KfW and AUDA-NEPAD project team members conducted an evaluation and monitoring visit to assess the progress of Arba Minch University (AMU)’s JOB-FEET (SIFA) project from September 21–23, 2026. The team also visited beneficiary sites in Arba Minch town, Dorze, and Tula Kebele in Kogota Woreda. Click here to see more photos.
Dr. Ing. Abdella Kemal, President of AMU, appreciated the donors’ support and partnership, noting that AMU, as a research university, works with international, national, regional, and local institutions to address community challenges. He said the projects have reached beneficiaries across South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Sidama Regions through training and job creation for youth and women. He thanked the SIFA project team and stakeholders for their progress and commitment.
In his remarks, Dr. Teklu Wegayehu, AMU Vice President for Research and Cooperation, described the AMU-SIFA project as a unique initiative for its end-to-end focus on the enset value chain, implementation across three regional states, and strong public-private partnership. He noted that the project was designed to create employment opportunities for more than 1,500 youth and women through 81 enterprises. He appreciated the project team’s commitment and successful implementation of the major milestones, emphasizing the need to complete the remaining activities while ensuring sustainability and clear exit strategies.
Project Coordinator Dr. Wondwossen Jerene said the AMU-SIFA project is an African Union initiative funded by the German Development Bank (KfW) and implemented by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). He explained that the evaluation and monitoring visit aimed to assess the project’s progress over the past two years. He highlighted key interventions, including disease-free enset seedling propagation, fiber-crafting training, food production, and the production and distribution of enset-processing machines across Sidama, Central Ethiopia, and South Ethiopia regions. He said the visiting team appreciated the progress and expressed its willingness to continue working with AMU. Dr. Wondwossen thanked the donors, partners, stakeholders, and project team for their contributions to the project’s success.
Dr. Sam Mwaura, KfW Project Team Leader, said, KfW, a German Development Bank, operating in Ethiopia on behalf of the German Government, focuses on development grants. He explained that his team was in Arba Minch to monitor the implementation of the AMU-SIFA project and confirmed that all four milestones had been completed. Based on his experience of monitoring SIFA projects, he described that the AMU project as one of the best and confirmed it by the field visit and expressed KfW’s continued commitment to working with AMU.
Mrs. Mary Waga, AUDA-NEPAD Program Officer, highlighted the Agency’s role in advancing the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 through people-centered and inclusive development. Reflecting on the field visit, she appreciated the project’s practical impact on beneficiaries and its effective use of locally available resources to address community challenges. She particularly commended AMU’s efforts to promote enset as a drought-resistant and nutritious crop with potential to contribute to food security, and thanked the AMU team for its work.
Mr. Workneh Hailemichael, Vice Dean of Arba Minch Polytechnic and Satellite Institute, said the institution actively works with local industries and communities through outreach, skills development, and collaborative projects. He noted that, as a stakeholder in the AMU-SIFA project, the Polytechnic provides training and produces technologically improved machines to support the processing of safe and nutritious enset food products.
Mr. Aweke Mamo from Lucy Enset PLC said the company, in collaboration with AMU and Arba Minch Polytechnic, with support from AUDA-NEPAD and SIFA, has produced and supplied modern enset-processing machines to project beneficiaries. He noted that the company also trained women organized into enterprises to operate the machines, which have helped reduce the labor, time, and hygiene challenges associated with traditional enset processing. He added that Lucy Enset has also created employment opportunities for youth and women and plans to expand its workforce as its operations grow.
Dr. Abiot Tsegaye, a project team member, presented a report on AUDA-NEPAD financial advisory and project management, followed by a discussion among participants.
The visit concluded with reflections on future collaboration between AMU and its partners, with the visiting team expressing interest in continued engagement and similar initiatives. The team also visited Arba Minch Crocodile Ranch, enjoyed a boat trip on Lake Chamo, and visited Forty Springs, one of Arba Minch’s most cherished tourist destinations.
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