Ethiopia and Japan penned an agreement to collaborate in the implementation the second phase of the Small Holder Farmers Empowerment Project which is aimed at developing horticulture in Ethiopia. The first phase of the project was implemented in Amhara and Oromia Regional States. The second phase targets Sidama and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regional State.

Ethiopia plans to obtain more than USD 770 million from the horticulture sector in the 2022/2023 fiscal year. The sector’s major bottlenecks include shortage of investment land, energy, and finance. Investors are also unable to invest in the sector due to low supply of resources required for production. On the other hand, companies that are already engaged in the sector are not producing at full capacity because of frequent power outages. However, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Government is undertaking reforms in the field and is moving with special attention.

Source: Fana BC and The Ethiopian Herald

Image source: Fana BC