Ethiopia Launches Post-Harvest Management, Mechanization Center Project

Addis Ababa, September 18, 2025 (ENA) – 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 Post-Harvest Management and Mechanization Center project is developed by UNIDO, with funding from the Government of Austria and in partnership with Ministries of Agriculture and Industry, as well as BOKU University. 

Addressing the workshop held in connection with the launching of the project, Industry State Minister Hassan Mohammed emphasized the crucial role of the post-harvest management system that provides practical solutions. 

 

The project also demonstrates the strong partnership between the Government of Austria and Ethiopia, he added.  

According to him, the initiative aligns with Ethiopia's wider national programs and is essential in promoting local manufacturing.

On her part, Austrian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Simone Knapp, said the project will introduce effective, affordable, and locally adaptable solutions to reduce losses at the different critical points in the value chain.

 

The center will serve as a hub for training, and it will also demonstrate new technology and new technological solutions and stakeholder collaboration, she added. 

For the Ambassador, it is also about unlocking potential by improving those post-harvest practices and enhancing food security.

A strong emphasis on gender inclusive agribusiness that ensures women are recognized as leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators in agricultural value chains will be placed.

UNIDO Deputy Representative to Ethiopia, Asegid Adane, said the project is vital to reduce losses, ensure that more food reaches families and markets. 

 

Moreover, Asegid stated that it will introduce new technologies and approaches that transform systems and, as a foundation for the national hub of innovation, training, and coordination in post-harvesting, will bridge the critical gap between production and processing. 

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 was learned. 

The center is designed to provide practical solutions, capacity building, and technology transfer to reduce losses and improve value chain efficiency across key commodities.

Recall that the Government of Ethiopia has been prioritizing agricultural modernization and food security through its Ten-Year Perspective Development Plan (2020/21-2029/30), with a strong focus on reducing post-harvest losses (PHL).

Central to this effort is the National Post-Harvest Loss Management Strategy (2023-2030), which targets significant reductions in losses across grains, horticultural crops, and animal-source foods.