“MAHEBER” means association, union or group in Amharic – gathered around a common purpose

Context

The MAHEBER programme is part of the Green Business Development for Sustainable Agro-Food Systems in Ethiopia initiative, funded by the European Union under the NDICI-Global Europe instrument and included in the Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Ethiopia 2024-2027. The action responds to the ambitions of the second phase of the Home-Grown Economic Reform Plan (HGER 2.0 – 2024-2026) and the Ethiopian Government’s Ten-Year Development Plan (2021-2030), which places agriculture at the centre of national priorities. The programme is in line with Ethiopia’s Horticultural Transformation Agenda and supports the government’s and development partners’ objectives for sustainability, inclusiveness and green growth.

Objectives

The overall objective of the MAHEBER programme is to strengthen the contribution of the Ethiopian horticulture sector to economic growth, food security, nutrition and sustainable development by improving the competitiveness, resilience, inclusiveness and sustainability of the country’s horticultural value chains.

The specific objective is to build and ensure the capacity of horticultural stakeholders – both public and private – to adapt to evolving sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS), commercial, social and environmental requirements in local, regional and international markets.

Partner beneficiaries

• Target operators: micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the horticultural sector, producer groups and cooperatives, and independent farmers integrated into formal markets – particularly in the fruit, vegetable and cut flower sectors.
• Support services: technical service providers (consultants, training centres, research institutes, universities), professional and umbrella organisations (such as EHPEA), producer support NGOs, agri-tech and fintech start-ups.
• Competent authorities: primarily the Ethiopian Agricultural Authority (EAA) and other ministries and public agencies responsible for SPS compliance, input regulation, trade and export.
• Final beneficiaries: Ethiopian, regional and international consumers; rural communities – especially women and youth; and national and international buyers, processors and retailers.

The programme is designed to work in synergy with several ongoing initiatives in Ethiopia, including CBI – To SEA, Horti-LIFE, Horticulture for Growth (H4G), Trademark Africa, CEHA and the EU-funded SPS Twinning Programme.

Expected results

• Significant capacity building of MSMEs, producer groups and horticultural cooperatives to produce and market competitively, sustainably and in line with market requirements.
• Strengthened enabling environment for the horticultural sector through improved capacity of public services, training institutions, service providers and professional organisations.
• Identification and addressing of key systemic bottlenecks affecting the competitiveness and sustainability of horticultural exports through enhanced policy dialogue, improved public-private coordination and strategic promotion of Ethiopian origin.

The MAHEBER programme is based on COLEAD’s proven methodological principles – demand-driven interventions, certified training, self-assessment tools and multi-stakeholder cooperation – to support the structural transformation of the Ethiopian horticultural sector in an inclusive, sustainable and market-oriented manner.