International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Expression of Interest: Modernizing Innovative Forest Product Value Chains and Creating Inclusive Jobs

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTERESTForest Product Market Development Challenge Fund, EthiopiaIssuance Date: April 22, 2026 Closing Date: May 22, 2026 Background and Rationale Ethiopia possesses significant forest and tree-based resources with high potential to contribute to economic growth, rural livelihoods, climate resilience, and industrial development. Key value chains including round wood, gums and resins, forest honey, tree seedlings, and biomass briquettes offer substantial opportunities for private sector engagement. However, these value chains face systemic constraints, including weak market linkages and fragmented supply chains; low productivity and limited access to improved technologies; quality and standardization challenges; limited access to finance for MSMEs, underdeveloped service markets (inputs, logistics, certification, etc.). At the same time, youth and women remain underrepresented in higher-value segments of these markets despite their strong participation at production level. To address these challenges, the Forest Product Market Development Challenge Fund (FPMD- CF) is established under the Sustainable Private Sector in Forestry (SPSF) Programme to catalyze private sector innovation and investment, strengthen forest market systems, and promote inclusive economic opportunities. The SPSF Programme is funded by SIDA and UNDP and is designed to strengthen Ethiopia’s forest sector by promoting sustainable, market-driven development and enhanced private sector engagement. The programme applies a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to address systemic constraints, improvecompetitiveness, and unlock the full economic and employment potential of forest-based value chains. SPSF aims to contribute to inclusive economic growth, job creation, and environmental sustainability through catalytic and market-oriented interventions. The programme is being implemented across six regions and eight target areas in Ethiopia. These include Oromia Region (Asela an