Research has shown that Ethiopia’s horticulture sector is growing rapidly and is an important element in the country’s efforts to diversify exports and contribute directly to poverty reduction. To ensure the continued growth of the sector through increased, exports, income employment, and food security, the Ethiopian Ministry for Agriculture and Horticulture Development Sector, is collaborating with the COMESA – East African Community Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA) Project in enhancing growth of the Horticulture Sector in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, the Ethiopian Agriculture Authority, and the Ethiopia Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association are also involved in the project.
The CEHA program was created in 2022 through public and private sector partners to better coordinate policy, value chain development programs, financing, research, and development. The project aims to accelerate the growth of the fruit and vegetable subsector of the COMESA and EAC regions. The priority value chains over the short term are avocado, onion, and Irish potato in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The programme is set to launched in July this year. A pre-launch engagement mission to enhance horticulture development in the region, spearheaded by the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Mukuka, was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February this year.
This meeting identified the key challenges affecting the horticulture landscape, including; post-entry quarantine for seed movement and the need for capacity building and support in regulatory systems. Potential opportunities were discussed and centred on leveraging European Union-funded projects and CEHA platforms, emphasizing the need for stakeholder coordination and infrastructure development.
The Ethiopian delegation led by the Ethiopian State Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture Development, Hon. Dr Meles Yemen, underscored the importance of the horticulture sector as a key driver of employment and poverty reduction. He remarked that the agricultural system faces challenges due to its tropical nature and diverse production, with an emphasis on the need for policy harmonization, support for local seed production, stakeholder coordination, and infrastructure development. The avocado initiative was highlighted as a significant export opportunity endorsed by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, requiring logistics support and infrastructure development.
The meeting reflected a shared dedication to develop the horticulture sector and provided a valuable opportunity for CEHA to engage with Ethiopian horticulture stakeholders and identify areas for collaboration and support.
Key meeting recommendations highlighted the need for policy harmonization, support for local seed production, stakeholder coordination, infrastructure development, and capacity building.
The partnerships underlined the need for accelerating commercial integration of East African horticultural value chains into national, regional, and international markets to promote the growth of horticultural markets.
The next critical actions and steps will involve further discussions on research, seed certification, and collaboration with regional bodies such as IGAD and COMESA.