 Mission Director to Ethiopia, Scott){kind=link}
Jimma, November 8, 2023 – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director to Ethiopia, Scott Hocklander, traveled to Jimma, Oromia Region, to visit USAID agriculture and industrial investments and projects. These investments are increasing coffee, tea, and avocado oil production, and are providing good-paying jobs and nation-wide economic growth.
Director Hocklander received a warm welcome from the Jimma Chamber of Commerce, who discussed USAID’s long-standing partnership with the people in and around Jimma, and across Ethiopia. Director Hocklander emphasized USAID’s commitment to enhancing agricultural production, linking the city to private sector investment, and other investments including delivering quality public health services, and improving access to safe water supplies and basic sanitation.
At Jimma Agricultural Research Center—which is one of the federal research centers of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research—Director Hocklander joined the center’s manager Dr. Girma Hailemichael. Together they toured research projects developing next-generation drought-resistant coffee tree varieties, and other coffee, tea, and vegetable oil plant research. Finally, they visited the center’s coffee cupping laboratory, which USAID has provided with vital scientific equipment.
Director Hocklander also visited Soreti International Trading, an avocado processing facility at Jimma Industrial Park which produces 40 tons of avocado oil per day. USAID has partnered with the company by establishing an avocado seedling nursery, providing specialized training to farmers and extension workers, and establishing woreda-level avocado collection points. Director Hocklander was joined by the industrial park management and leadership, who thanked USAID for this vital support to Ethiopia’s incredible agro-industrial capabilities.
In 2022 alone, USAID invested more than $1.8 billion across the country in humanitarian and development aid. These projects are further examples of continued cooperation between the American people and the people of Ethiopia.
Source: US Embassy