Mokony, Southern Tigray, Ethiopia – The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), today held a ribbon cutting ceremony to launch a new livestock feed manufacturing facility developed through USAID’s grant to Ethio-Feed PLC. The investment will enable suppliers, processors, cooperatives, exporters, financial and other service providers to access higher nutritional content feed at lower prices. The facility will use low cost ingredients from agricultural byproducts in the region such as maize cobs, sugar cane tops and cactus pads. The facility has a daily capacity of 50 quintals per day per shift and is currently producing 4,000 quintals of processed feed requested by the Government of Ethiopia for distribution to smallholder farmers in drought affected areas.

Participants in the ceremony at Lemlem Raya Union’s compound included regional and local government officials, USAID representatives, community members, and farmers. As part of the ceremony, guests toured the new facility and learned about the innovative feed production. The newly established facility is expected to benefit three woredas (districts) in the region.

In his keynote address, USAID representative John Edgar said, “The livestock feed manufacturing equipment provided to Ethio-Feed will enable 8,000 farmers in the three woredas to access affordable and nutritious livestock feed. This investment is particularly timely given this year’s drought conditions. Today’s establishment is the second of its kind following the facility opened in partnership with Anno Agro-Industry Farm PLC in Oromia Region in 2014. USAID will continue its support of similar facilities.”

Under the U.S. Government’s global food security and hunger initiative, known as Feed the Future, USAID, through its Livestock Market Development activity, works to improve the productivity, competitiveness and profitability of the livestock sector as part of the U.S. Government’s contribution to the Government of Ethiopia’s Agricultural Growth Program. Through the Innovation Grants Fund, the USAID activity is assisting approximately 200 companies, cooperative, associations and entrepreneurs through grants ranging from $25,000 to $300,000.

See also

Press Release Mokony Feed Facility 11-19-15 [PDF, 42kb]

USAID Remarks Mokony Feed Facility 11-19-15 [PDF, 167kb]

USAID Ethiopia Feed the Future

USAID Ethiopia Economic Growth and Trade