USAID, under the US Feed the Future Initiative, launched the Commercial Farm Service Program on Monday in support of the Government of Ethiopia’s Agricultural Growth Plan (AGP).  The new two year pilot project will provide grants and training to rural entrepreneurs, both men and women, to help create one wholesale and six retail farm service centers (FSCs) designed to meet the operational needs of farmers.

FSCs are medium to large-scale suppliers that provide various agricultural supplies, such as fertilizers, seeds, agricultural tools and other equipment.  FSCs also provide extensive services including machinery rental, processing, veterinary consultation and marketing.  Each FSC comes equipped with a training facility where farmers can receive professional technical assistance.  FSCs also extend credit to farmers, enabling them to procure high quality inputs that lead to increased production and profits.  The FSCs will reach at least 30,000 smallholder farmers in the Oromia Region, the largest, most populous region of the country.

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