Yonas Abiye
26 December 2008
Addis Abeba — The government of Israel on Thursday invited Ethiopian private sector to participate in Israeli's leading agricultural exhibition and conference scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv May next year.
The agricultural exhibition and conference (AGRITECH 2009) is a major international event conducted every two years by the Esraeli ministry of Agriculture.
Speaking at a workshop in connection to the exhibition, Israel Ambassador to Ethiopia, Oded Ben-Haim said his embassy was ready to assist Ethiopian investors in the area with a logistic and "any technical support" to help them participate in the major international event.
"We have small number of population. May be it is 10 % of Ethiopian. But we can do a lot technology transfer for the benefit of all science." He said that, as Ethiopia's economy was based on agriculture, the sector should enjoy the priority for investment opportunities and to benefit from the technological advancement as well.
The ambassador said the next exhibition would be of paramount importance and relevance to Ethiopian agriculture in many respects.
"As the agriculture in Israel is a high tech led industry, on the one hand, the visit of government officials and Ethiopian businessmen will intensify the technology transfer in the field to Ethiopia and on the other hand it will promote a joint venture opportunity between the private sector in Israel and Ethiopia," Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia Ben-Haim said.
Speaking on the occasion, State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD), Dr. Abera Deressa said a paradigm shift was needed in Ethiopia Agriculture research and development.
" In this case, Israel is more advanced and a good example in this sector," he said, adding given the growing bilateral ties particularly in the agriculture, the upcoming exhibition would enable Ethiopian investors to grasp recent agricultural technology.
Abera praised the Israelis experience and advancement in Agricultural technology.
"It is not important to have land, but it is important to use. So Israel is a good example and that is why they are also known for their agricultural input such as agricultural technology," he said.
During a the half day workshop, it was also noted that official delegations and private sector representatives from around the world will enjoy not only the possibility of viewing the exhibition but also professional tours and face-to-face meetings with their Israeli counterparts.
"Exposing Ethiopia and its agriculture to the Israeli business community is a goal we are committed to," Mr. Michael LavonLotem, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy said.
"We hope that the participation of a heterogeneous Ethiopian delegation comprising government representatives, the private sector and finance sector will avail the existing opportunities of a good economic ties between the two countries." Exhibition covers almost every area of agriculture, from organic-agriculture, through machinery biotechnology, through food crops, fruits, floriculture and livestock, to software and irrigation post harvest treatment and veterinary.
The preparatory workshop held at Hilton Hotel was intended to introduce and facilitate ways in which the Ethiopian private sector can explore means of representing their respective industries at AGRITECH 2009.
Government representatives and members of the Ethiopian private sector from the private sector-that the embassy would assist Ethiopian investors with a logistic and "any technical support" to help them participate on the major international event.
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