Ethiopian Trading and Business Corporation (ETBC) Chief Executive Officer Behailu Nigussie (left) and Addis Alemayehou, Chairman of Kazana Group (right) during the signing of the MoU.
In a landmark collaboration aimed at revitalizing Ethiopia’s agricultural and agro-processing industries, Ethiopian Trading and Business Corporation (ETBC), Soy Afric Ltd., and Kazana Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance food production, processing, and export. The agreement outlines a commitment to strengthening Ethiopia’s food chain from farm to market, with a focus on benefiting smallholder farmers and boosting the national economy.
This partnership brings together three entities, each contributing a unique set of strengths to create a synergistic approach to food processing. ETBC will lead efforts to mobilize and support smallholder farmers, providing them with access to quality inputs and helping navigate regulatory processes to ensure the smooth rollout of the initiative. Soy Afric, with its decades of expertise in soybean processing, will provide technical support, training, buy-back arrangements, and post-harvest handling solutions to guarantee efficiency and quality. Meanwhile, Kazana Group will bring its expertise in investment capital, forge strategic partnerships, and connect Ethiopian soy-based products to regional and international markets, supporting the plant’s business development and strategic growth.
The focus of the collaboration is the empowerment of smallholder farmers, who will benefit from a shift to structured contract farming. This model aims to increase agricultural productivity, provide stable income, and offer improved farm gate prices while giving farmers access to financial and agronomic support. The initiative is expected to foster job creation, rural development, and food security by embedding resilience and innovation throughout the entire value chain.
Additionally, the partnership envisions a scalable and sustainable model that will contribute to the long-term competitiveness of Ethiopia’s food processing sector. Pilot projects will be launched first, followed by further expansion into larger regions, with monitoring and refinement at each stage to ensure optimal outcomes. This partnership is seen as a critical step in Ethiopia’s efforts to diversify its agricultural exports, improve agro-industrial performance, and create inclusive economic growth.
The signing of the MoU marks the beginning of a deeper collaboration, with the parties set to develop more formal agreements regarding financing, roles, and responsibilities as the project progresses. This alliance is poised to unlock Ethiopia’s agricultural potential, offering a powerful model for development-led agribusiness in the country.
The partners’ shared determination to transform Ethiopia’s agricultural sector reflects their commitment to creating a thriving, sustainable, and competitive food processing industry that will benefit all stakeholders, from farmers to international markets.