Ethiopia Seeks to Turn Sorghum Into Regional Export Opportunity

By Mintesinot Nigussie  |  September 5, 2026

Ethiopia is seeking to turn sorghum from a predominantly traditional food crop into a commercially oriented value chain serving regional markets, with the government targeting investment in processing, animal feed, food manufacturing and agricultural trade.

The push was presented at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 in Kigali, where an investment dialogue brought together Ethiopian agricultural officials and private-sector stakeholders to explore ways of connecting the country’s sorghum production potential with capital, technology, markets and investment.

Yihenew Zewde (PhD), director of AGRA Ethiopia, opened the discussion, saying the objective was to connect agricultural potential with investment, trade and technology and move sorghum towards a more organised and competitive value chain.

The National Sorghum Flagship Programme has identified opportunities across the chain, from production and aggregation to storage, processing, value addition and market development. The approach marks a shift from treating sorghum primarily as a farm commodity towards building commercial activities around its processing and distribution.

Dr Getachew Deriba, senior adviser to the agriculture minister, presented Ethiopia’s investment potential and policy direction, highlighting opportunities to translate sorghum production into productivity gains, industrial activity, trade and higher-value products.

The government is seeking to expand the value chain into areas including animal feed, food products and processing while creating conditions intended to attract private investment. Recent measures cited at the forum include revised seed laws, a contract farming proclamation, tax incentives, agro-industrial parks and expanded electricity infrastructure.

Regional market access is a central part of the strategy. Officials said membership in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could provide opportunities to expand sorghum-related exports and generate foreign-currency earnings.

Dr Maru Shete, technical lead of the National Sorghum Flagship Programme Development Taskforce, outlined investment opportunities spanning production, aggregation and storage, processing, animal feed, food manufacturing and market development.

The strategy also depends on attracting private capital and technology into parts of the value chain that remain underdeveloped. Expanding processing capacity could allow producers and businesses to capture more value domestically before products reach regional markets.

Mesfin Gebremariam, Ethiopian ambassador to Rwanda, called for stronger partnerships with the private sector to convert agricultural potential into investment, value addition, trade and employment, while reaffirming Ethiopia’s commitment to creating a predictable and investor-friendly environment.

The Kigali discussions also included preparations for a Pan Africa Sorghum Alliance, reflecting efforts to build greater continental cooperation around the crop.

Source: FSX Business News