The goal of the retail program, launched in October 1996, is to promote efficient and competent retail input supply and marketing businesses that will provide farmers with reliable and affordable access to agricultural inputs.

With the liberalization of Ethiopia's agricultural markets in 1992, a large number of traders have entered the newly competitive input and output markets.  In order to support the continuing development of a healthy, private marketing system, VOCA has designed the Input Retailers program in collaboration with SG 2000, Regional Cooperative Bureaus and Regional Agriculture Bureaus to provide business skills training and technical support to small scale and rural traders.

Since 1996, the Retail training program has delivered courses on Bookkeeping and Financial Management; Handling of Agricultural Chemicals; Warehouse Management and Input/Output Marketing to 300 retailers and support professionals, and its target beneficiaries have expanded to include agricultural processors.

Copyright © 2001 VOCA/Ethiopia, Last modified: August 20, 2002

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