ADDIS ABABA, March 31, 2026 — Potato cooperatives in Ethiopia are rebuilding in the aftermath of conflict, with farmers in Tigray and the Gamo Zone turning to improved seed, training and finance to restore production, strengthen resilience and bolster food security.
In Felege Weyni, where agricultural livelihoods were disrupted by the outbreak of war in November 2020, potato farming became a vital source of food and stability.
For Keshi Gebretsadik, a priest and head of a 54-member seed multiplication cooperative, the impact was immediate. The group lost its tractor to looting, while more than 1,000 quintals of potatoes rotted unsold as markets collapsed and transport routes were cut.
Even so, potatoes sustained households through nearly two years of conflict and remain central to family resilience during the recovery period.
Keshi, a farmer from Itsebi Woreda in Tigray Eastern Zone, began his seed multiplication initiative in 1999 E.C. with 13 members. Supported by regional agricultural institutions and microfinance services, the project later evolved into the Shewit Seed Multiplication Cooperative.
Although the war interrupted this progress, the cooperative has since resumed operations and expanded to 54 members, with equal participation of men and women. Improved access to finance and agricultural inputs is now helping the group transition from recovery to growth.
Improved seed and finance support recovery
A partnership with SNV has played a significant role in this process. Backed by a financing package of ETB 2.4 million [US$ 15,254], the cooperative has already drawn down half of the funds to restore operations and invest in future production.
“During the war and the COVID-19 pandemic, potatoes became a primary source of food. We lost our tractor, and we were forced to discard more than 1,000 quintals that could not reach the market,” said Keshi Gebretsadik.
The introduction of G1 generation seed potatoes — higher-quality, disease-controlled planting material — marked a turning point, positioning the cooperative for sustained productivity gains.
A similar transformation is under way in Chencha Woreda in the Gamo Zone.
Daniel Gomesha Goha, chairman of the Dambo Ticha GMO Seed Potato Producers Cooperative Association, said improved seed and training have enabled farmers to significantly increase yields.
“Before improved seeds, we depended entirely on local varieties with low yields,” he said.
Membership in the cooperative has grown from 30 to more than 100 farmers. Beyond commercial production, the group also distributes seed potatoes to vulnerable households unable to farm due to age, illness or limited resources, effectively serving as a community support system. Plans are now under way to expand further, with the aim of reaching every household in the area.
Workshop highlights potato’s role in resilience
These recovery efforts featured prominently at the National Potato Research and Development Workshop held from March 17 to 19 in Addis Ababa at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research [EIAR].
Held under the theme “Advancing the Potato Industry in Ethiopia: Innovation for Resilience, Food Security and Economic Growth,” the workshop underscored the growing recognition of potato as more than a subsistence crop, positioning it as a strategic asset in national development.
Participants stressed the need to bridge the gap between research and practice, ensuring innovations translate into tangible benefits for smallholder farmers. Experiences from Tigray and the Gamo Zone illustrated how potato production is emerging as a key pillar of food and nutrition security.
Speaking on St Patrick’s Day, Fergal Ryan, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland, drew parallels with Ireland’s 19th-century Great Famine, when potato blight devastated a population heavily reliant on a single crop.
“The Irish potato remains central to our story of confronting hunger and inequality. Our focus is on supporting smallholder farmers — reducing hunger and strengthening resilience by unlocking the crop’s full potential as a high-yield, nutritious and climate-adapted food,” he said.
Sector still faces structural challenges
Despite the progress, speakers at the workshop highlighted persistent structural constraints across the potato value chain.
“The potato has long been seen as a poor man’s crop. Now it risks becoming a rich man’s crop,” said Reta Worku, Technical Representative at SNV, pointing to inconsistent supply as a major challenge for processors.
“Not getting sufficient and quality potato for processing is a serious gap,” he added.
Sebsibe Zewdie of GIZ cited the National Potato and Sweet Potato Development Strategy 2024–2030 as a key framework for improving coordination across institutions.
“Sustainable and inclusive growth must centre on smallholder farmers. A coordinated approach — linking government, research, development partners and the private sector — is essential to building a resilient system,” Zewdie said.
Fekadu Gurmu, Director General of EIAR, noted that Ethiopia’s agricultural extension system has historically prioritised cereals such as wheat and maize, often leaving horticultural crops with limited attention.
“The attention given to crops like potato is still limited,” he said.
He added that ongoing research is developing varieties resistant to diseases such as late blight and wilting, while also addressing the needs of agro-processing industries. Expanding extension services to deliver these innovations to farmers remains the next critical step.
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
