Farmers in Four Regions to Receive Production Materials Vital to Enhance Productivity.

Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority handed over coffee production materials and smart phones for coffee farmers in four regions in order to maximize coffee export by improving productivity. The support has been given to farmers in 22 coffee producing districts located in Oromia, Sidama, South Ethiopia and South West Ethiopia regional states. Some 440,000 farmers are expected to benefit from the support.According to Ethiopian News Agency, the representatives from the four regional states received the support from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority today. The coffee production materials and the smart phones are purchased with a fund secured from UNDP-FOLUR project. Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority Director General, Adugna Debella said the support includes poly tube bag, wheel barrow, motorized chain saw, earth auger, pruning shear and bow saw that totally worth 131.6 million Birr.These agricultural inputs would enable farmers to enhance their coffee p roduction in both quality and quantity, he stated, emphasizing that the coffee sector of the country has been struggling with low productivity mostly driven by factors such as lack of input supply and old age coffee trees. UNDP-FOLUR Project Coordinator at Ministry of Planning and Development, Mulugeta Work, on his part said that in addition to the modern materials, FOLUR project also hired specialized coffee development agents providing technical supports for farmers as well as coordinators at the zonal, regional and federal levels to ensure the project has realized its objective of improving coffee productivity in the four regions and the country at large.