Day: May 18, 2019

Experts and executives drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture, EHPEA member farms and stakeholders on Tuesday deliberated on a document prepared to back the agriculture sector with quarantine regulation. The discussion was conducted as a follow up after the recent validation workshop held in Adama to further cascade the regulation in depth. The participants asked questions for clarity, raised valuable comments and suggestions meant to enrich the draft regulation developed by a team of experts commissioned/formed from EHPEA and the Ministry.

Reflecting on the draft regulation, EHPEA Board member who is also farm owner Ronald Vijverberg noted that the document is prepared in accordance with international standards in a way that could pave a way to develop a number of relevant directives expected to enhance the Ethiopian horticulture sectors competitiveness globally.

Ronald also indicated that the regulation needs to be finalized and approved in a way that entertains amendment in line with future developments in the country and the world.

Fikre Markos, an employee of Agricultural Transformation Agency and consultant, also said that utmost effort has been made to incorporate every relevant information in the draft regulation. He also mentioned that once the regulation is approved attention should be directed quickly towards devising a directives.

Member farm representatives who have made active participation in the discussion raised a number of issues to be incorporated as an input into the regulation. The need for updating list of pests on regular basis has been pointed out as a matter of concern for future.

Presentation of the new plant quarantine regulation by Dr. Waktole Sori, IPM component Manager, EHPEA

The Ethiopian Plant Quarantine Regulation in use was developed in 1992. In addition, the country is a signatory of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and further paving a way for the fulfillment of the needed  preconditions to become a member of WTO. In line with these realities, there is a dire need to have a new Plant Quarantine Regulation that takes in to account the present authentic situation of the country and the world. Thus, formulation of the new regulation is found to be an option less measure.

The quarantine regulation was being developed by team of experts and is financed by EHPEA.

Tinaw Business S.C is one of the horticulture growers who participated in the Goyang Korea International Flower Exhibition took place from April 26-May 12, 2019.

Muluken Lemma who attended the event from Tinaw Business S.C. said the exhibition was good in terms of promoting company’s products at Korean market. It is not for the first time for the Company to take part in the exhibition. Compared to similar events in other countries Muluken noted that “it is a bit challenging for Ethiopian horticulture growers to pass the strict quarantine regulation in Korea and Japan airports to take part in the event.”

Besides, the inadequacy of cargo service from Ethiopia also has impact on effectively utilizing Korean market.

The colour, volume and supply period also affect export to Korean market because Korean consumers prioritize Latin American and local flowers which suit their taste in terms of cost and colour and volume.

Enhancing cargo service from Ethiopia and being able to supply all year round will be the best approach for Ethiopian horticultural farms to take advantage of Korean market.

Expressing his view Muluken said Chinese market is more accessible and convenient for Ethiopian growers when compared to the Korean one. Thus, EHPEA and the government are expected to facilitate market opportunities for Ethiopian growers at Chinese market.

Including Tinaw Business S.C which is engaged in roses production at its farm situated in Wolkite, five horticulture farms—Roshanara Rose PLC, ZK Flower, Dugda Floriculture Development PLC and Hansa Horticulture PLC exhibited their products at Goyang Korea International Flower Exhibition from Ethiopia.

The growers displayed their products at the event through the coordination of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA).

A tripartite technical discussion organized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the International Labour Organization (ILO) together with Labour Unions deliberated on minimum wage setting system with the theme ‘Possible Roadmap Towards a Minimum Wage System for Ethiopia’ in Bishoftu May 14-15, 2019.

The ILO Five-year Programme ‘Advancing Decent Work and Inclusive Industrialization in Ethiopia’ implementation was launched in April 2019 aimed at improving respect of workers’ rights leading to greater incomes and compensation, and enhanced safety, equality, voice, and representation. The program also aims to lift industrial productivity and competitiveness to assist sectors become globally competitive and encourage accountable and transparent government institutions.

Cognizant of the program the tripartite technical discussion in its conclusions highlighted that as Ethiopia has embarked on a journey towards industrialization and building up investment in infrastructure, the creation of employment and decent work that brings about increased productivity and competitiveness is a key priority in the development efforts in Ethiopia, according to EHPEA staff members who participated the discussion.

Furthermore, it was indicated that an inclusive and job rich growth through decent work is the backbone for achieving the Growth and Transformation Plan vision of attaining a middle-income economy by 2025. At a national level, the project has started facilitating social dialogue among multiple stakeholders in developing common vision and strategies to support the country’s endeavours to become an African hub of socially responsible production both for global and domestic market.

As the program aims to support fixing minimum wage as well as enhancing the capacity of government institution to prevent and resolve labour dispute, the tripartite technical discussion is said to have been instrumental.

The discussion was attended by representatives and experts came together from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Regional States Bureaus (Amhara, Oromia, Addis Ababa, Benshangul-Gumuz), EHPEA and Labour Unions.

According to the Ethiopian Herald Vol. lXXV published 11 May 2019, the Confederation of Ethiopia Trade Union (CETU) has already submitted request to the House of People’s Representatives (HPR) to set a national minimum wage with the objective of addressing complaints occurring in connection with salary payments.

In order to ensure occupational health and safety, establishing a sustainable workplace injury prevention, protection and compensation system is quite essential. At a factory level the ILO project is providing demand-driven capacity building support informed by assessment results. The support is geared towards improving the participating factories productivity, working conditions and industrial relation to make the factory competitive in local and international market. The program also aims to improve supervisory and HR skills as well as incorporate gender equality and diversity principles to encourage women worker to reach leadership.

Ethiopia’s floriculture and coffee commodities are currently being showcased at the Beijing International Horticulture Expo 2019 which is being held in Yanqing District of Beijing, China. The Beijing Expo 2019 aims to create a new horizon for world horticulture and new model of ecological civilization. Being held in a huge park of over 500 hectares, at the foot of the world famous Great Wall of China, Beijing Expo 2019 is the world’s largest horticultural show. During its six-month run, the Beijing Expo is expected to attract 16 million visitors from all over the world. Over 110 countries, including Ethiopia, are exhibiting floricultural and horticultural products and promoting their tourism attractions and cultural heritage.

Officially inaugurated on April 28, 2019 in a ceremony attended by leaders of various countries including President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, the Expo was timed to open at the end of the second Belt and Road summit. In his opening address, President Xi emphasized the importance of green development and ecological civilization through the development of horticulture industry. The Ethiopian delegation was led by Minister of Agriculture, Oumer Hussien.

Ethiopia is exhibiting its flowers and coffee as well as its extensive networks of tourist attractions to the Chinese public and to the world. Commenting on the exuberant mood of visitors of Ethiopian pavilion, Ethiopian Ambassador to China, Ambassador Teshome Toga, said that “the platform unfolds a new prospect and vitality for Ethiopia’s horticultural commodities and tourist attractions to penetrate the huge China’s market.” He added that the theme of the Expo, “Live Green, Live Better”, closely aligned with Ethiopia’s own Climate Resilient Green Economy strategy. In an interview given to the People’s Daily, Minister Oumer Hussien said “President Xi’s speech was inspirational in the sense that creating a harmonious relationship between humankind and nature is a necessity and commonly shared by all countries, and we need to treat nature in a sustainable manner to ensure the future of the next generation.”

Ethiopian horticultural development for the export of flowers, fruit and vegetables, favoured by the country’s suitable climate, has been one of its major success stories of recent years. The sector has attracted a huge investment flow and had been steadily penetrating international markets over the last two decades. Mainly driven by the expanding middle classes’ strong level of consumer confidence, backed by a younger generation who see cut flowers as part of daily life, China is becoming the largest potential marketplace of horticultural products. Expo 2019 marks a new chapter and will help to open doors for Ethiopian horticulture producers and exporters to translate their global market successes into action on China as well.

Ethiopia’s theme for Expo 2019 is “13 Months of Green Production”, portraying a picture of sustainable, harmonious and eco-friendly horticulture, produced all the year round. During the first week of the Expo, the Ethiopian pavilion caught the eyes of more than 7,000 visitors who were impressed by the colourful flowers on display and the traditional coffee ceremony. Over the next months, Ethiopia will now be organizing a series of colourful cultural performances in China to add a further dimension to the cultural and other attractions on display.

Beijing International Horticulture Expo 2019, the world’s premium horticultural exhibition, is approved by International Association of Horticultural Producers and held under the auspices of International Bureau of Exhibitions, with the support of the Government of China. Ethiopia’s participation in this Expo is being overseen by a National Steering Committee composed of various government and private entities, and State Minister of Agriculture, Aynalem Nigusie, nominated as a Commissioner-General for Ethiopia’s Pavilion. A delegation of Ethiopian commercial horticultural farmers, led by Zelalem Mesele, the President of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association, also attended the Expo. (Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, London, UK).