ADDIS ABABA – Four coffee primary cooperatives located in the Illubabor and Jimma zones of the Oromia region of Ethiopia signed a grant agreement with USAID’s Agribusiness and Market Development ( AGP- AMDe ) in the amount of USD 52, 185.00 each, at the Addis Ababa ACDI/VOCA office.
The total grant agreement of USD 208, 740 is intended to enable the transfer of modern technology to all four coffee growing and processing primary cooperatives.
Lack of modern technology has been a threat for the primary cooperatives to be competitive enough and meet the quality requirements of buyers.
Through this grant agreement, the four primary cooperatives – Sadi Loya (Jimma Zone, Oromia), Chalo (Illubabor Zone, Oromia), Omo Bako (Jimma Zone, Oromia) and Asendaba (Illubabor Zone, Oromia) will have in place a wet coffee processing facility.
A representative from one of the primary cooperatives stated that “Thanks to ACDI/VOCA we can use the wet coffee processing facility and make washed green coffee.
This will help us add value to Limu 2 coffee specialty coffee in the area. This will also encourage our members to work for quality and earn a high premium.”
“This is the beginning of a big partnership,” Ms. Vanessa Adams, AGP – AMDe Chief of Party said during the signing ceremony. She highlighted that AGP-AMDe has been working for the past year and half to enable market access for coffee produced by the cooperatives.
In discussing the gender balance within the leadership of the primary cooperative unions, representatives advised that they have women as board members and highlighted that the issue of gender equality will be put on the agenda for their next General Assembly to increase women’s participation in the leadership of the primary cooperatives.
In expressing appreciation to AGP- AMDe , Mr. Gizachew Bekele, Chair of Sadi Loya primary cooperative expressed, “we are very proud of you and we are happy to work with you in the long run and we will try to meet the needs and requirements of the buyers.”
Source: Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Growth Program (AGP)
