In the last month of Puageme, which has five days, of Ethiopian/Geez calendar, the days have been celebrated by dedications on different mottos. For instance, September 8 (Puageme 3, 2013) was celebrated as Goodness Day by helping others.
In the day, Gullele Sub City of Addis Ababa in partnership with business community celebrated the day by providing supports for those who desperately in need. On the ceremony, Adanech Abiebie, Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa City Administration, appreciated the initiative to support those who are in need. One of the major partners for the day was Tays plc who has provided similar support for the society in the sub city for the past 12 years including the one that it provided in collaboration with Gullele Sub City in the occasion of Meskel Holiday for those whose business is affected by COVID and elders.
Getenet Endazenew, Marketing Manager of Tays, said that for the New Year celebration that was held yesterday the company has provided support for the community members affects by inflation. This time the company has allocated 1.2 million birr and supported 300 households with chicken and eggs, flour, oil and pasta.
The festive season of giving
Peace Ministry to check on effectiveness of aid distribution in Northern Ethiopia
Ministry of peace Ethiopia said that it is becoming difficult to get information for the central government regarding the distribution of aid. On similar news, reports from the regional state show that there is famine in the region.
Following the unilateral ceasefire the government has continued to send supports through five humanitarian partners which are operating in the region coordinated by the national emergency coordination center ministerial committee, according to Muferiat Kamil. On Monday, September 6, 2021, Muferiat briefed journalists on the ongoing humanitarian assistance in Tigray, Amhara and Afar states and regarding the current situation in northern Ethiopia
As she said, after the withdrawal of the national force no federal government structure was left in Tigray State and World Food Program, Care International, Food for Hunger, World Vision, Mahibere Redeat Tigray are the five organizations authorized by the government to fully handle the distribution of aid in the region.
However, the government is unable to get clear information on the distribution. “We are working and waiting for a report on how many people, how much aid and how well the aid agencies have delivered aid,” said Muferiat, adding that if the aid is distributed properly to the people there is less chance that famine could exist in the region.
As she explained, since the aid was sent to the region is not enough to support the needy, TPLF is using hunger as an instrument of war “we are seeing that TPLF is preparing massive foodstuff to its military using the aid.”
As the minister said, earlier to the unilateral ceasefire decision by the government, food and noon food items were distributed to 4.9 million peoples in the region in three rounds and when the decision was made to effect the unilateral cease fire, food, medicine, fuel and other critical items have been stored in the region that can support the region for about two months.
Up to the end of last week, 538 trucks loaded with both food and non-food items have been transported to the region. Raised cash channeled in to the region as the minister said the government has allowed certified aid suppliers to transport up to 2 million birr to the region per one flight, hence there are two flights per week to the region from bole international airport transporting humanitarian support.
However as Muferiat said, TPLF has repeatedly complicated the process of providing aid due to the ongoing incursions into the Afar and Amhara regions and the ongoing attacks on civilians, as well as repeated attacks on aid pipelines. Also due to the rapid attack by the TPLF on civilians in the Afar and Amhara Region, about 4.5 million people have been affected and more than 500,000 people have been displaced.
The government is urging the large number of trucks transporting aid to return as protocol, according to Muferiat. As she explains, 72 percent of the vehicles entering the Tigray region with food aid have to be returned within a time span of 3 up to five days.
As she said, the government is working to clarify the data including assessing if they are participation in the war or not. “We want to make sure vehicles are used only for authorized work,” she said.
So far about 538 trucks, 14,000 tons of food and 4000 tons of nonfood items, 759,000 litters of fuel, 101 million birr cash have been transported to the region.
28 humanitarian supporters are participating in the aid delivery yet; humanitarian support through non-governmental organizations is minimal, the government argues as more than 70 percent of the aid is mobilized by the government. Also to increase the support to the region, Muferiat has also said the government is talking with certain additional non-governmental organizations to increase the number of supporters. Similarly, as part of the accelerating and simplification of the humanitarian support and cargo movement, the number of checkpoints had been reduced to two from seven and deployed cargo scanning machine.
Batu’s bustling investment scene
Under the estimation of Batu City Administration about 80,000 households are living in the town. The town located near Lake Dembel/Ziway and the surrounding area at 1,650 meters above sea level is well known for its agriculture activity. The agriculture activity is not only controlled by household farmers as in many areas in the country but also through massive private sector investments including foreign direct investment (FDI).
Vineyard, vegetable and fruit are a pioneer agriculture investment in the area, while the horticulture industry that started to boom about a decade and half is also mainly aligned with Batu.
The prominent and dominant horticulture industry is currently resided for the town since Shar Ethiopia that is now called Afriflora Shar started its greenhouse based floriculture investment in 2005.
Currently, the farm manages five producers including Shar who export their roses mainly to European market and infrequently to Asia.
Ermias Solomon, Operational Manager of Ziway Roses and Chair of the four roses farm companies that possessed greenhouse from Shar, said that that the flower that are produced and exported from Batu takes 60 percent of export volume and the hard currency generation that the country earns every year.
He said that the farms located at the same compound are applying all modern technologies and knowhow to expand production and manage any probable effects on the environment.
So far the facility at Batu that covers over 500 hectares of land is the major source of job in the town.
Gossa Tsegaye, Mayor of Batu, told Capital that Shar and other farms in the greenhouses are the major source of revenue for the town, “for instance in the ended budget year the city administration earns 205 million birr tax of which 79 million birr is secured through the flower companies.”
Currently, the farm have created direct job for over 17, 000 dwellers in the town and 80 percent of them is secured by women.
The Mayor said that the indirect job that the farm creates is very huge that shows such kind of investment shall create decent jobs for the youth.
Ermias said that the farm that is about 163 km south east of Addis Ababa, which is a hub to export the fresh produce via Bole International Airport said that besides job and revenue for the town and the country including the foreign currency, which now seats at third position with over USD 531 million after coffee and gold in the ended budget year, knowledge transfer is the biggest success seen because of the modern investment.
Local farmers have got lessons from farms in terms of modern farming activities and have applied it to their farms, “It is a big success for me as technology transfer.”
According to sector experts, besides knowledge transfer to the local farmers, now most of Ethiopian horticulture business particularly in Batu and the surrounding are replacing the expats with local professionals.
When the investment commenced about 16 years ago, top positions have been fully controlled by foreign experts that came from Europe, India or Kenya. “But now all the five farms except two or three individuals are fully managed and controlled by Ethiopians.”
“For instance, if you come to Zeway Roses the management is fully controlled by Ethiopians; it is almost similar in other four farms. We Ethiopians, fully controlled the operation for over three years now, which shows that the knowledge transfer is successfully attained in the farms,” the Operational Manager explained the success in terms of skill development in the sector.
CSR
The farm is closely working with the community in the area. He reminded that in related with corporate social responsibility (CSR) it is involved from the inception of its investment in the area.
To mitigate the inflationary challenge at the farm companies have provided subsidized basic commodities to employees.
Farms have also requested the City Administration to undertake a beautification and greenery project on the heart of the town.
“Meanwhile, the rural community which is living on the lakeside who travel very long periods to fetch water and drink for their cattle; has led to initiatives to commence water drilling at a well in Qemo Gerbi,” farm leaders said.
Community leaders and Aba Gedas are working to connect the farms with community that is seen when distraction occurred in the area with damages of different properties, “the farm that creates huge job for the community and contributes for corporate social responsibility have been saved by the community.”
Since the political reform occurred about three years ago, 270 youths that came with 8 groups have been hired by the farms to supply different goods and services and providing compost for farms. Initially the youths do not have any experience on the business, due to that farms have been engaged on providing trainings.
“For the past three years we have transacted 50 million birr with these groups.”
In the past, the farm has constructed Schools, hospital and other facilities, “meanwhile we have provided massive CSR. We understand that the CSRs were not demand driven. Due to that now we have changed our approach and we will be led by the community demand,” Ermias explained.
On the ‘Open Greenhouse Day’ that was organized by Ethiopian Horticulture Producers Exporters Association held on August 31, farms visitors, who came from the City Administration and Community Leaders (Aba Geda), clarified about the activity of farms regarding operation, safety measures and environmental concerns mainly that is related with water discharge onto Lake Dembel.
Farm leaders said that as far as the safety measures, companies are very alert and rules and precondition are properly held in related with the operation, “for the water use at the farm we have modern recycling facility and zero discharge to the lake.”
Currently, farms have a demand to expand their business if the city administration provides the plot.
Mayor of Batu responded that if formal request come from the farms, the administration will consider that since they are playing a crucial role for the country and local area economic and social aspects.
AQ Roses, Ziway Roses, Braam Flowers, and Herburgs Roses are the four growers besides Shar at Batu, while share has also 165 hectare of farm at Tulu Dimtu, which is five km to south from Batu.
At Batu greenhouse the four farms; AQ Roses, Ziway Roses, Braam Flowers, and Herburgs Roses in total use 144 hectares for production, and Afriflora Shar is controls 265 hectare.
Champions Fasil clashes Hadiya-Hosana in a season opening fixture
The 2021/22 Ethiopian Premier League season opens on 15th October two months earlier compared to the last campaign which kicked off mid-January due to the pandemic related scheduling changes. That season still ended in June leading to fixture congestion throughout the campaign.
Defending champions Fasil Ketema will open their title defense in a head-on clash against Hadiya-Hossana.. Coach Seyoum Kebede busy in reinforcing his side signed number of renowned players including central defender Aschalew Tamene and Nigerian goal machine Okiki Afolabi.
Golkeeper of the season Malian Mickel Samake between the posts, Aschalew leading the defense pairing with Yared Baye and Mujib Kasim spearheading the strike force along with Okiki, Fasil is the hottest favorite to win the title for the second season in a row.
Runner-up Ethiopia Bunna meets Sidama in the season opening Bunna derby match. Twice EPL champion Gebremedin Haile at the helm and aggressively participating in the transfer market, Ethiopia Bunna boss Coach Seyoum Kebede might face a tricky adversary in the opening fixture.
The only club under a foreign Coach Saint George will be eager to start on the right foot in its quest to bring back the premier league trophy after four years draught. Number of the senior players leaving the club, Giorgis could face a hard encounter against Sebeta Ketema under newly appointed Coach Zelalem Shiferaw.
Back to the top tier Mekelakeya and ArbaMinch are to muscle each other in the opening fixture while Baherdar Ketema entertains Addis Ababa. Hawassa taking Jimma AbaJifar in the season opening faceoff with Diredawa hosting Wolayta and Adama in a clash against Wolkite Ketema.
