Poor Farmer

Note from Wondwossen: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has published on March 22, 2012 the final evaluation report on its assistance to Ethiopia in two strategic programs: Economic Growth Corridor and Private Sector Development, which includes UNDP's support for the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange. The evaluation was conducted from November 28 to December 16, 2011 with the objective to assess the progress and achievement of the projects and "the contribution of UNDP’s support towards these, and to propose measures to increase the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of UNDP’s cooperation in the area of private sector development." Highlights (paraphrased): ·          UNDP has allocated $1.5 million annually (from July 2008 through June 2013) to cover salaries of the international experts (including the CEO's salary of about $300,000 annually, according to the Ethiopian Weekly, Addis Fortune, June 24, 2012) ·   ...

A study commissioned by the Partnership Program between the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government and Wageningen UR has concluded that the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange cannot meet the demands of the high value markets, such as the Japanese market and the demand for sustainably and safely produced mainstream products by major Western retailers. But it does meet the demands of the major importer, China, and other countries that pay rather low prices.  The following is an excerpt from the study. Ethiopian Commodity Exchange: opportunities but also limitations Since the establishment of the ECX, the ECX itself and the subject of specialty produce has been a much debated and sometimes politically sensitive issue. As the CEO of the ECX has put it: "specialty coffee has taken ECX by storm". In an interview held with the Chief Executive Officer of the ECX at the end of 2009, she mentioned that they have realized that the very flexible system of the ECX...