Nov. 14 – The cultivation contract signed by Acos Ethiopia Plc, a subsidiary of the Pedon Group, and two unions representing five farmer cooperatives in Bale, Oromia Region, Ethiopia aims at creating a new legume chain in the area. The agreement stems from the “Oromia Agricultural Project” developed by the Italy’s Development Cooperation Agency. The project has already yielded important results for durum wheat and forest coffee and it is now expanding with legumes. The project saw the Pedon Group, present in the area with its own factory since 2005, as a strategic partner and an international player for the marketing of vegetables. The Cooperative Unions are engaged in the cultivation of red beans and chickpeas, following international production standards and a strict chain approach. The Ethiopian branch of the Pedon Group provides the seed (a total of 130 quintals) and will price the final product according to the prevailing local market price, increasing or decreasing it based on purity. The agreement was made possible through the intermediary and technical assistance for the Overseas Agronomic Institute of Florence, an advisory and assistance organization to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the field of technical and scientific farming, committed to the fight against poverty and hunger in the world. “The potential to grow and produce vegetables in Ethiopia are huge – says the CEO of the group, Remo Pedon – Thanks to the Italian public- private plan, a new agricultural supply chain- market-oriented economy will start to grow, while guaranteeing economic and environmental sustainability, as well as social sustainability for the local populations. In fact, the cooperatives interface directly with the specific final purchaser, without any intermediaries.” 121.5 acres for beans and 14 acres for chickpeas are reserved for cultivation. The fields are in two different geographical areas (Ginir and Gololcha). The structures and institutional relationships already created by the project will be used in a synergistic way, for example by providing field assistance from both Pedon technicians and the agricultural research center of Sinana, a collaboration that is already active for durum wheat. “The first harvesting period will be the beginning of 2014 – continues Remo Pedon – and this will bring new jobs in Ethiopia and at our Italian headquarters.” The Pedon Group plans to double the Ethiopian production plant with an investment of €5 million that will allow the Vicenza company to consolidate its market leadership in Italy and abroad.
