EHPEA and bbw international joined hands to kick off an exclusive “Organic Certification” training. Participants from EHPEA TVET Center, Ethiopian Agricultural Authority, Farms, and Ministry of Agriculture were welcomed.
This training will empower participants to understand US, EU, and Japan organic standards, finesse organic production and handling, decode labeling and market dynamics, and design effective systems for marketing organic products.
The need for proactive synergy between the government, private sector and academic institution to realize an efficient and smart agro-logistics in Ethiopia deliberated at the sensitization workshop organized by Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) today at Best Western Hotel, Addis Ababa.
Agriculture plays a significant role in the country’s economy contributing to economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, food security and foreign currency earnings.
Even though the horticulture sector was introduced to the country only in the past two decades, it becomes the second top hard currency generator to the country and playing a significant role in the socio-economic wellbeing of the society.
As the nature of horticultural products require well established and integrated infrastructure for storing and moving products with proper equipment to guarantee that the horticulture products are handled properly in order to maintain their quality and preserve their shelf-life, its important to capacitate the port and facilities, electrical energy and cold chain, road infrastructure & agro-logistics digitalization to be competent with other countries as well as meet the international standards.
The workshop was a great platform to cross fertilize knowledge between the experts, scholars and private sector with the way forward to strengthen the role of agro-logistics policy directives and management to bring more efficiency in the entire chain harmonization.
A study tour to horticulture farms in Holeta cluster conducted, with an aim to ensure gender equality and reproductive health at workplace, addressing family planning commodity and women empowerment.
The visit incorporated representatives from government officials from Ministry of Labor and Skills, Ministry of Health, the Regional Labor and Social Affairs, the Regional Health Bureau, Labor and Social Affairs of Holeta City Administration, Health Office of Holeta City, the Labor and Social Affairs and Health Bureau of Ejere and Wolmera District office.
The team discussed on the gaps and support need of farms related to capacity building of labour union, enhancing the standards of farm clinic & family planning commodity shortage.
Representatives from Ministry of Health briefed the participants on the minimum health service standards gave a direction to the Woreda office to assist farms addressing the gaps and to work jointly with farms through providing of technical supports and service delivery on the Reproductive health aspect, to ensure empowerment and create better working environment.
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) member farms received a recognition award from H.E. Ms. Muferihat Kamil, Minister of MoLS, at the National Labour Conference organized to celebrate Ethiopia’s 100th anniversary of International Labour Organization (ILO) membership in Addis Ababa, under the theme of “Advancing Social justice through social dialogue and enhance productivity”.
The award extended to the farms; Sher Ethiopia Plc on Gold level, Joytech PlC & Ethio-Agriceft Plc on Silver level, Afri-flower Plc and Linssen Rose Bronze level for their extensive engagement and contribution, creating a favorable working condition for workers as well asa sustainable horticulture industry. Herburg Roses Plc also got a Gold level award in their active engagement with the Labour Union for the well-being of workers by encouraging democratic participation and a sense of community among workers.
The three day conference commemorated Ethiopia’s ILO Centenary by reflecting on the ILO and tripartite partners’ accomplishments in advancing social dialogue, decent work, enhanced productivity, and inclusive growth. Additionally, the forum prioritize the agenda of Employers’ and Workers’ Affairs, fostering a collaborative platform for stakeholders in the world of work.
High-Level Government delegates from MoLS, ILO, Workers’ and Employers’ organizations, the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the South Africa Development Community (SADC), and diplomatic missions were in attendance. Additionally, academicians, prominent organization leaders, as well as other individuals with practical experience in labour issues and policy development also participated and shared their insights.
As part of sustainable horticulture export business development, Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) in collaboration with the German Embassy in Addis Ababa organized a briefing session on the due diligence of compliance requirements to penetrate Germany export market.
The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (SCDDA) comes into force on 1 January 2023 and the law applies to organizations in Germany with more than 3,000 employees. From 2024 onwards, organizations with more than 1,000 employees will need to comply with the SCDDA.
In 2016, the German government launched its National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights finding only one-fifth of organizations with more than 500 employees met human rights due diligence obligations.
The SCDDA is intended to raise those numbers and prevent human and environmental rights violations. There is an extraterritorial aspect of the law that accounts for infringements in the domestic and international markets.
On the briefing session Mrs. Susanne Duiring, the counsellor for social affairs in German Embassy Addis Ababa, presented the new regulation of Germany in the global value chain in-line with the horticulture produce.
The obligatory core elements in the establishment of a risk management system to identify, prevent, and minimize the risks of human rights violations and damage to the environment discussed at length with the farm representatives and the way forward to document and provide evidence of measures and processes to avoid sanctions.
The participants stated that most of EHPEA member farms fulfill the standards as they have been working the past two decades on the export business, where the association also support on the capacity building of members having its own standards and certifications.
The Association Executive director Mr. Tewodros Zewdie stated that, as Germany is one of the main horticulture product export destinations for Ethiopia, it will continue its relentless effort to elevate the capacity of members to comply with the international standards.
In its relentless endeavor to elevate the technical capacity of avocado farms, cooperatives, unions and regional public sector agricultural experts and extension workers, EHPEA trained more than 800 farm agronomists, production managers, post harvest experts and extension workers on “Post Harvest Handling of Avocado.”
The trainees were drawn from Sidama and South Ethiopia Regional States.
Capacity building is an important element to have transformation in the avocado value chain.
It is worth to pay credit for the contribution of MASHAV project in introducing and availing planting material for Ethiopia’s avocado production and global market integration. Now, we need to scale up the best and sustainable practices.
A familiarization workshop on ‘Minimum Service Package for Adolescent Youth Health at workplace in Ethiopia” (MSP)’, held on November 16, 2023 at Best Western plus hotel Addis Ababa in collaboration with The Federal Ministry of Health and Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA).
The implementation of MSP package will be critical in promoting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of the youth, especially young women, working and living in and around the horticulture industry.
On the workshop it was underscored that multi-sectoral collaboration is important in ensuring the health of adolescents and youth for them to contribute for the country development.
As the horticulture sector employed over 200 thousand people, the sector is among the priority intervention areas in ensuring that the youth working there benefit from, among others, sexual and reproductive health services.
On the workshop, higher expert on the development and implementation of the MSP from Ministry of Health Dr. Abebe Abadi presented on the contents expected outcome, purpose and the implementation process of the MSP for the participants and discussed at length.
Dr. Alemayehu Hunduma (PhD,MPH), FMoH, Head of Reproductive Health, Family Planning, Adolescent and Youth Health Desk, on his closing remarks, acknowledged the facilitation role of EHPEA and what the sector is doing to improve the workplace health agenda including SRH and GBV service and information initiative.
On behalf of his Ministry, he also extend the commitment and readiness to collaborate with the sector on addressing MSP implementation.
Ethiopian flower farms represented at IFTF EXPO through Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) stand where the expo takes place in the Netherlands from November 8 to 10, 2023.
IFTF is a meeting place for companies in the flora sector from all over the world.The event offers a platform to buyers and suppliers from the floristry sector, where an attractive combination of doing business and socializing is created.
EHPEA participate in this expo with an objective to create market linkage and promote the Ethiopian forticulture brand.
A discussion platform with a theme ‘Making a Difference Through Horticulture Investment’, held at Capital hotel today by the lead of H.E Dr. Girma Amente, Minister of Ministry of Agriculture and in collaboration with Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporter Association (EHPEA).
On the meeting the Ministry announced the sector export performance as the second top hard currency earner to the country next to coffee, amounting 658.31million USD on the last fiscal year with market destination mainly to the Netherlands, Saudi Arabiya, UK, UAE, Japan, Djibouti, Somalia, Nigeria, and other emerging destinations to Africa.
The meeting was a great platform which involved major players of the sector from Federal level, regional and private sectors to discuss at length on the strength and challenges encountered.
The discussion gave an insight to prioritize on the future strategic intervention areas to build the Ethiopian horticulture brand globally. It was also stated that the Ministry has set this year’s export target to 741 million USD anticipating the current challenges of the sector will be resolved on the budget year.
At the end of the meeting the Ministry gave recognition award for partner organizations, farms who scored higher export performance, implementation of good agricultural practice, corporate social responsibility and up to date new technology introduction to the sector.
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