Niger seed and safflower oilseed value chains in northern Ethiopia with Tsehay

About the partnership

Ethiopia

Soy and Oil Seeds

This partnership aspires to transform the oilseeds value chain (targeting the cooking oil sub sector) in the Northern part of Ethiopia. It intends to integrate smallholder farmers into a well-functioning value chain in Northern Ethiopia as suppliers of raw material while providing an affordable and healthy cooking oil to urban and per urban BoP consumers. In addition, the partnership aspires to create employment opportunities for youth and women in the oilseeds value chain.

About the business champion

Tsehay Multipurpose Farmers’ Cooperative Union (TMFCU) was created in 2000 with 5 cooperatives as its founding members. It has now 142 member cooperatives working at 12 districts with a total number of 120,450 smallholder farmers (27,703 women) producing mainly sesame, chickpea, malt barley, teff, Niger seed, safflower and ginger. The union is based in Gondar Town of the Central Gondar zone of the Amhara regional state.

Key interventions

Improving smallholder farmers competitiveness

Building loyalty

Women and youth empowerment

Improving access to finance and information

Reaching the BoP consumers