FORTUNE+ VIDEO SPONSORED CONTENTS ADVERTORIALS FORTUNE AUDIO Fortune Careers New TRADE AFRICA New

Fortune Logo
Eco Green Organic Liquid Fertiliser Producing PLC began production of organic liquid fertiliser on October 20, 2018 in Arsi, Oromia Regional State, in a ceremony organised by Eco Green, the Oromia Bureau of Agriculture and GIZ’s Green Innovation Centre program.

Eco Green Organic Liquid Fertiliser Producing PLC began production of organic liquid fertiliser on October 20, 2018 in Arsi, Oromia Regional State, in a ceremony organised by Eco Green, the Oromia Bureau of Agriculture and GIZ’s Green Innovation Centre program.

The company, founded in 2007 by Kebede Lakew as a research centre, sells organic liquid fertiliser in two-litre to 200-litre containers. The company has been providing training to farmers on how to use the fertiliser made from plant and animal wast products converted to liquid forms.

“It took us more than eight years to research and develop the product,” Kebede, winner of the 2015 UNDP Entrepreneur of the Year Award, said.



Eco Green collects and buys organic waste from nearby farmers and transforms them into liquid fertiliser through a fermentation process.


While organic fertilisers are generally preferred over chemical fertilisers for environmental concerns, liquid fertilisers add additional advantages, according to Kebede.

“It helps in controlling growth, has less effect on soil health and is easily absorbed by plants,” he said.




Initially, the company started by producing small quantities for free trial samples to smallholder farmers in Amhara and Oromia regional states. Now the company is growing its customer base and has vegetable, flower and fruit commercial farms as its clients.

Last year, Eco Green, a firm established with an initial capital of 13 million Br, produced about 300,000L of the product, most of which were produced as samples given away as promotional items for free. With a potential to produce 1.9 million litres annually, the company plans to produce a million litres this year.


Eco Green’s main plant is located in the Amhara Regional State, in the North Shoa Zone, about 60Km from Addis Abeba. Lying on a nine-hectare plot, the company's factory has 35 full-time and 50 part-time employees.

“Since public awareness of organic liquid fertilisers is still undeveloped, we are facing challenges selling the product,” Kebede said. “We are looking for partners to expand.”

One partner is Gonder Agricultural Research Centre, which is currently studying the product. Another is GIZ Ethiopia, which is working with Eco Green to offer small-holder farmers inputs such as environmentally-friendly liquid fertilisers under its Green Innovation Centre program.

The program, launched for a total of 560 million Br plans to reach 70,000 small-holder farmers.


Solomon Andualem (PhD), a lecturer at Bahir Dar University’s College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, hails the initiative. He points out that it will have benefits in avoiding the side effects of chemical fertilisers currently in use in Ethiopia.

“Urea and Dap contain high levels of heavy metals such as lead that cause severe health issues,” he said. “It will also have the potential to save the country foreign currency it spends to import fertilisers.”

The nation imports seven types of fertilisers, with 1.2 million tonnes having been imported in the 2016/17 fiscal year. Almost half a billion dollars were spent on fertiliser imports in 2016.


PUBLISHED ON [ VOL 19 , NO 968]

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 2 / 5. Vote count: 3

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.



Related Posts

Editors' Pick

Exclusive Interviews

State Enterprises from Oracles to Apprentices

Dec 22 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW

Charged with transforming colossal state-owned enterprises into modern and competitiv...

Agenda

Rising Costs, Inflation Threaten Insurance Industry

Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO

Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...

Agenda

BREWING DISCONTENT

Jul 28 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW

Unhabitual, perhaps too many, Samuel Gebreyohannes, 38, used to occasionally enjoy a couple of beers at breakfast. However, he recently swit...

Fortune News

Electric Vehicle Push Leaves Investors in the Lurch

Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO

Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transporting commodities, and f...

Commentaries

Health Policy Reforms Walk a Tightrope of Bitter Pills, Bold Cures

Ethiopia's reform of health policies has been marked by bold initiatives, hard lesson...

In Business as in Football, Culture Shift Triumphs, But Silverware Remains Elusive

Mikel Arteta's tenure at Arsenal began in late 2019, when the football club was reeli...

Fineline

Leaders of the National . . .

Leaders of the National Election Board are in a charm offensive mood, of a sort. Last week, they organised a rare tour for members of the me...

When the country’s most. . .

When the country's most senior diplomats and envoys return back to their posts after two-week debriefings, they leave behind a point or two...

Editorial

Mismanaged, Trade Liberalisation Could Pour Cold Water on Local Hopes

Mar 2 , 2025

The domestic economy has endured a punishing half-decade. A global pandemic throttled...

Africa Wants to Mark Own Homework with Homegrown Credit Agency

Feb 23 , 2025

Africa is a place where the frustrations of its elites run high due to what they feel...

IMF Tells Ethiopia to Stay the Course, with Leap of Faith on the Market

Feb 16 , 2025

Madame Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IM...

The Race to the AUC Follows Mahamat's Grand Entrances, Quiet Exits Legacy

Feb 9 , 2025

This week, the African Union's (AU) annual summit in Addis Abeba is set to be more th...

Gallery

Parliament Approves New Cabinet Members

Oct 6 , 2021

Parliament Approves New Cabinet, Incorporates Opposition Leaders Lawmakers have approved today the nominations of 22 ministers, including three opposition leaders. Two MPs have voted against, while 12 abstained...

2020 in Posterity

Jan 5 , 2021

TIGRAY VOTES DESPITE "NULL & VOID" THREAT

Sep 9 , 2020

IN-PICTURE: LAUREATE'S RECEPTION  

Dec 14 , 2019

PM Abiy Ahmed (PhD) at a Gala Dinner Called for the Awarding of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize

May 6 , 2019

Faces, Voices of Addis Abeba

Apr 26 , 2019

Sunday With Eden

The Emotional Toll of Worry

Last week, I spoke with an expecting mother from church. After congratulating her, I shared my excitement. Out of curiosity, I asked where s...

Soaring Rent Crisis Pushes Residents to the Brink

Addis Abeba is in the grip of a worsening housing crisis. Rent prices have surged to record levels, forci...

Life Matters

Online Toxicity Hijacks Social Media

One minute, people are laughing at a meme on social media; the next, they scroll through a barrage of com...

The Increasing Presence of Women in Leadership

Following the recently concluded 38th AU Summit, I was captivated by the presence of incoming heads of st...