Context

CIDR, together with its local partners in Ethiopia (Cereal Bank Technical Platform and Non Governmental Organisations), is
aiming to promote family farming systems through the implementation of “fair” links between smallholders and a sustainable market.
After several studies on the Ethiopian grain market were realized in 2003-2004, and tended to proove that there was a market opportunity for smallholders regarding soybean production, several Ethiopian entreprises started to use soybean in their process. However, the local production was very far from satisfying this demand, that is why soybean has been identified as a potential opportunity for CIDR to step into action.
The document is the feasibility study report on soybean value chain which has been executed by CIDR from February to May 2005.

Contribution

This study has put forward the opportunity for CIDR, through its local partners, to invest in soybean local value chain promotion and it also suggests the main steps of implementation.

Executive summary

This paper firstly describes soybean market and reveals opportunities
for CIDR intervention. Hence the key issue for CIDR action, while promoting soybean value chain, is first to develop soybean production at smallholder level, and then to link these producers to a
remunerative and sustainable market.
Secondly it studies every selected operating area to design its strategy for production and marketing.