CIAT in Ethiopia: Science for Impact

CIAT has worked in Ethiopia for 30 years, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and regional agricultural research centers. Initially focused on bean variety development − getting improved, better beans to communities, improving their nutrition and incomes − our work has broadened to include soil fertility management, sustainable land management, climate change and climate information services.

Ethiopia has one of the most diverse agro-ecological zones in Africa, with an ambitious restoration plan and climate-resilient, green economy strategy. Together with national research institutions, farmer organizations, and the private sector, our approach has focused on mainstreaming research into the country’s development and research priorities, contributing to major Ethiopian development agendas such as the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP2), Sustainable Land Management Program (SLMP2), and Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE).

Aligning with the government’s Sustainable Land Management initiative, we support climate-resilient landscapes in partnership with local communities. Our cutting-edge science helps policymakers, the private sector, scientists, civil society, and farmers respond to the pressing challenges of our time. Drawing on international expertise and the world’s largest collections of beans and livestock forages, we tackle poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, climate change, and environmental degradation. We support and complement government efforts to create ‘climate resilient landscapes,’ developing and piloting frameworks, tools, options and evidence generation of restoration efforts across the country. We contribute to the agricultural transformation agenda of the country through improving agronomic and management practices, contributing to fertilizer recommendation efforts and leading the effort to build “digital agriculture” through Big Data analytics.