Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture: Market Systems Resilience Assessment

This report summarizes the findings of the market systems resilience (MSR) assessment conducted by Vikāra Institute for Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture. Vikāra Institute was engaged by the Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture Activity (“the activity”) to conduct an MSR assessment of key structural and behavioral characteristics of target agriculture market systems in five Feed the Future geographic clusters in Ethiopia: Northern, Tana, Lowlands, Southern, and Jimma Clusters.

Based on an assessment of key structural and behavioral characteristics of the target market systems, the assessment indicates that across the country of Ethiopia, agricultural market systems are trending toward a state of increased fragility, albeit with varying severity within and between the geographic areas of focus, as well as crops and products. Respondents from all industries cited critical and pervasive market systems shocks and stresses, revealing key recurring drivers of market system fragility in Ethiopia. If the causes, or at least impacts, of these patterns are not addressed, several industries could potentially trend toward stagnation or further retrenchment.