Establishing a Beles Agro-industrial Processing Plant

Ethiopia

The project aimed to increase income and employment opportunities for the rural poor in the drylands of the Eastern Tigray Regional State in Northern Ethiopia through modernization of Beles value chain. Its specific objective was establishing a processing plant to manufacture a stable supply of marketable Beles-based products. The industrial transformation and packaging of fruits and pads into various high-quality food commodities not only increased the shelf life but also increased the marketability both domestic and international markets. The plant contained modern fruit processing technology and its staff were sufficiently trained to operate and maintain the plant and handle the food according to good manufacturing practices. The project included study, design, construction, Installation and commissioning a Beles processing plant in Adigrat, Northern Regional State of Tigray. Key requirements of the stages for assembling, aligning and engaging the machine into operation have been completed. The project also provided training for the entrepreneurs, youth, and women about business management and marketing to upgrade and build their competence in independently lead their business. The goal has been remarkably achieved. All required processes for commissioning have been carried out successfully and the facility has been officially handed-over to Adigrat City Administration Office and been operating since October 2015. The project main achievements are the following: • More than 50 Beles Farmers’ cooperatives in four districts of Eastern Tigray Zone were organized, and have received hand-on trainings on harvesting and postharvest handling techniques, and marketing. Moreover, development agents and relevant local government office experts have received basic trainings on Beles management to support farmers. • Farmers’ cooperatives were supported through provision of harvesting tools and harvesting wears • Beles Agro-enterprise composed of 20 jobless youth and women was legally established. • Beles Agro-enterprise was equipped with Machine (that can process about 32 tons of Beles fruits per day in one shift operation), complete set of work wears, trollies, and office furniture and equipment and facilitated the acquisition of plastic crates for collection and marketing of Beles fruits. • Beles based agro-industrial development and commercialization of neglected and underutilized dryland crops (Beles) was introduced to the region. • Beles Agro-enterprise (Beles Agame P.L.C.) members are trained in business management, entrepreneurship, leadership; and Beles processing machine installation, maintenance and repair. • Beles Agame P.L.C is in the process of establishing business partnership agreement with domestic exporting company for supplying processed fresh Beles fruits to the Middle East market. The exporting company has already delivered packaging materials to Beles Agame P.L.C. Moreover, the domestic export company is in the preparation of providing modern harvesting tools to the farmers’ cooperatives; and ready to provide waxing materials for improving the quality and shelf life of Beles fruits. • The farmers’ cooperatives have also supported to consistently supplying quality Beles fruits to the Beles Agame P.L.C. For establishing business partnership and to export value added Beles fruits to the Middle East and European market, it facilitated an international market linkage for Beles Agame P.L.C. with. For example, an Italian Fruits and Juice company and a Tunisian Beles and Beles product company. Also an international company (Kiwiny) had an exploratory visit to the project site (during harvesting season) for establishing business agreement for the first sample export to European market. This project has brought dramatic attitudinal change of several poor households and jobless youth and women to valorize the untapped but huge Beles resources in the region.