Horticulture is one of the priority sectors for Ethiopia’s agricultural production and export growth. Particularly, in nation’s Growth and Transformation Plan II, the country has given great emphasis to transforming the horticulture into an export-led sector. It has planned to generate revenue, income, employment and food solutions from the sector.
In line with this, the country is working to transform the sector into one of the leading sectors of its economy. According to Atlaw Anbelu Senior Horticulture Expert with the Ministry of Agriculture Horticulture Development and Technology Transfer Directorate, almost 95 percent of Ethiopia’s horticulture product is produced by smallholders and only five percent is produced by commercial farmers which are exported to Europe Middle East and Africa.
With an aim to flourish the sector and boost its economic contribution, it was found necessary to develop a 10-year strategy. Ministry of Agriculture has also developed the National Horticulture Development and Marketing Strategy and launched in last October 2017.
As to him, the strategy envisions for Ethiopia to establish modern horticulture sector and become one of the leading horticulture producing and exporting African countries with better contribution to ensure food and nutrition security, enhance foreign currency earnings that enable to meet employment demand of the country by 2027/28 .
“The sector has immense opportunity and favourable government policies, conducive agro-ecology and natural resource, coupled with the availability of sufficient manpower.”
The government is also working towards the expansion of commercial and contract farming program in order to transform the country’s agriculture by creating an enabling environment for increased investment in agriculture, agribusinesses and food processing.
Simultaneously, it is endeavoring to increase the export volume of fruits and vegetables by integrating private investors with Ethiopian smallholder farmers in the out-grower scheme, he added. “Because the horticulture sector has an enormous potential in the country, it can be the new growth driver for the country’s economy.”
Thus, as to him, supporting with new and effective technologies especially for smallholder horticulture producers can contribute a lot to increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability of nation’s major farming systems.
While talking about the advantages of the greenhouse technology, Atlaw said that greenhouse technology is the technique of providing favorable environment condition to the plants. It is used to protect the plants from the adverse climatic conditions such as wind, cold, precipitations, excessive radiation, extreme temperature, insects and diseases. The technology has also vital importance to create an ideal micro climate around the plants. For the horticulture sector, the technology is decisive to grow marketable produces.
Therefore, the Ministry has a plan to demonstrate/promote a greenhouse production system for improvement of smallholder livelihoods.“The yield of plants grown in the greenhouse may be 10 to 12 times higher than that of outdoor cultivation depending up on the types of greenhouse, crops, and environmental control facilities.”
The Ministry is eyeing to expand the experience to potential horticulture parts of the rural parts of the nation, he reiterated. Professor Nigusse Dechasa, Vice President of Haramaya University and Horticulturist said that Ethiopia has great opportunity in boosting horticulture productivity as it is endowed with natural resources, huge population and has market proximity.
The University is working to produce quality seed for horticulture and supply to small holder farmers to grow carrot, potatoes, green peeper and similar produces. Furthermore, efforts should be exerted in addressing market linkage and ensuring reliable inputs supply. He added.
Ethiopian Horticultural Producer-Exporters Association (EHPEA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tewodros Zewdu said that the horticulture sector, which has a decade long practice with almost all certified producers in relation to environment impact and social responsibility, has created 100,000 jobs for citizens and enabled the country to earn about 300 million USD annually.
“If the sector gets more attention than now, it could generate huge amount of hard currency”. The Association is working with the Ministry of Agriculture in developing the strategy and efforts to address the over witnessed gaps in accessing land for investment and in puts challenges.
He called on the government to support the sector to avail land and improve the overall business climate.
The Ethiopian Herald, May 29/2-19
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
