Mekonnen Solomon, a senior staff and horticulture export coordinator at Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture, calls for creating a Horticultural Resource Atlas inspired by the Manufacturing Industry Resource Atlas. This geospatial tool would map suitable areas for development using data on resources like soil, water, and infrastructure to tackle sector challenges and meet strategy targets. It aims to position Ethiopia's agriculture as a major global exporter.
Ethiopia's horticulture sector currently contributes 4.5% to GDP and generates $650 million in exports. The National Horticulture Strategy seeks to raise this to 12% and $3.3 billion, while creating 2 million jobs, increasing annual per capita fruit and vegetable production from 50.2 kg to 102 kg, and sequestering 131 million tons of carbon dioxide in soil.
The sector operates across 18 major agroecological zones, producing fruits such as table grapes, avocados, strawberries, mangoes, and bananas, as well as vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Key challenges include fragmented supply chains, insufficient cold storage, water shortages, power outages, and limited connectivity to export points. Recent developments like the Cool Port Addis at Mojo Dry Port and the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway help reduce post-harvest losses, which can reach 40% for some crops.
Launched in draft form in July 2025, the Manufacturing Industry Resource Atlas, developed with World Bank support by GIS consulting, maps resources including water, energy, transport, ICT, industrial parks, mining, and labor. For instance, it shows 25% of the country (283,320 km²) has viable power access for manufacturing.
Adopting a similar model for horticulture would map agroecological zones, water sources, and infrastructure to support eight corridors, 200 clusters, and 10 parks. This could identify areas like the Awash basin for irrigation and leverage trade agreements such as AfCFTA and EBA to boost exports and local value chains, enhancing economic growth and resilience.
