The Role of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks in Transforming Agriculture and Their Impact on Food Security among Smallholder Farmers

Abstract

The Ethiopian government is promoting integrated agro-industrial parks (IAIPs) to transform agriculture, but their impact on smallholder farmers' food security is yet to be studied. IAIPs contributions to agricultural transformation and its implication on smallholder farmers food security was studied in Ethiopia. Publications of journal articles, books, proceeding, international conference reports, policy papers, and unpublished reports, newsletters, and speeches of scholars were reviewed for the analyses of this study. The findings showed IAIP is an engine for agricultural transformation in the country. It builds big tent and collective actions of policy makers, leaders, international donors and financial institutions, investors, global practitioners, consultants, agricultural producers, food processers and traders for changing the supply-based subsistence farming system to market oriented and demand driven agriculture. Smallholder farmers participate in different forms in accordance with their key roles to play. Potential farmers have access to improved production technologies to produce and supply raw materials to the IAIPs while others provide off-farm labor. They gain increased income from sales of their products and off-farm employment that increases their financial capacity and ability to buy quality materials including food for their families. In conclusion,, IAIP plays key roles for transforming agricultural sector and have positive implication on smallholder farmers food and nutritional security in Ethiopia.