e co se rAM

pro j e ct de ve l o pme n t *
b i o & fo o d fai r t rade
t rai n i n g & b u si n e ss su ppo rt *
*

company summary

Jerusalem bio-food & farm project

Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

...ecoserAM, JeCCDO farm project, p.o.box 2033, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia ***
ecoseram@web.de
ecoservices in Amhara Region

Our aim is to create good practice – solutions for local problems and to
actively network and cooperate with like-minded businesses and other part-

ners (government, universities, institutions and organizations) in this.

Our vision is to bring in international good practice in organic food pro-

duction and processing and adapt what works best under local conditions
to locally produce high quality food products for the local as well as inter-

national markets.

Given the overall situation of the Amhara Region (with traditional small
scale farming as major economic basis), there is an obvious demand for
intensifying agricultural production, but at the same time securing and
improving the livelihoods of the local people and avoid displacement and
further impoverisation. From our point of view, a more systematic use of
the methods of organic agriculture can be one workable approach to ad-
dress this.

In particular in the past year, a steep increase in food prices in combina-

tion with anticipated shortages in supplies has been observed, hence a
promising strategy seems to be to produce more quality food at com-
paratively low costs. This is our entry point.

ecoserAM, together with our partners, would like to develop training for
the production (farmer, local & investors) and processing (start-ups,
SMEs & investors) of natural and organic food, at the same time estab-
lishing standards and certification for organic production.With this stra-
tegic approach we aim to increase the local production of quality foods.
This should improve local supply, the surplus will then be processed and
traded through our joint trade channels.

With view to the social fabric and the economic environment it is an

ethical precondition for us that the local people share of the benefits of
improved agricultural methods and trade channels – we would like local
people to built up livelihoods by producing quality foods, as our suppli-

ecoserAM
Jerusalem bio farm & training project, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

2
ers, subcontractors, partners, friends, supporters – . Together with our
partners, we would like to build up a future“Centre of Knowledge of Or-
ganic Agriculture” for the Amhara Region.

ecopia – company summary (cont.)

ecoserAM is a social enterprise. With a

combination of innovative spirit, a social
and ethical entrepreneurship concept and
commitment to transfer of skills to local
people, we will develop certification &
training programs, projects, develop ideas
into businesses and bring our new prod-
ucts to the markets through our joint trad-
ing channels.

ecoserAM will function as service pro-

vider and apply and train modern busi-
ness management. Services will be devel-
oped in close cooperation with the local
needs and demands as well as the re-
quirements of partners and customers.

To achieve this, capacitated human re-

sources, individuals and entities are
needed. ecoserAM will apply a systematic
approach for the development of the hu-
man resource as well as standards for fair
traded natural/organic products from the
Amhara Region. After all, the human and
natural resources are an immense, yet
largely undeveloped wealth of the region
- and her greatest potential.

ecoserAM
Jerusalem bio farm & training project, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

3
 objectives for the start-up phase

1. setting up a (gradually accredited) training center &

certification agency

2. setting up and managing of model units and test plots

for organic food processing, packaging and marketing

3. develop an organics incubation support program in

cooperation with local and international partners

Management services, training, marketing and trading of our natural &

organic agricultural products and processed foods are our core business.
Further projects and services such as market outlets, cafeteria & dormi-
tory, management of trade fairs and –events and open days will be de-
veloped during the start-up phase.

Substantial investment in time and resources has already been made

over the past 2 years in research and networking in the agro food proc-
essing sector and the potential for natural/organic food in the Amhara
Region.

On the basis of a joint memorandum of understanding, ecoserAM will

start operations with the JeCCDO/Jerusalem Farm Project in Bahir Dar,
Amhara Region by setting up crop test plots, suitable and professional

ecoserAM
Jerusalem bio farm & training project, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

4
model food processing units, training and incubation support facilities.

ecoserAM’s prior research and professional advice from partners has

led to the identification of the following model units to start with:

1. production units:

PU 1: cheese, butter & diary products

PU 2: honey & honey products (mobile production)

PU 3: organic wild coffee

PU 4: organic fruit products (sun-dried, marmelades, fruit pur

rees, compots, juices, herbs&spices, as per season)

PU 5: organic seed station

PU 6: nursery

others to be developed.

2. management units:

MU 1: packaging, labeling, printing, quality control & standards, dis-

patch preparation

MU 2: marketing & promotion, market link

GM: general management, training & certification, business support

3. project units:

PRO 1: modern ecological architecture for farming facilities (PPP

request/AA university internship project?)

PRO 2: water & energy (irrigation, drinking water, solar, wind)

4. test plots: min. 5 ha land of farm land for test plots for product de-
velopment:

plot 1: mung beans > soya products

ecoserAM
Jerusalem bio farm & training project, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

5
 plot 2: oilseeds > organic edible oil production

plot 3: cash crop organic fruits, herbs & vegetables

plot 4: grains

plot 5: herbal cosmetics & medicine

the team:

The ecooserAM management team will be composed of one senior pro-

fesssional and four Ethiopian junior managers, responsible for their re-
spective units. The team will be complemented by a network of partners
and short term experts. The management team will also be responsible
for managing ecoserAMs centre and facilties, including the support staff.

Our joint professional backgrounds cover development cooperation, eco-

nomics, event-, training & seminar management, food technology and
facilities management with a common background in organic and ethical
principles and processe

our partners:

•“Ecological Products of Ethiopia, (Ecopia)” is a social company that

orchestrates the value chain of organic food, cosmetics and herbal
production, processing and marketing. The head quarter is in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia. Essentially, ECOPIA is involved in the commercial
movement of organic food from field to the consumers. eco services
Amhara is a sister company of ecopia and as such part of a business
concept to enhance the capacities for the production of natural (or-
ganic) food and food products.

•“Jerusalem Childrens and Community Development Organisation”

(JeCCDO) is our partner in availing the facilities of the “Jerusalem
Farm” compound in Bahir Dar and cooperating in developing the local
resources. With JeCCDO we will operate on the basis of a ‘Memoran-
dum of Understanding’and ensure, that also the most vulnerable me-
bers of society can access our services.

ecoserAM
Jerusalem bio farm & training project, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

6
List of potential partners that will be addressed during the start-up
phase:

•naturland, rapunzel, allos(?) & biofachverbände D

•BD university

•German universities

•donor agencies in Ethiopia for internship & ‘project to business’

funds, PPPs

•Amhara Region: Amhara Agricultural Research Institute, Bureau of

Trade and Industry, Bureau of Agriculture, Bureau of Capacity Building

company value:

starting capital/assets 100,000 EUR

estimated value capital/assets (incl. knowledge) within

3 years of operations: 500,000 EUR

ecoserAM
Jerusalem bio farm & training project, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

7
 What are the environmental benefits of organic agriculture?

Sustainability in the long term. Organic agriculture has a positive me-

dium- and long-term effect on the agro-ecosystem. The aim is to pro-
duce high quality food while establishing an ecological balance. With
this, organic agriculture takes a proactive approach as opposed to trea-
ting problems after they emerge.

“Pure Joy of Nature”:

Organic agricultural production benefits the environment by using e-

arth-friendly agricultural methods and practices.

eco ser A M
p r o j ect d evel o p men t *
b i o & f o o d f ai r trad e *
trai n i n g & b u si n ess s u p p o r t *
*

ecoserAM
Jerusalem bio farm & training project, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia