Center supplies over 400 tons of coffee

The Dire Dawa Coffee control center announced that it has supplied more than 400 tons of coffee to the central auction over the past week.
More than 315 tons of the stated volume of coffee has already been sold. The volume of coffee sold during the week has shown a 15 ton increase from that of the preceding in week, the center says.

MoARD to celebrate 100th founding anniversary, new Ethiopian millennium

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is to celebrate its 100th founding anniversary and the new Ethiopian millennium during 2-4 May 2008 at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center.
The main objective of the celebration is to familiarize the public with the activities of the ministry during the last 100 years. The celebration also aims at motivating stakeholders and the public to further strengthen agricultural production and productivity in the country during the new millennium.
The celebration comprises a panel discussion, photographic exhibition, and documentary film depicting activities of the ministry. Regional agriculture and rural development bureaus, unions of farmers’ cooperatives, input suppliers, farmers, and other pertinent bodies will take part in the celebration. The number of farmers embraced in the extension program across the nation has reached over 6 million at present which was only 35,000 a few years ago. There are 25 agriculture, technical and vocational colleges and over 7,400 farmers’ training centers have been constructed across the country.

Union to import 100,000 quintals of fertilizer in coming week

Lecha Hadiya Farmers’ Cooperative Union has finalized preparations to import fertilizer worth over 73 million birr for the current crop production season. The union will import 100,000 quintals urea and dap in the coming week. The union will be supply the fertilizers to its members and basic cooperative associations.
The union has also been exerting efforts to familiarize farmers with improved agricultural technologies in order to enhance their production and productivity. The union, which has over 90 members, netted three million birr last year from sale of agricultural inputs, and grains.

Debre-markos licenses over 31.6 million Birr investment projects

Investors with an aggregate capital of over 31.6 million Birr in Debre-markos town received licenses over the past nine months. The licenses were provided to some 71 investors who would be engaged in industry, agriculture, construction, hotel, tourism and other sectors. The investors received 85,600 hectares plots. While going fully operational, the projects are expected to create jobs for more than 400 people.

Gambella executives urged to combat HIV/AIDS

Gambella State Administration Chief Umod Ubong urged executives of various offices to work closely to combat the spread of HIV /AIDS. Speaking at conclusion of a four-day workshop held in Gambella town to discuss 2001 HIV/AIDS intervention plan, the epidemic is affecting the over all development activities in the state.
The intervention work should be employed in a coordinated manner thereby be able to implement the development plan as required. The health professional to exert effort for the execution of the plan. Participants from federal to woreda health offices, NGOs operating in the State and relevant offices were in attendance at the workshop.

Athlete Haile launches construction of five-star Awassa hotel

Ethiopia’s athletics legend, Haile Gebrselassie launches construction of a five-star hotel in Awassa City of the South Ethiopia People State at a cost of over 200 million Birr.
The new hotel is under construction on 40,000 sq. meter area of land around Lake Hawassa, out of which the athlete leaded 35,000 sq. meter of the stated area of land, construction project representative.
The four-floored hotel, to be established up to the standard of Hilton International, would comprise over 150 rooms and yacht service. The hotel would contribute a lot toward the development of the city in particular and that of the nation in general when it goes operational in Jan 2009. Haile, 35, a two-time Olympic and a four-time 10,000m champion, has launched various investment projects across the nation.

NSA in Ethiopia executing nine billion birr development projects

More than 2000 Non State Actors (NSA) in Ethiopia are executing development projects at a cost of nine billion birr. The number of NSA has been increased remarkably since four years ago; number of indigenous NSA in particular has increased by three fold.
A Non State Actor Mapping study presented at National Validation Workshop here at UN-ECA center indicated that NSA are largely executing projects in Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and South Ethiopia Peoples’ States and in Addis Ababa.
Study advisors team member Raya Abagudu, while presenting the study, said the overall objective of the study in particular has outlined the number, type and activities of NSA operating in Ethiopia.
The NSA are mainly engaged in enhancing public awareness on various issues, executing development projects, and supplying basic services to the public.
The study has also examined the challenges faced by NSA operating in Ethiopia, highlighting their strengths and comparative advantages in certain sectors
Insufficient supply of resources, the increasing fund for National HIV/AIDS Secretariat, increasing participation of Ethiopian Diasporas in development activities in Ethiopia have contributed a lot for the increasing number of NSA.
Raya said NSA working on Children constitutes the highest number. There are 394 projects working on children with over three billion birr.
Head of Good Governance and Civil Society Section, EC Delegation to Ethiopia, Irene Mingasson said the study will contribute a lot to NSA in Ethiopia, development partners, donors and government of Ethiopia.
The study will also contribute to national development aims and strategies as outlined in Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP) by understanding roles and contributions of NSA in Ethiopia. The European Commission Civil Society Fund in Ethiopia has organized the workshop.