Ethiopia, FAO launch Innovation Policy Lab workshop to boost agri-startups
FAO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MInT) hosted an "Innovation Policy Lab (IPL) Phase 1 Sensemaking Workshop" on December 23, bringing together policymakers, startups, researchers, and development partners.
The workshop's primary objective was to critically examine Ethiopia's agrifood innovation and startup ecosystem. Utilizing tools like the Iceberg Model and Problem Tree analysis, participants collaboratively identified and prioritized key policy and implementation challenges.
Discussions revealed several critical barriers: limited prioritization of agritech in national startup policies, inadequate access to tailored finance for agritech ventures, a prevailing negative societal perception of agriculture, and weak linkages between researchers and startups.
"This foundational workshop is a crucial step towards fostering a more dynamic and sustainable agrifood system" stated a representative from the MInT.
The outcomes will guide the next phase of the IPL process, which focuses on developing evidence-based solutions and a strategic implementation plan to address these challenges, with a particular emphasis on supporting agricultural technology startups. In particular, the project will support translating the challenges identified during the national workshop into concrete actions. Some of solutions might be: Introduce a dedicated agritech window within innovation funds, startup grants, and incentive schemes; create an Investment Readiness Program (IRP) to build founders’ skills in financial planning and pitching; establish Agritech Innovation Hubs and launch agritech Hackathon; develop a National Agriculture Data Platform (NADP) integrating data from MoA, FAO, ATA, research institutes, ESA, and extension systems and integrate agriculture and agritech innovation modules into university curricula.
This project aims to create a more coherent, inclusive, and sustainable transformation of Ethiopia's agrifood systems.