Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Menagesha Biotech Industry PLC Menagesha Biotech Industry PLC Inoculants production, distribution & challenges Dejene Woldemariam, MBI, General Manager ILRI-N2Africa Annual Planning & Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Validation Workshop January 2015 ILRI Campus, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Outline of presentation Brief introduction of the company Input (Inoculant, seed) production and distribution: Past Experiences key Challenges in Input production and Distribution Planning for 2015 Potential Partnership with ILRI-N2Africa

Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Brief introduction of the company Menagesha Biotech Industry P.L.C. (MBI) is a local privately owned modest enterprise established in 2012 by three Ethiopian professionals With the aim of producing and distributing bio- fertilisers for major legume crops of the country to be expanded to others crops in the coming years. The production section of MBI is led by a PhD with extensive experience having a regular staff of one MSc, three BSc and six certificate holders.

Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Input (Inoculant, seed) production and distribution: Past Experiences MBI currently offers to its clients rhizobia inoculants for the following leguminous crops: Faba beans, field pea, Chickpeas, Haricot beans, Soybeans, Lentil, Mung beans. During its establishment year MBI produced and distributed 30,000 packets The second year it produced 70,000 packets We have been able to distribute and sell to thousands of farmers in different parts of the country

Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa key Challenges in Input production and Distribution The key Challenges in Input production and Distribution include: –Lack of distribution channels –No Institution to popularize inoculants in Ethiopia

Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Planning for 2015 At present it has developed the capacity to produce and distribute 150,000 packets, enough for 37,500 hectares of land.

Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Potential Partnership with ILRI-N2Africa In the past tow Years, N2Africa has partnered with MBI by establishing several demonstration sites and organizing field days. This has greatly contributed for the popularization of this input in Ethiopia. Currently, we have partnered with ILRI-N2Africa and AGRA/SSTP on a Project “Scaling Chickpea Technologies for Increased Production and Productivity of Smallholder Farmers in Major Chickpea Producing Areas of Ethiopia”