Month: August 2019

The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with Prime Minister Office has organized a consultative meeting to address challenges of the Horticulture investment and improve the export volume.

The meeting was held on 28 August 2019 at Bishoftu Kuriftu resort, chaired by H.E Ambassador Girma Biru, Economic advisor to the P.M and H.E  Mr. Humer  Husen, Minister of MoA.

On the meeting representative of EHPEA member farms, unions, concerned government offices, service providers like Ethiopian Cargo and Banks were in attendance.

The exporters raised their critical issues that need to be address by the government which can contribute for the development of the horticulture sector.  Land expansion for existing farms and new investors, land lease period policies, consolidation policy, logistics and electric power infrastructure were among the main key priority concerns which needs immediate action as presented by EHPEA Chairman Mr. Zelalem Messele, Chairman of Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA).

Ambassador Girma concluded the meeting by stating that government is keen to address the issues farm by farm and collectively based on the nature of the issue. The P.M office is highly committed to support the development of the sector and will organise a seminar shortly by coming back with possible solutions.

After years of experience in the Netherlands, in 2005 Holla Roses expanded its horizons and started its own rose nursery in Ethiopia “Ziway Roses PLC”.
Located on the Ziway lake (roughly 160 km south of the capital Addis Abeba), the nursery covers an area of 42 hectares. On this nursery, the rose assortment for wholesale and retail is accurately determined.

On daily bases roses are prepared for refrigerated transport to the Netherlands. Together with the Dutch Flower Agency (Holla Roses’ processing company), the roses are processed for various sales channels on the basis of the highest possible quality. Thanks to its location in the flower auction FloraHolland Aalsmeer, a high speed logistics process is guaranteed.

Ziway Roses created job opportunity to over 2080 permanent and temporary staffs.

The company implemented corporate social activities laid with the introduction of a school for employees’ children, hospital and sports facility to the community, as its crucial to emphasise the importance of sustainable and socially acceptable production.

Ziway Roses Annual Workers Day and 14th Years establishment Festival operating in Ethiopia celebrated on August 27, 2019 at its farm located in Ziway/Batu. On this colourful celebration event Mr.Marc Holla, owner and managing director of Ziway Roses, received the highest traditional gift from the community leaders Aba Gedaa” and the company also reward Aba Gedaa and employees who have contributed to the organization's success.

A validation workshop on the Ministerial Regulation for the draft Plant breeder right proclamation and seed proclamation has been conducted from August 26-28, 2019 at Lisak Resort, Bishoftu where relevant sector actors and stakeholders involved. The workshop was organized by Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA).

A key stakeholders deliberated in depth in the consultation comprised of organizations from Federal and Regional States as well as Development Partners of the Agriculture Sector and Seed Sub-sector.

A depth, review has been made to the regulation in terms of technical, procedural as well as lawful actions that contribute to the final enrichment of the regulation aimed to create a document that is acceptable by the users and workable in Ethiopian context. The organizers stated that it will be further appraised as well as relevant feedbacks will be incorporated and be on table of parliament for ratification.

Ethiopian institute of agriculture research (ILRI), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office, Coffee and Tea authority, Ethiopian Institute of Biodiversity, Ethiopia Seed Enterprise, and Participants from Regional States; Public Seed Enterprises, BoA, RARI’s, and Private Seed Producers as well as development partners in the sector such as ICARDA, CYMMIT, ISSD, FAO, GIZ and EHPEA were the partakers to the enrichment of the proclamation so as to fit the sector and produce comprehensive document.

The Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) organised a consultative workshop for member farms to gather inputs and feedbacks by presenting its draft 5 year strategic plan on August 16, 2019 at Capital hotel.

In collaboration with its project partner bfz (Training and Development Centre of the Bavarian state of Germany) the strategy plan has been prepared as part of its main project engagement on strengthening the institutional development of the Association.

On the preparation process a team drawn from EHPEA and bfz, with technical support from an independent international consultant pursued gathering and analysing various inputs and data relevant to complete preparation of the strategic plan.

Moreover the strategic plan was enriched with the participation of key stakeholders and by conducting a depth contextual analysis as well as scanning internal and external environment, by applying PESTLE/ SWOT analysis. The strategic plan is expected to provide the leadership, management, staff, members, and other stakeholders with a clear roadmap and strategic priorities EHPEA has chosen to realize its vision and accomplish its mission while fulfilling its mandates in the coming five years. The strategic plan has come up with five strategic pillars.

The overall strategic plan of EHPEA serves as a roadmap, maximizes opportunities and minimizes risks, increases stakeholder engagement, and facilitates alignment within the EHPEA, helps to set priorities, and increases effectiveness and brings more impact. It is expected to assist EHPEA in financial sustainability as well as in the allocation of scarce resources to achieve competitive advantage. It also helps EHPEA leaders as innovative in growing EHPEA’s assets and core values.

On the diagnosis session member farm representatives reflected their ideas, expectations and valuable inputs which are of paramount importance   to further enrich the draft strategy plan.

Jogo Women Empowerment Coffee House- Florensis Ethiopia Plc

Florensis Ethiopia Plc Constructing a Coffee House for Jogo Reforestation Site as an Income Generating Initiative

Florensis Ethiopia PLC is constructing a coffee house for Jogo Reforestation Site in which the project expenditure raises around half a million ETB. The initiative aimed to benefits 20 women organized by Lume woreda women’s and children’s affairs office.

Florensis Ethiopia stated that this is one of the biggest CSR project implemented solely so far. This project also creates job opportunity for the community youth in which labor for the construction which takes around half of the expenditure through a contract and the materials supply also sourced from the area youths and entrepreneurs.

The Jogo reforestation project had been managed under the local non- governmental organization; Social and Environmental Development Organization (SAEDO) initiated and owned by the cluster farms to execute several joint corporate social responsibility and communal support activities. The site covered 11 hectares of degraded land and it is recalled that 6000 seedlings were planted at Jogo area in Lume district by 60 volunteers in 2014 and 18,000 seedlings in 2015 and distributed about 2000 seedlings to kebeles, planted more than 10,000 in 2017, 10,000 seedlings in 2018.

There was a plan also on the way to continue plantations and also build recreational cultural houses for the reforestation area organized women to empower them with the intention of handing over the area at the end for the sustainability of the reforestation and rehabilitation project.

With an ever increasing demand for cutting edge innovative technologies in horticultural crops production in Ethiopia, Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) and Ethiopian Biotechnology Institute (EBTI) are jointly moving ahead to establish a win-win partnership. With a projection of this grand idea in mind, EHPEA has organized a one day field visit for the EBTI scientists on August 13, 2019.

The field visit was made to three selected farms at Koka cluster. The farms were Florensis Abyssinia, Ethio-cuttings (or Syngenta) and Red Fox PLCs . Other Key stakeholders in attendance were Ministry of Agriculture, Environment-Forest-Climate Change Commission, Arsi University and Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. The aim of the visit was to impart the scientists with first hand authentic and multi-dimensional challenges of the sector with an emphasis in the area of pests and solid waste management for sustainability.

During the visit, a fruit full discussion was made among the participants and all the three farms farm managers’ have pointed out that their door is wide open for any scientist who is interested to address the multi-pronged challenges of the sector adding value to their produces. Challenges need be addressed to enhance the productivity and quality of the produce by mandated institutions like EBTI and EIAR. Thus the move to enter in to formal agreement between EHPEA and EBTI is very much welcomed by EHPEA member farms.

EBTI in their part appreciated the initiation by EHPEA and mentioned that at EBTI there exists a vested interest to research on high value horticultural crops and the opportunity shall be grabbed by each and every scientists of the institute in the area of their respective specialization. Dr Lemma of the institute, stated that the institute is working on the development of Memorandum of Agreement which will soon be discussed between the two organization and ratified by both with consensus. Then after EHPEA and EBTI will enter in to agreement formally to collaborate in an innovative endeavours that will benefit both the institutes and the country at large.

This collaboration will enable to strengthen the capacity of the institute to innovate technologies enabling farms to cope up with the ever changing climate and productivity impacting factors like pests. This will enable the country to harness the huge potential of the horticulture sector. Thus, considering the limitless future of horticulture in the country, envisioning the necessity of win-win partnership and the dire demand of technologies in the sector; EHPEA believe that the would-be collaboration will yield an examplenary model results in the near future. The ultimate essence of the collaboration is to support the vision of the member farms and actively engage in the role that their vision truly happen.

Koka cluster meeting held at Florensis Ethiopia, with the presence of eight farms. In the meeting a number of cluster based issues and challenges deliberated at length. Voluntary cluster based minimum wage, infrastructural challenges such as road, network, power breakage, collective bargaining issues, customs and revenue issues and joint corporate social responsibility (CSR) project initiatives were among the agendas discussed in depth.

One of the interventions implemented by Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) is focusing on environment conservation through both liquid and solid waste management, wetland system and composting respectively.

In line with this, EHPEA management visited Florensis Ethiopia plc focusing on wetland construction for the treatment of waste water generated from the farm. The wetland construction was initiated by EHPEA in collaboration with Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) and Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) aimed to treat the liquid waste water generate from farms to the highest purified effluent level. Up to date the wetland executed in 30 of EHPEA member farms.

In this regard, Florensis Ethiopia plc has been one of the beneficiary member farms highly committed and engaged in the technology and the construction as shown in the picture below, has accomplished the foundation and gravel bed hydroponics (GBH) with fully concrete material.

The farm progressed around 60% of the construction of wetland in which only the filling of substrates and planting of recommended aquatic plants remain.

PM Abiy launched the Investment and Jobs Creation National committee this morning in the presence of Regional Presidents and Federal Ministers.

Noting that Ethiopia has to unlock the full potential of the private sector with a view to creating sustainable & decent jobs, he reiterated that the importance of putting the country on a path to a virtuous cycle of development.

The committee, Chaired by PM Abiy, comprises the Deputy Prime Minister, Presidents of the 9 Regional Governments; Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa Mayors; 2 PMO representatives and 10 Federal Ministries.

The Ministries include Trade & Industry, Peace, Agriculture, Urban Dev’t & Construction, Labor & Social Affairs Innovation & Technology; Water, Irrigation & Electricity; Mines & Petroleum; Tourism & Culture; and Science & Higher Education.

The national committee will ensure the creation of sustainable & decent work by aligning policy and institutional systems. It will also play a leading role in securing & expanding investments closely & ensure implementation of plans to increase investments and job creation.

The committee is also set to coordinate for effective outputs, the work of Federal & Regional entities and other stakeholders in creating a conducive investment environment to accelerate jobs creation.

Every year b/n 2-3mil youth enter the employ ability age range and add to #Ethiopia’s human resource & talent pool. While #Ethiopia’s economic performance is progressive, more work needs to be done to create a conducive investment climate towards job creation.

The Doing Business Initiative and committee led by PM Abiy has marked key milestones towards the goal of creating an enabling business env’t in which the pvt sector can play its critical jobs creation role.

These two committees working in sync are expected to facilitate the goal of creating 3mil jobs by the end of E.C 2012. Key sectors identified and given special focus to accelerate jobs creation nation wide include agriculture, mining, tourism and IT.

The National Committee will meet every two months to evaluate progress and follow-up on issues requiring immediate action to unlock performance. Following the meeting, PM Abiy and the committee members planted seedlings together for a #GreenLegacy.

Herburg is a Netherland origin company operating on flower business for over 40 years.  With its excellent experience in growing roses it opened the first nursery out of Holland in Ziway, Ethiopia located about 163 km east from the capital.

Currently, Herburg Roses has 40 hectares of greenhouse rose production exporting to UK market about 2million stems on weekly bases.As part of its good will to support the surrounding community the company implemented various corporate social activities.

Under the education support program which was started in 2016, Herburg facilitate school materials and uniforms for 150 students every year including for its employees by facilitating school materials for their children’s and to achieve academic excellence.

As Erosion is a major problem in Africa Herburg is involved on planting trees and contributing money for better live environment in being partner with IDH (Sustainable trade Initiative) in reforestation project .

As part of housing project, Herburg constructed houses for internally displaced peoples from Somali region in 2018 which costs ETB 863,000.00.  In addition to this , by contributing 600,000.00 ETB  a new drinking water line have been installed in batu town.

Among others, Herburg Roses extend in kind supports for the local community members, relevant stakeholders and employees as well such as; donation for East Shoa Zone Higher court as requested, sponsorship for federation, donation for light anti-HIV/AIDS organization, sponsorship for Sher School students for graduation to publish magazine every year, ODA-tombola unity for development donation for lottery, Health insurance coverage for 30 people for the community, supporting water at Bulbula area two kebele’s, Supporting elders 3 times in a year (for Holidays) and financial contribution.

In addition to the above mentioned CSR engagements, Herburg Roses created a partnership with other farms in Ziway cluster and engage in a number of community benefiting projects.