Ethiopean Netherlands Horticulture Partnership in full swing
André de Jager, Myrtille Danse, Eefje den Belder, Anne Elings, Frank Joosten
Joint commitment
Horticulture exports from Ethiopia are growing very rapidly
and are an important element in the country’s efforts to
diversify exports and to contribute directly to economic
development and poverty reduction. The Netherlands’
Government has committed
itself
to contribute
to
strengthening the enabling environment of the horticulture
sector in Ethiopia through a public-private partnership
program. The major Ethiopian stakeholders
in
the
horticultural sector agreed that that the partnership is to
contribute to:
• A competitive, demand driven, self sustaining and
innovative horticulture cluster well connected in
international networks;
• Environmentally and socially friendly production;
• Human resource development and enlarging the
positive spin-off on local, regional and national social
development;
• An institutional framework which enables the sector to
meet (future) market demands and opportunities;
• Strengthening the cooperation between Ethiopia and
the Netherlands
In close collaboration with the private and public sector
organisations directly involved in the horticultural industry a
programme of activities in the partnership was drawn.
Practical training facility
The fast growing industry requires a growing supply of staff
equipped with relevant and practical technical knowledge. A
taskforce, with the assistance of Wageningen UR, formulated
a strategic plan for the period 2007 – 2012 to establish
sustainable, industry-led and practically oriented capacity
building programmes which facilitate the floriculture sector
development in Ethiopia. The plan consists of two major
elements:
• Immediate start with practical oriented on training
programs on pest- en pesticide management, post
harvest management and marketing.
• Development and implementation of an integrated long
term training and research progra