Addis ababa: A Post-Harvest Management and Mechanization Center project aimed at introducing effective, affordable, and locally adaptable solutions across the value chain was launched today. The project is developed by UNIDO, with funding from the Government of Austria and in partnership with the Ministries of Agriculture and Industry, as well as BOKU University.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Industry State Minister Hassan Mohammed emphasized the crucial role of the post-harvest management system in providing practical solutions during a workshop held in connection with the project’s launch. He noted that the project highlights the strong partnership between the Government of Austria and Ethiopia and aligns with Ethiopia’s wider national programs to promote local manufacturing.
Austrian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Simone Knapp, stated that the project will introduce solutions to reduce losses at different critical points in the value chain. The center is expected to serve as a hub for training, demonstrating new technology, and fostering stakeholder collaboration. The Ambassador emphasized the project’s role in unlocking potential through improved post-harvest practices and enhancing food security, with a focus on gender-inclusive agribusiness.
UNIDO Deputy Representative to Ethiopia, Asegid Adane, highlighted the project’s significance in reducing losses and ensuring more food reaches families and markets. Asegid mentioned that the center will introduce new technologies and approaches that transform systems and act as a foundation for the national hub of innovation, training, and coordination in post-harvesting.
The center, to be located at a selected Integrated-Agro-Industrial Park and Rural Transformation Center, will serve as a hub for advancing agricultural innovation and strengthening post-harvest systems. It is designed to provide practical solutions, capacity building, and technology transfer to reduce losses and improve value chain efficiency across key commodities.
The Government of Ethiopia has prioritized agricultural modernization and food security through its Ten-Year Perspective Development Plan (2020/21-2029/30), focusing on reducing post-harvest losses. Central to this effort is the National Post-Harvest Loss Management Strategy (2023-2030), targeting significant reductions in losses across grains, horticultural crops, and animal-source foods.