ATI, Mastercard Foundation to support over 600,000 youth

ADDIS ABABA -The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) and the Mastercard Foundation launched the Agriculture-focused Dignified Employment for Youth in Ethiopia (ADEY) Program to help over 600,000 youth in inclusive and dignified work opportunities.

In a press statement issued on October 24, 2023, ATI and the Mastercard Foundation disclosed that ADEY Program aims to enable over 600,000 young people of which 80% of them will be women, to get new and sustained jobs in agricultural inputs and outputs marketing, value addition and agro-processing, livestock, irrigation and mechanization services.

ADEY program aims to address youth unemployment through creating 611,343 jobs of which 427,940 in self-employment and 183,403 in wage employment by removing systemic barriers that hinder young people from accessing dignified and fulfilling work, the statement indicated.

The release pointed out that the program which will be implemented at a cost of 74.5 million USD, avails affordable access to finance, digital agriculture, and ensuring policy improvements.

Additionally, ADEY builds on the success of ATI’s flagship initiative, the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) program, which seeks to promote commercialization where smallholder farmers are organized in geographically clustered high-potential areas through market-driven and integrated value chain development of selected commodities, according to the statement.

It mentioned that ADEY is intended to strengthen access to improved agricultural technologies, markets, and finance. The program is also designed to realize youth-owned micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)competitiveness through capacity-building, enhance the skills and mindsets of young women and men through the provision of training and business development services, the statement noted.

“ADEY will have an impact on young women’s lives beyond supporting employment opportunities. It will provide them with more agency to take charge of their lives. The young women targeted in this program will be engaged in various socioeconomic issues both within and outside of their community, and they will be prepared to act as influencers for women’s empowerment within their respective socioeconomic circles,” ATI CEO Mandefro Nigussie (PhD), said in the statement.

Mastercard Foundation Country Director Samuel Yalew for his part stated that ADEY is a flagship partnership with ATI and partners that aims to address youth unemployment through the removal of systemic barriers that hinder young people from accessing dignified work in agriculture.

“We believe ADEY will create a path for a new generation of young farmers and women-led agri-businesses across several value chains. Anchored at center of the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy in Ethiopia, ADEY will contribute to our vision of creating a country success story by enabling young people to access dignified and fulfilling work,” Samuel said.

ADEY will be led by ATI and implemented in partnership with a consortium of organizations, including the Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA) Ethiopia, the Oromia Development Association (ODA), HUNDEE, South Ethiopia Peoples’ Development Association (SEPDA), Somali Development Association, and PurposeBlack Ethiopia.

BY YOHANES JEMANEH

 The Ethiopian Herald October 26/2023

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