ACCII officially launched: Ethiopia advances climate-smart and inclusive agricultural transformation

Addis Ababa, November 18, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia has officially launched the second phase of its Agricultural Commercialization Clusters initiative, introducing the Agricultural Commercialization through Climate-Smart and Inclusive Innovations (ACCII) program, a nationwide effort designed to scale up productivity, resilience, and market integration across the agriculture sector.

The launch event, held in Addis Ababa, brought together senior government officials, regional leaders, development partners, private sector representatives, and smallholder farmer delegates, marking what is considered a major milestone in Ethiopia’s long-term agricultural transformation agenda.

Agriculture accounts for nearly 80 percent of Ethiopia’s export earnings, meets 95 percent of food needs, and remains the primary source of livelihood for the majority of the population.

However, smallholder farmers continue to face constraints linked to low productivity, reliance on rain-fed farming, limited market linkages, inadequate finance and technologies, and growing climate-related pressures.

The first phase of the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters program, rolled out between 2019 and 2025, served as a pilot initiative for transforming smallholder production into a market-oriented and more resilient system. It reached over 4.4 million farmers, with about 2.43 million organized into Farmer Production Clusters.

Cluster woredas registered yields 32 percent higher than the national average, while cluster members recorded yields 44 percent higher. Grain productivity increased by 86 percent, horticultural yields rose six-fold, overall production expanded by 56 percent, and grain commercialization nearly doubled from 28 percent to 58 percent.

Building on these outcomes, ACCII aims to expand agricultural commercialization using climate-smart practices, stronger value-chain engagement, private-sector participation, and digital and innovation-driven solutions.

The program targets 6.5 million farmers and 300,000 internally displaced persons across nine regional states and prioritizes 18 strategic commodities covering crop, livestock, and horticulture value chains.

The second phase is also designed to support the formation of Farmer Production and Agribusiness Companies while promoting gender equality, youth participation, and social inclusion. Women are expected to play a prominent leadership role, with 95 percent participation in decision-making engagements.

In addition, ACCII introduces a Humanitarian-Development-Peace approach to restore livelihoods and enhance self-reliance among displaced populations.

The launch signals Ethiopia’s long-term direction toward building resilient, inclusive, market-driven, and globally competitive food systems, with multi-sectoral collaboration identified as key to sustaining transformation outcomes.