Ethiopia’s pulse and horticulture sectors are important contributors to export earnings and employment. Pulse production covers around 2 million hectares and generated over US$800 million in export revenues in 2024, while the horticulture sector employs approximately 200,000 people and earned US$564 million, largely from cut flowers. Despite strong government commitment and investments in cold-chain infrastructure, both sectors face compliance risks. These include pest infestations, poor post-harvest practices, pesticide residue concerns and weak certification systems, all of which threaten access to export markets.
At the national level, Ethiopia’s phytosanitary system continues to face structural and operational challenges that limit confidence in plant export certification and control systems. These challenges include the lack of harmonized standard operating procedures for core phytosanitary functions, such as import inspection, pest risk analysis, surveillance and export certification, alongside limited technical capacity within the NPPO to meet International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) requirements. Additional constraints include an outdated and incomplete legislative framework, fragmented pest data, and the absence of a centralized digital system for managing information on regulated pests. Addressing these systemic gaps is essential to protect plant health, safeguard market access and ensure the sustainability of Ethiopia’s agricultural exports.