ADAMA- Ethiopia to implement cluster based avocado farming and expand the practice from the existing 31,000 hectare to 104,000 hectare with a view to satisfying local consumption and enhancing the export earnings from the fruit.
The above was disclosed in a-one day consultative workshop held under the title ‘National Avocado Development Program (NADP)’ at Adama town of the Oromia State. The consultative workshop is hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) for concerned stakeholders and aims to boost the nation’s avocado production and export revenues.
It was stated in the forum that the demand for avocado has been increasing from time to time at national as well as the international level, specifically in Europe and Asia.
Professor Ali Mohamed, a researcher, while presenting his research on avocado production said 157 districts and 4,710 kebeles are identified to have great potential for the production of avocado in Ethiopia. “Ethiopia’s avocado production has great advantage as the country is strategically located in Europe and Asia and to easily generate foreign currency.”
The main export destinations of Ethiopia’s avocado are the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Sweden.
The scholar further highlighted that the objective of NADP is to enhance household food nutrition, to sustainably supply quality avocado products of raw material for domestic industries and to enhance employment opportunities for youths and women. “When NADP is implemented, it has great benefits for Ethiopia. The beneficiary includes industries and institutions and the program improves the livelihoods of three- million small- holder farmers and could create close to a million jobs.”
Noting Ethiopia’s 23 million hectares of land is suitable for the production of coffee and avocado, Ali indicated that the production of avocado is not sufficient for both export and local consumption as the farming largely relies on obsolete technology. Also, the average Ethiopian only consumes seven kilogram of fruits while the standard is 146 kilogram.
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
SUNDAY EDITION 30 JANUARY 2022
