– Over 74,000 jobs created through ongoing private sector engagement
ADDIS ABABA – MIDROC Ethiopia Group has announced a major expansion of its investment in Ethiopia’s tea sector, working with local farmers in Jimma and Ilubabor.
The expansion is to cultivate premium-grade tea—20 percent of which is already being exported to international markets.
Speaking at the second phase of the fifth round of the 19th About Ethiopia Forum organized by the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), MIDROC Ethiopia Group CEO Jamal Ahmed said the company is collaborating with 1,000 farmers across 4,000 hectares of land in Jimma and Ilubabor zones to produce high-quality tea leaves.
To support this initiative, the Oromia state government is facilitating the cultivation of tea on an additional 30,000 hectares of land.
Jamal emphasized that MIDROC is providing technical support, including professional guidance and seedlings, to boost production. As part of this effort, the company is planning to construct seven large-scale tea processing factories within a 20-kilometer radius of the farms. These factories are expected to significantly improve the quality and volume of production and enhance Ethiopia’s position in the global tea market.
The CEO also noted the project’s potential for massive employment generation, stating that at least 40,000 additional producers could be engaged as the program expands. He underlined the importance of offering personality development and skills training for youth to ensure long-term employment opportunities and productivity.
So far, MIDROC has created jobs for more than 74,000 citizens, many of whom had limited access to government support services. Jamal called on other private developers in Ethiopia to focus on value-added industries and productive sectors that can stimulate broad-based economic growth.
He stressed that the private sector must take the lead in job creation, as the government alone cannot address the nation’s employment needs. He also urged investors to prioritize long-term, intergenerational projects that align with national interests and contribute to sustainable development.
Jamal concluded by highlighting the need for collaboration between universities, the Ministry of Labor and Skills, and private sector players to equip young people with the entrepreneurial mindset and skills needed to drive the country forward. He also encouraged high-level supply chain actors in the service sector to transition into producers and plays a more active role in Ethiopia’s economic transformation.
BY ESSEYE MENGISTE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 12 JUNE 2025
