The document discusses pulse value chain development interventions and lessons learned in Ethiopia. It outlines initial diagnoses of issues like inadequate knowledge of export production, limited women's involvement, and low productivity due to disease and seed issues. Interventions included promoting new varieties, on-farm trials, seed treatment, value addition, and facilitating market linkages. Lessons indicated that knowledge sharing, training, and partnerships improved skills and identified export varieties and markets, while seed dressing and basic seed supply systems were also important for success.

1. Pulse value chain development
interventions and lessons
Value chain interventions Knowledge management and
capacity development
Initial diagnosis
Input supply interventions
• Farmers and traders were becoming familiar with
export‐oriented pulse production
• There was inadequate knowledge and skills on
export‐oriented pulse production among value chain
actors
• Women involvement in pulse was limited
Community seed bank system for sustainable • Disease, poor quality seeds, limited use of fertilizers,
supply of pulse seed Knowledge sharing on pulse development
and poor planting arrangements often resulted in through training and FTC demonstrations
poor productivity
• Seed multiplication was mostly handled by research
and the Ethiopian Seed Enterprise. Supply of seed
for new and old varieties was limited
• Limited linkages between producers and other value
chain actors
Farmers sell haricot bean
Cooperative input
seeds to cooperatives
supply shop
Availing market information by putting
billboards in markets!
Production interventions
Value chain actors, service
providers and linkages
Credit
• Microfinance
institutions
• Cooperatives
• Private industry
Promotion of new varieties On farm trial on the use of • Shops Additional ICT supported
of pulse to respond to bio fertilizer for increased information/knowledge via Ethiopian
export market demand productivity Agriculture Portal (EAP) www.eap.gov.et
Knowledge/ Skill Input supply/
• Bureau of services
Agriculture • Cooperatives
• Private sectors, pulse • Ethiopian Seed
•
•
Cooperatives
Specialized
farmers
producers
Enterprise
• National Research Targeting
• NGO/ project
• NGOs and • Specialized seed
Students farmers
Seed treatment to reduce root rot
Market
• Local market
Processing / Marketing interventions • Cooperatives
• Commercial
processors
Targeting women and farmers with
entrepreneurial skill
Lessons and challenges
• Knowledge sharing, training, follow up of interventions, and partner linkages contribute to improving the skills and
knowledge of value chain actors and service providers, including women
Value addition for the market: seed
packing and labeling • Rapid market assessments were effective in identifying export market varieties and marketing channels for pulse crops
• Linkages with large scale processors established through private traders and District level cooperatives or unions, were
important
• Seed dressing is an effective improved disease management method for root rot
• If they find basic seeds, farmers can successfully do seed multiplication. Major regional/federal level interventions to
improve basic seed supply systems are required
• When it comes to seeds, it is important to combine farmer‐to‐farmer exchange systems with sales through cooperatives.
Relying solely on farmer‐to‐farmer seed system results in sale of seeds as grains
Facilitating market linkage for local • Use of community seed banks to maintain high quality seeds requires a long term linkage (registration) with the basic seed
and export markets
supply system in order to maintain seed quality over time
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