Cut Flowers Ethiopia

Ethiopia has a growing flower export business. In this short programme we are helping local Ethiopian flower growers and exporters to do more business in Europe. If they export more, that will strengthen the country’s economy and create more jobs, especially for people living in poor rural areas.

The flower growers and exporters participating in this programme are already exporting products to Europe and to the Middle East. But they can get more value out of the European market. They are missing opportunities to do more business and make more money. CBI has set up this short programme to help them.

Project details

This programme began in 2014 and will end in 2017. In 2014, we selected the participants. Since then, we have trained and coached these companies in different ways. The purpose is to help them do more and better business in Europe and on other export markets.

For example, we are assisting them in making well-informed decisions between exporting through the Dutch flower auction and selling directly to retailers. This requires a lot of market knowledge. It also means the companies have to tackle various post-harvest issues to get better flower quality.

Another area of attention is corporate social responsibility. For example:

• better sanitation at the flower farms
• designing and implementing farm specific policies
• better functioning farm committees

By helping the companies perform better in these areas, we will enable them to enjoy more success on the European market.

Project participants and products

A total of 11 companies are taking part in this programme. They all produce and export different varieties of roses. Ethiopia has a very good climate for growing roses.

Meet the participants

You can also contact CBI to get in touch with these exporters.

Partners

CBI is collaborating with the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association (EHPEA) in this programme. EHPEA was founded in 2002. It is facilitating our activities in Ethiopia. CBI is also coaching EHPEA’s trainers to offer better export services to Ethiopia’s flower growers.

Several other organisations are also contributing to this programme:

• SNV is an international NGO with experience in sanitation programmes for local communities. We are working with SNV to adapt its programme to businesses.
• Hivos is also an international NGO that is working to improve wages in the African flower sector, for example through a campaign called The power of the fair trade flower.
• FSI2020 (Floriculture Sustainable Initiative 2020) is working to make the whole floriculture sector more sustainable. It is backed by the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH).

Get involved as an importer

Are you a European importer or retailer interested in cut flowers from Ethiopia? Contact CBI to find out more, or to meet with potential suppliers who have been trained for export to Europe.

Get involved in this project