EDI Validates Stakeholder Mapping to Advance Ethiopia's Agri-Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

The Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS), convened a validation workshop on the Stakeholder Mapping of the Ethiopian Agri-Entrepreneurship Ecosystem under the Agri-MSMEs Development for Jobs (AMD4J) Project. The workshop brought together representatives from government institutions, financial institutions, development partners, Enterprise Support Organizations (ESOs), academia, civil society, and the private sector to validate the assessment findings and strengthen collaboration among ecosystem actors.

Funded by the African Development Bank, the five-year AMD4J Project seeks to expand employment opportunities for young women and men by improving access to finance, enhancing enterprise support services, and fostering a resilient entrepreneurship ecosystem for Ethiopia's agricultural micro, small, and medium enterprises (agri-MSMEs).

Welcoming participants, Dugasa Tesema, Director of Enabling Environment and Ecosystem Development at EDI, underscored the importance of stakeholder mapping in building a coordinated and effective entrepreneurship support system.

He noted that the exercise will help clarify institutional roles and mandates, reduce duplication of efforts, strengthen collaboration among ecosystem actors, and improve service delivery to entrepreneurs.

Officially opening the workshop, Zerihun Alemayehu, Lead of Labour Development at the Ministry of Labour and Skills, highlighted the strategic role of the AMD4J Project in strengthening Ethiopia's agricultural entrepreneurship ecosystem. He emphasized that the project will improve institutional collaboration, enhance support services for agri-MSMEs, and create a more enabling environment for youth and women entrepreneurs, thereby contributing to enterprise growth, job creation, and inclusive economic development.

The workshop featured a presentation of the draft stakeholder mapping assessment by Dr. Kefalew Tadesse, who outlined the mapping methodology, key ecosystem actors, institutional mandates, existing service offerings, coordination mechanisms, major challenges, and recommendations for strengthening the ecosystem.

Participants actively engaged in discussions and breakout sessions, providing feedback on the draft findings, identifying gaps, recommending additional stakeholders, and proposing practical measures to improve coordination and the delivery of business development services.

The validated stakeholder mapping will serve as a strategic reference for implementing the AMD4J Project and guiding future interventions to build a more integrated, inclusive, and sustainable agri-entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The recommendations generated during the workshop will be incorporated into the final assessment report, supporting efforts to enhance institutional coordination, stimulate enterprise growth, attract investment, and create decent jobs across Ethiopia's agricultural sector.