Rows of slippers are hung in the locker rooms of employees at a horticulture farm in Koka, Oromia Regional State. Ethiopia has experienced significant success in flower exports, doubling in eight years to around half a billion dollars last year. Concerns over employee safety and wages have coincided with the industry's growth. Recent regulatory changes have entailed codes for sustainable flower farming that include the safe use of pesticides, water management, and social justice. This stems from the global notoriety of the industry for poor working conditions, health risks and low wages. The government has also introduced a series of incentives to increase floriculture investments, like easy access to land at nominal lease rates and half a decade-long income tax exemptions.
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