Woman in green field throwing greens and smiling

Project

ProAgro Ethiopia: Promotion of decent work in agribusiness

ProAgro Ethiopia supports the Government of Ethiopia in creating more and better jobs in the agribusiness sector. Combining policy support, skills development, and enterprise growth, the project empowers women and men with sustainable employment opportunities and fosters economic growth in Amhara and Sidama.

Project details

Duration

15 June 2020 - 30 June 2025

Budget

5 480 696 Euros

Development partner(s)

BMZ, Germany

Reference

ETH/20/50/DEU

Location

Ethiopia

Contact

Anthony AGYENTA, Chief Technical Advisor E-mail: [email protected]

Additional details

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ProAgro Ethiopia, an initiative by the International Labour Organization (ILO) under BMZ’s Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation, is dedicated to empowering Ethiopia’s agribusiness sector. With a focus on creating decent jobs for women and men, the project employs a dual “push-and-pull” approach: equipping individuals with the skills to enter the labor market or start businesses, while supporting enterprises and value chain development to grow private sector job opportunities.

Operating over four years with a €5 million budget, ProAgro Ethiopia targets the Amhara and Sidama regions. The project builds the capacity of national, regional, and local stakeholders to develop and implement policies that enhance job creation. By addressing challenges like informal employment, low productivity, and the impact of global trends such as climate change and globalization, ProAgro Ethiopia contributes to sustainable economic growth, better working conditions, and poverty reduction in Ethiopia’s agribusiness sector.

Target Beneficiairies

Those not in employment, including active job seekers and people 'Not in Education, Employment or Training' (NEET)
Women and men currently employed formally or informally in the agribusiness sector
Micro, small, and medium enterprises in the agribusiness sector

Outcomes

Enhance the capacity of Investment Promotion Agencies (Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), the Regional Investment Bureaus (RIBs), Ministry of Labour and Skills, and Ministry of Industry (MOI) to influence and monitor the jobs intensity and sustainability of investments.

Support the “local ecosystem” for employment and training services to better cater for the different needs of the employers and job seekers in the agribusiness sector.

Under this outcome the project will work at increasing the number of people employed in the target regions and sectors, enhancing the satisfaction rates of job seekers with available local employment services and also working at improving the satisfaction rates of foreign and local investors with the support services offered by investment promotion agencies and the wider local employment ecosystem in the target regions in the country.
Decent work standards and workers’ rights advocated and promoted

Under this outcome, the project will work towards improving the working conditions, wages, and productivity between companies and workers by increasing the number of enterprise-level local or sectoral agreements. This will result in an increase in the number of workers (women, men, and youth) who will benefit from the improved working conditions (working time, operational safety and health, wages, harassment, and other key aspects).
Enhance collaboration, advocacy and capacity building on Skills Governance through the establishment of Sector Skills Councils (SSC) at the federal and regional levels.

Design and development of demand driven short term trainings to enhance employability in the agribusiness sector

Under this outcome the project will work to increase the number of trainees employed as a result of the traineeships/apprenticeships/short-term training courses, the number of people who have completed technical short-term and core-skills/TVET programs, and the number of graduates of work-based learning programmes.
Systemic bottlenecks hindering the performance of selected agribusiness sub sectors identified, innovative interventions introduced through collaborations with local partners.

Business development and financial service providers better match their services to the needs of local enterprises in selected sectors.

Stakeholders have developed their capacity to advocate for an improved enabling environment.

Young, women, and men have access to entrepreneurship opportunities in the agribusiness sector.

Under this outcome the project will work to raise the number of enterprises supported and the people who benefit from improved jobs (higher income) in the target value chains.

Linkages to national development plans and international development cooperation

The project contributes to Ethiopia’s Ten years Perspective Plan (2021-2030) which highlights the need to create a conducive investment climate to incentivize investors in key sectors to promote inclusive economic growth in line with Ethiopia’s development priorities.
Ethiopia’s Home-grown Economic Reform Agenda, which identifies agriculture as a priority sector for job creation, inclusion and productivity improvements.
Ethiopian Jobs Creation Commission (JCC) National Plan of Action for Jobs Creation (NPAJC) that aims at realizing the job-creation potential of prospective high-yield sectors such as agriculture and industry (agro processing).
United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSCDF) 2020-2025, Ethiopia (Pillar 1: Inclusive economic growth, productivity and competitiveness, institutional transformation and equitable participation of women and youth)
ILO Ethiopia Decent Work Country Programme (2021-2025)