focus on supporting national agricultural research institutions to bridge geographic and information gaps.
  • Gender inclusion in leadership must be significantly improved. Practical approaches should be tested to achieve meaningful impacts, particularly for women, youth and marginalized groups.
  • Prioritizing equitable access to technologies, leadership roles and capacity-building opportunities for women, youth and marginalized groups remains essential. The example of solar pumps was mentioned whose adoption requires strategies to reduce costs, expand pilot projects like those by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and use inclusive financing mechanisms, such as interest-free loans for Muslim farmers. Collaboration with model farmers will further promote awareness and adoption.
  • Focus on farmer-centred approaches and ensure farmers’ voices are heard. Establishing experience-sharing platforms for farmers, ranging from the kebele to the federal level, will encourage knowledge exchange and best practices.
  • The scalability of technologies fundamentally depends on their relevance to the problems they address. A diagnostic approach and comprehensive understanding of these challenges are essential. Open communication and collaboration among scientists are critical to addressing the full spectrum of issues. Research teams must adopt a holistic perspective on problem solving.
  • Strengthening partnerships among research institutions, global organizations and the private sector is vital for scaling solutions. Targeted policy support, such as subsidies, tax incentives for suppliers and mandates for inclusive financing, can drive technology adoption. A holistic approach, rooted in stakeholder co-design, ensures the development of sustainable, end-to-end solutions.
Key take-aways

The workshop highlighted the need to move to a systems-based and integrated CGIAR portfolio at the regional and country level and embrace a ‘subsidiarity’ approach. The past three years have seen many different initiatives, and partners at the meeting pointed out that it was hard to coordinate between them and understand how the portfolios linked as a whole.

One researcher pointed out that CGIAR needs to understand its role vis-à-vis continental research organizations (such as CORAF, CCARDESA and ASARECA), which can serve as strategic entry points for CGIAR to expand its operations across different countries. He also mentioned the partnership represents a significant opportunity to collaborate within existing continental frameworks, such as the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme.

Some specific recommendations for future programming included:

  • Build upon the lessons in the workshop in designing the new portfolio in Ethiopia.
  • Engage all relevant actors in the field to discuss scaling opportunities.
  • Identify the key issues and opportunities in the enabling environment required for scaling.
  • Focus on capacity building to empower farmers and stakeholders.

For more information, email Tsehay Gashaw or Amare Haileslassie.

List of posters