As part of its broader agricultural reform agenda, the Ministry of Agriculture has launched a 10-year National Horticulture Strategy, marking a significant policy shift aimed at formalizing one of Ethiopia’s most underutilized yet high-potential agricultural subsectors.
Often operated informally by smallholders on fragmented plots, horticulture has long been overlooked despite its strong potential to enhance food security, foreign exchange earnings, and employment. The new strategy seeks to transform this landscape by introducing structural, logistical, and regulatory reforms.
According to the strategy document, approximately 79% of Ethiopians depend on agriculture either directly or indirectly for their livelihood, while the sector contributes 75.5% of national export earnings. These figures underscore the importance of unlocking the untapped potential of horticulture through a strategic and coordinated development approach.
Agriculture and Horticulture State Minister Meles Mekonen (PhD) noted that horticulture export revenue rose from 245.6 million USD in 2013 to 412.4 million USD in 2023. Notably, the flower industry surged from 199.7 million USD to 569 million USD over the same period, reflecting increased market demand and the sector’s growing viability for medium and large-scale investment.
Agriculture Minister Girma Amente highlighted that the strategy is not only an economic tool but also a response to long-standing inefficiencies particularly in post-harvest handling. “Modernizing logistics and improving product quality are central to minimizing the recurring losses we see in the fruit, flower, and vegetable segments,” he said.
The horticulture strategy is also aligned with the newly launched Enset Development Flagship Program, which targets productivity improvements in Enset, a staple food for over 25 million Ethiopians. Traditionally cultivated and marketed using outdated methods, Enset suffers from high post-harvest losses and limited commercialization. The new strategy aims to change this through targeted interventions and community-based capacity building.
In the last fiscal year, Ethiopia exported 286,000 tons of horticultural products, generating 565 million USD in revenue. The government projects this figure will rise to 734 million USD in the current year through better production systems and infrastructure.
However, when compared regionally, Ethiopia still lags behind horticultural giants like Kenya, which produced 7.88 million tons of horticultural products from just 605,000 hectares, earning 1.1 billion USD in 2022. Kenya’s success illustrates the scale of opportunity that Ethiopia can pursue, provided that logistical, technical, and regulatory challenges are effectively addressed.
The Ethiopian Horticulture Producer and Exporters Association President Tewodros Zewude said the strategy is an essential step toward competitiveness. “Formalizing this sector is critical not only to meet international market demands but also to support smallholder farmers who rely on structured and predictable markets for their livelihoods,” he noted.
The strategy draws inspiration from Ethiopia’s success in wheat production, which Minister Girma described as “rewriting history.” Having made major strides toward wheat self-sufficiency, the same momentum, he argued, must now be applied to horticulture and other neglected crops to ensure climate resilience, income diversification, and inclusive growth.
Ultimately, the success of the new horticulture strategy will hinge on implementation capacity and stakeholder coordination. The document outlines plans to strengthen research and extension services, enhance public-private partnerships, and involve producers, exporters, and cooperatives through a multi-stakeholder framework.
“This is not just a policy document,” said Minister Girma. “It is an opportunity to reorganize and revitalize a neglected sector with immense potential.”
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2025
