Agriculture is still the foundation of Ethiopia’s economy: it represents 41% of the gross domestic product, 83.9% of exports and 81% of jobs. The primary sector remains the main engine of rapid economic growth, this year expected to be around 8.2%, the highest rate in Africa thanks to the expansion of industry and services but above all to the recovery of the agricultural sector. This trajectory is supported by modernization of the secondary sectors such as food, livestock, horticulture, and the exportation of agricultural products. In addition, the government recently launched another more tool: marketing.
Addis Ababa launched the “Ethiopia: Taste of Origins” brand, which derives from the national brand “Ethiopia: Land of Origins”. The brand serves to distinguish all products, but also trade and food fairs. Improving marketing capabilities was one of the goals set by the World Bank when it granted a $350 million loan in 2015 to finance the second phase of the Agricultural Growth Program. The program is aimed primarily at small farmers with less than one hectare of land, which contribute to 95% of the country’s entire agricultural production.
The Ethiopian Agricultural Processing Agency (ATA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tourism Ethiopia with the goal being to promote the nation’s agricultural products globally also through tourism. “Taste of Origins is now a well-recognized brand,” said Ato Khalid Bomba, CEO of ATA. “What we need is to consistently label all our agricultural products to have a more efficient market and benefit our small farmers.” Lensa Mekonnen, managing director of Tourism Ethiopia, said her office firmly believes in promoting Ethiopia through food and agricultural products. “By promoting Ethiopia with brand consistency across all of our leading sectors – agricultural products, industrial parks, historic sites and national parks – we are sending a homogeneous message and showing the full range of things our country offers.”
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and ATA have already tested the brand in some international fairs. The promotional materials were disseminated through the press and a dedicated website (www.tasteoforigins.info). The platform is run by the government of Ethiopia under close supervision and support from the Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture, exporters, and private sector cooperatives to promote Ethiopia’s best agricultural products globally. Basic products include coffee, teff (an endemic gluten-free grain) and other grains, legumes, oilseeds, spices, meat and live animals. Most of the products are certified natural, organic, traceable, sustainable and fair trade. The first recipient countries are the United States, Germany, France, China, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands.
But Ethiopia’s main export product will soon be avocado. The international market is growing rapidly and Ethiopia has a suitable climate for the cultivation of this fruit. To encourage cultivation, Ethiopia has implemented a program with the support of the Israeli Agency for International Development Cooperation Mashav, which has introduced a variety of avocados imported from Israel on the land of over two thousand local farmers.