UNDP aids 9 mln USD for Ethiopian coffee producers
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) disclosed that it is maximizing efforts to boost coffee production and revenues with a nine million USD fund from UNDP.
Briefing journalists yesterday, ECTA’s Director General, Adugna Debela (PhD) said that the Authority is endeavoring to improve the volume and quality of Ethiopian coffee production through implementing modern mechanisms leveraging the 9 million USD support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Of the total allocation of 9 million USD for maximizing coffee production, 3 million USD was budgeted on buying materials used to significantly boost the production process, he said.
“Oromia, South Western Ethiopia, Sidama, and South Ethiopia states are directly benefited by the UNDP project addressing a total of 22 districts in the first phase. The materials would help to address coffee cherry challenges, affected by age and pruning process,” he added.
Although coffee pruning is helpful to maximize productivity, Adugna underlined that the farmers applying traditional clipping tools are experiencing the transmission of disease from one plant to the other. To end this, the ECTA has handed over motorized handsaw machines crucial to undertake the task efficiently while preventing coffee disease side by side.
Likewise, new varieties of seedlings and motorized drilling machines are being distributed to farmers in order to boosting the production and productivity of coffee and ensure the sustainable benefits of the producers, he mentioned.
“For instance, 325,000 kilograms of poly bags, 225 motorized handsaws, 220 drilling machines, and other materials are bought and distributed to the aforementioned states,” Adugna said.
He further stated that some 1,300 smart phones, worth about 80 million Birr were bought in collaboration with UNDP for geospatial data collection.
The UNDP project assists Ethiopia in providing inputs for coffee farmers, expanding extensions, and facilitating training to experts so as to improve productivity. This complies with the European Union regulations on deforestation free coffee production, according to the Director General.
So far, some 36 coffee producing districts are receiving support from the European Union, while the UNDP project is covering the rest, he indicated.
Ministry of Planning and Development, Folur Project Food System and Land Use Restoration Project Manager Mulugeta Worku on his part said that the Global Environmental Facility under UNDP has allocated 20.8 million USD and is working with ECTA, Ethiopian Forest Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Water and Energy, Ministry of Finance, and Environmental Protection Authority. He added that the UNDP project will address 440,000 smallholder coffee producers in the above listed four states.
BY MESERET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2024
