The COMESA EAC Horticulture Accelerator has kick-started due diligence and capacity assessments of the 24 pre-selected applicants of the CEHA matching grants in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, with Ethiopia marking the first country of visit. The CEHA Matching Grants are designed to accelerate the growth and sustainability of horticultural value chains.
To align efforts on accelerating the Horticulture sector in the region, discussions were held with strategic partners, including, the Ethiopia CEHA National Chapter, the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association, GIZ, and TechnoServe, with a focus on reviewing the CEHA implementation status in Ethiopia and support provision to the current CEHA MGFIAM beneficiaries. Other areas of focus were potential collaboration on conducting the capacity assessment of the prequalified applicants and monitoring the progress status of the current CEHA beneficiaries, including exploring partnerships and collaborations to advance the horticulture sector.
The due diligence exercise forms part of the series of activities undertaken by CEHA following the 2nd Call for applications for the CEHA Matching Grants to agribusinesses in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Rwanda issued on 14th November 2025.
The MGFIAM initiative supports innovative agribusiness projects that contribute to the improvement of farming household incomes, rural economic development, and gender equity through horticultural value chains across the region. The current seven awardees from the CEHA target countries include; Tana Flora PLC and Berhanu Integrated Farm, of Ethiopia; SOUK Farms Limited, Early Generation Seed Potato and AVOCARE Ltd of Rwanda; Uganda National Seed Potato Producers Association Ltd and Masaka Cooperative of Uganda.
In addition to financial support, the program offers tailored non-financial assistance, including business development advice, value chain integration, and market access facilitation.
The CEHA program aims to accelerate the growth of the Fruit and Vegetable (F&V) sub-sector of the COMESA and EAC Regions with an initial focus on three priority anchor value chains, namely avocado, onion, and Irish potatoes. The three value chains were selected based on agronomic, logistical, and regulatory challenges and opportunities that are common to many other fruits and vegetable crops.
Currently valued at USD 4 billion, to double or triple in the next 10 years, the CEHA program is supported by the Gates Foundation and was created in 2022 through public and private sector partners to better coordinate policy, value chain development programs, financing, research, and development.
We are thrilled to have commenced the due diligence exercise and look forward with enthusiasm to onboard the 2nd Cohort of the CEHA awardees that are set to receive the matching grants of up to $ 100,000 United States Dollars, and leverage non-financial assistance, including business development advice, value chain integration, and market access facilitation. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!!!
Did you know that the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI)'s 'Basket of Standards' is the springboard for the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA)’s competitiveness, ensuring that the country's flowers meet international standards?
Ethiopia's flower industry has grown massively (and continues to do so). It, after all, did not become a top-five cut flower exporter globally by chance. Its year-round production and the hundreds of thousands of flower chain workers on farms from Ziway to Bishoftu are governed by a structured system of rules, requirements, and continuous improvement.
The Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) Code of Practice has, perhaps, done more to redefine and shape the quality and credibility of the Ethiopian flower industry than possibly any other initiative in the sector's history. This is why it is ideal to take a closer look at this initiative.
EHPEA Code of Practice is the product of an initiative taken to introduce a voluntary system of continuous professional and technical development, monitoring, and self-regulation into the sector. It is designed to address market and civil society concerns about standards for social and environmental performance and guide the sustainable floriculture development.
To formulate the Code of Practice, EHPEA sought the support of the Dutch Agricultural Economics Research Institute (Formerly known as Landbouw Economisch Instituut, LEI) to facilitate the process, combining research, expert consultations, workshops, and data collection in the field, all of which gave the Code credibility.
It was developed by a multi-stakeholder group involving EHPEA members, Government Ministries, Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions, and the International Labor Organization. In designing it, consideration was given to relevant laws of Ethiopia, concerns of Ethiopian civil society, needs of the farms, and the key concerns of the international flower market. It therefore reflects the interests of workers, producers, buyers, and regulators equally, which is no small feat given that the industry works across many competing priorities.
EHPEA Code of Practice is organized around some main subject areas that cover the full scope of responsible flower production, including standards for systems and record keeping, good agricultural practices, environmental protection, occupational safety and health, and employment practices. All these pillars have great significance.
The systems and record-keeping requirements ensure that farms can trace their inputs, document their processes, and show compliance to auditors and buyers. Good agricultural practices govern how the land is managed, how inputs are used, and how farm staff are trained to apply them correctly.
The environmental provisions include responsible pesticide use, the use of organic and natural fertilizers, and the management of water, waste, and pollution. EHPEA members must also ensure their activities do not harm natural ecosystems and wildlife.
Growing Alstroemeria. Photo by EHPEA
On the social side, the Association requires its members to comply with labor laws and promote safe and healthy working conditions. Member farms must also respect the rights of workers and communities surrounding horticulture production areas. EHPEA, therefore, encourages members to support community development projects.
EHPEA’s Code of Practice operates at three levels, which are Bronze, Silver, and Gold, allowing growers at different stages of development to participate in the system, improve progressively, and receive recognition at each stage. The Bronze level was initially implemented voluntarily by 18 farms, and later expanded to other flower farms. It is now obligatory for any flower farm in Ethiopia.
That means that the baseline requirements for environmental management, worker protection, and farm documentation are now a must for any farm operating under the EHPEA umbrella. And since Bronze compliance is compulsory for all EHPEA member farms, it shows the sector's commitment to baseline performance.
The Code consists of three tiers of excellence, allowing Ethiopian flower and ornamental plant farms to be rewarded at each stage of their process towards developing more sustainable management practices within the chain, with each level recognized by EHPEA through a certificate.
The Silver compliance, which has achieved benchmarking recognition against the GLOBALG.A.P’s Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard, is where many of Ethiopia's growers operate. Farms such as Hawassa's Wondo Tika-based Klaver Flowers, for instance, hold the Social Code of Practice (Silver) accreditation from EHPEA, alongside GlobalGAP benchmarks and MPS-ABC certification, all of which make evident their commitment to sustainable flower cultivation, responsibility for the environment, and provision of fair working conditions for their staff.
East African Magical Farms (EMF), a well-known Ethiopian grower, is similarly compliant, having built a production model around verified sustainability credentials that include EHPEA Silver status. Florensis Ethiopia and numerous other growers are, on the other hand, those with Gold certification.
An important feature of the Code's features is its benchmarked equivalence with GLOBALG.A.P., the international standard for good agricultural practices that is essentially obligatory for access to major European retail markets. The EHPEA Code of Practice for Sustainable Flower Production at the Silver level has been benchmarked against GLOBALG.A.P.’s IFA Version 5.2.
This means growers certified under the EHPEA system can show compliance with international buyer requirements without requiring a separate GlobalGAP audit. This equivalence is independently verified by accredited certification bodies, such as Control Union Certifications, with farms including Abyssinia Flowers and Derba Flowers PLC holding certificates under this framework.
Notably, this certification is important for market access, given that buyers at Dutch auctions, European supermarket chains, and specialist wholesalers all require documented proof that their supply chains meet internationally recognized standards. The EHPEA code, particularly at the Silver level, provides for that.
In September 2024, the association moved to have its Code of Practice recognized by the Consumer Goods Forum's Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI), one of the most respected third-party social compliance frameworks in the global consumer goods industry. Tewodros Zewdie, Executive Director of EHPEA, emphasized the significance of this SSCI Benchmark, terming it a rigorous process designed to uphold sustainability standards.
Environmental Impact, Including Water, Pesticides, and IPM
Environmental compliance is arguably the segment where the most progress has been made. EHPEA's sustainability interventions are much more than just paperwork. To reduce the water footprints of flower farms, EHPEA has, for instance, helped build water treatment plants with several more under construction.
On pesticide management, the move to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been extensive. The coverage of IPM, particularly biological control, has increased over 60% in the industry, and in the major flower-producing clusters, it is more than 75%.
EHPEA also trains professionals on used water treatment plant design, construction, and maintenance, and thousands of farm workers and management staff on sustainability issues. All these show a sector that has fully internalized the Code's environmental requirements, not just to satisfy auditors.
Ethiopian Local G.A.P. Code
What's more, EHPEA's interest in standards development has seen the approval of the Ethiopian Local G.A.P. Code for piloting, alongside Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA). This is an important step toward empowering producers, improving market access, and promoting sustainable agricultural growth across the country.
The main objective of the CASA partnership was to enhance domestic vegetable market competitiveness and ensure safety for domestic consumption, with EHPEA aiming to co-create a business model with localized GAP, incorporating everything from climate resilience and adaptation practices to producing safe certified vegetables and facilitating market linkage. The development into the domestic market is a natural advancement of the standards culture that the Code of Practice has already built.
What Is in All These for Buyers?
The EHPEA Code of Practice is really an important document to understand for anyone sourcing flowers from Ethiopia, whether through Royal FloraHolland or directly from growers. It tells all about baseline conditions that govern how the flowers are grown, who grew them, and what protection practices were in place for the workers and the land.
Given that all growers under EHPEA operate within this framework, the commitment to the Code of Practice principles has helped firmly put Ethiopia among the leading exporters of horticultural products globally.
The EHPEA Code of Practice is a framework of standards developed by the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) to govern social, environmental, and agricultural practices on Ethiopian flower farms. It applies to all EHPEA member farms and, at the Bronze level, is compulsory for any flower farm operating within the association's membership. This covers the vast majority of Ethiopia's export floriculture sector, as EHPEA members account for well over 85% of the country's horticulture exports.
How does the three-tier certification system (Bronze, Silver, Gold) work?
The Code operates at three progressive levels. Bronze is the mandatory baseline that all EHPEA farms must meet, covering fundamental requirements in environmental management, occupational safety, employment practices, and record keeping. Silver represents a higher standard that has been benchmarked as equivalent to GLOBALG.A.P. IFA Version 5.2, making it directly relevant for farms supplying European retail markets. Gold is the most advanced level, reflecting comprehensive sustainable management across all five pillars of the Code. Farms receive EHPEA certificates at each level, which are independently audited.
Is the EHPEA Code of Practice recognized by international standards bodies?
Yes. The Silver level of the EHPEA Code of Practice has achieved benchmarked equivalence with GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance is one of the world's most widely recognized standards for good agricultural practices. Additionally, in September 2024, EHPEA submitted its Code of Practice for benchmarking under the Consumer Goods Forum's Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI), which, if recognized, would further strengthen the code's standing among global retailers and procurement organizations.
What environmental commitments does the Code require of flower farms?
The Code requires farms to conduct environmental risk assessments, manage pesticide and fertilizer use responsibly, and handle water, waste, and pollution to defined standards. In practice, EHPEA has supported the construction of used water treatment plants across the country, helped build IPM coverage to nearly 60% of the industry, and trained professionals in water treatment management. These requirements are not just on paper but are monitored through independent audits and supported by EHPEA's in-house sustainability team.
How does the Code benefit workers on Ethiopian flower farms?
The Code's employment practices and occupational health and safety pillars require farms to comply with Ethiopian labor law, maintain safe working conditions, respect workers' rights, and engage with surrounding communities. This is particularly meaningful given that more than 80% of Ethiopia's floriculture workforce is female.
Growers operating under the Code, including Holla Roses, Klaver Flowers, and Afriflora Sher, have also invested in schools, healthcare facilities, and community infrastructure beyond what the Code strictly requires, demonstrating how the standards framework can serve as a foundation for broader social development.
SOURCE-EHPEA.
Policy Responses to the Fertilizer Crisis as compiled by Africa Fertilizer Staff, IFDC Staff, and Sustain Africa Staff.
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting military infrastructure, leadership, and nuclear sites. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz, severely disrupting global trade. Peace talks in Islamabad on April 11-12, lasting 21 hours, ended without a permanent agreement. A two-week ceasefire is in effect but fragile.
The Persian Gulf remains a critical hub for nitrogen fertilizer production and trade, making the Strait of Hormuz disruption a major shock to global supply chains. Free-on-board (FOB) prices for granular urea are now hovering between $800 and $900 per metric ton (mt), up sharply from $493 per metric ton, with further upward pressure expected.
This sharp escalation is increasing farm input costs and food security risks. It has also heightened awareness of policy challenges around fiscal support, supply chain stability, and alternative sourcing.
Against this backdrop, countries are responding in different ways – from direct subsidy reinforcement to emergency trade arrangements and emerging calls for coordinated global action.
Global Policy Responses and Emerging Pressures
Countries throughout the world are taking a variety of approaches to mitigate the fertilizer shock, depending on fiscal space and market structure.
United States
In advanced economies, such as the United States, the response has been driven by farmer pressure. The American Farm Bureau Federation cites that farmers are experiencing rising financial stress from fertilizer volatility and are calling for stronger support and supply chain protection. The situation is now framed as a food security and resilience issue, signaling a shift from market concern to strategic priority.
Asia: India and Bangladesh
In India, the government has expanded subsidies to keep fertilizer prices affordable despite rising global costs. This includes continued urea and nutrient-based subsidies, insulating domestic markets from global price swings.
India’s approach highlights how large economies are relying on fiscal interventions to stabilize supply and demand, unlike many African countries that depend more heavily on trade adjustments, emergency procurement, and donor-supported mechanisms.1
Bangladesh’s2-6 agriculture sector contributes about 11% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and employs roughly 38% of the labor force, making it highly sensitive to fertilizer price shocks. In 2024, cereal production exceeded 66.5 million mt, with record maize output but declining wheat yield, reflecting a shift toward higher return crops that require more intensive fertilizer use, especially nitrogen.
To manage supply risks, the government has engaged diplomatically to secure safe transit guarantees for fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. This reflects a broader shift in treating fertilizer access as a national food security priority rather than a purely commercial issue.
Eastern Africa and Sudan
Ethiopia sources over 90% of its nitrogen fertilizer from the Gulf via Djibouti, a route that was already strained before the conflict. The country is classified as medium-to-high risk due to strong demand and moderate supply vulnerability. In response, Saudi Arabia supplied 50,000 mt of DAP to Ethiopia through an alternative route, reflecting the growing use of bilateral emergency supply arrangements as a short-term policy tool.7
Kenya and Tanzania are better positioned in the short term but remain vulnerable if disruptions persist into the next procurement cycle.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Kenya has distributed about 5 million 50-kg bags of subsidized fertilizer under its national program, helping to ease earlier shortages.
However, concerns persist that continued conflict could disrupt global supply chains and trigger renewed shortages. To reduce this risk, the government expects additional fertilizer shipments to arrive at the Port of Mombasa in the coming weeks to boost stocks and stabilize supply.8
In Tanzania, the Fertilizer Regulatory Authority reports sufficient fertilizer stocks to cover the country’s current season and the next planting cycle. However, it has noted that contingency measures are in place in case the conflict continues. These measures include short-term strategies to diversify supply sources, such as exploring imports from alternative suppliers, including Russia, for the August-October season.9
Farmers monitoring crop growth in a productive field.
Uganda faces similar challenges due to import dependence and weak fertilizer demand. In March 2026, the Government of Uganda, through the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Green Hydrogen Fertilizer Company (GHFC) to support fertilizer use and agricultural productivity.
The initiative focuses on providing farmer training, strengthening extension services, and improving monitoring of fertilizer distribution and use nationwide.10
Sudan, already affected by war and a severe humanitarian crisis, is facing additional pressure from rising food, fuel, and transport costs, with freight rates up about 25%. Officials from the United Nations report that nearly half of Sudan’s fertilizer imports come from the Gulf, raising concerns ahead of the April-May planting season. This could disrupt access to key farm inputs and further undermine food production.
The United Nations is seeking $2.2 billion to support 14 million people in Sudan and is calling for key aid corridors, including the Adre border crossing from Chad, to remain open.11
Regional Multilateral Coordination
To help mitigate the current fertilizer shock, IFDC, Sustain Africa, and AfricaFertilizer have recently reinstated the Global Fertilizer Crisis Response Group (GFCRG), working with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union, and other partners.
The GFCRG’s mandate is early warning, coordinated procurement, policy stabilization, and finance. These actions are necessary to ensure farmers have access to the essential inputs they need to safeguard food security.
Disclaimer
This analysis is based on information compiled from multiple publicly available sources and market intelligence. While every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information, the authors and publishers accept no liability for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors, omissions, or the use of this information.
References
ACTESA was privileged to join collaborations driving Zambia’s agricultural industry, regionally and globally, at the recently held ZAMSEED stakeholders' field day at the ZAMSEED Yield Improvement Centre in Ngwerere in Lusaka, Zambia on 31st March, 2026.
Designed to showcase the latest advancements, including new product lines and ongoing projects at the center, the event underscored the importance of agricultural innovation and regional partnerships.
Speaking at the event, the ACTESA Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Mukuka, reaffirmed COMESA's commitment to boosting agricultural productivity and competitiveness through support of Farmers’ Access to Agricultural Input, Output, and Financial Markets, a key step in enhancing Intra-Regional Agricultural Trade.
The occasion offered a learning platform on the latest advancements in seed technology and farming practices for farmers and agricultural enthusiasts, with guided field tours, interactive sessions with agricultural experts, and cultural performances celebrating Zambian farming traditions.
We are proud to have shared and witnessed the innovation, yield, and excellence at the momentous occasion that brought together partners from across the region, including Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Angola, Uganda, and Tanzania, alongside prominent commercial farmers and trade attachés from various embassies.
At the 2026 Africa Seed Trade Association(AFSTA) Congress held from the 23rd to the 25th of March, in Cape Town, South Africa, our Chief Executive Officer, Dr. John Mukuka, along with our Agribusiness and Policy Advisor, Mr John Chambamakasa, joined other experts in providing practical and actionable insights on a thought-provoking session dubbed: “Trading Seeds, Growing Economies: 15 years after harmonisation protocols – what should come next?”
The conversation was both timely and strategic, providing a valuable platform for speakers and delegates to reflect on progress and explore ways to bridge the gap between policy and practice, and exchange insights on addressing emerging challenges while aligning with broader continental priorities.
In his remarks, the ACTESA CEO remarked on COMESA’s crucial role in championing regional seed regulation towards boosting intra-regional trade and improving food security in Eastern and Southern Africa through its COMESA Seed Harmonisation Implementation Program (COMSHIP).
He noted public-private partnerships as key in driving the achievement of full regional harmonisation of the COMESA Seed Trade Regulations to deliver a tangible impact on smallholder access to quality seeds.
The 2026 edition of the#AFSTACongress2026, themed “Empowering Africa’s Future, One Seed at a Time, " was positioned as a premier gathering for seed industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders from across the continent and beyond.
Communique- Reinforced EU Import Controls on Pesticide Residues
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), through the COMESA–EAC Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA), draws the attention of Member States, competent authorities, exporters, and horticulture value-chain operators to the European Union’s reinforced controls on imported agri-food products, with particular emphasis on pesticide residues.
The European Commission has announced a major reinforcement of official controls affecting products entering the EU market. Measures include a 50% increase in audits in third countries over the next two years, a 33% increase in audits of EU Border Control Posts, closer monitoring of non-compliant commodities and countries with the possibility of increased check frequencies, and the establishment of a dedicated EU Task Force (early 2026) focusing particularly on pesticide residues, among other priority areas. The Commission has further indicated the immediate updating of rules governing imports containing “traces” of particularly hazardous pesticides banned in the EU, aligned to updated international classifications and health protection objectives.
Implications for CEHA exporters and supply chains
These measures materially increase the likelihood of:
Mandatory compliance expectations (effective immediately)
All exporters and supply-chain operators supplying the EU market must implement, at a minimum, the following actions:
Actions requested of Member State competent authorities
Member States are encouraged to support exporters through:
Member States and exporters are requested to treat this advisory as urgent and to initiate immediate compliance-strengthening actions to safeguard continued market access and the sustained EU market.
CEHA Secretariat / ACTESA (COMESA)
Farm visits were an exciting and remarkable addition to the COMESA Multisectoral Trade Exhibition, the inaugural COMESA-EU Horticulture Connect, and the 18th COMESA Business Forum held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 6-9 October 2025.
CEHA, in collaboration with the COMESA EDF Institutional Capacity Building Programme, was delighted to facilitate farm visits for the COMESA small-scale farmers and the EU buyers who were keen to undertake farm visits at Sian Flowers, Sereni Fries Limited, Kevian Kenya Limited (KKL), and Exotic Penina Field Group, on the outskirts of Nairobi.
The farm visits provided an incredible opportunity and platform for knowledge and information sharing, networking, and exchange of experiences and best practices. This was a demonstration of the crucial role of practical market linkages in advancing strategic engagement, building partnerships that enhance market access and distribution networks.
Delve into highlights of the COMESA-EU Horticulture Connect, beyond an event, unforgettable moments brought together COMESA Horticulture producers and European Union buyers from the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Italy to co-create business opportunities, advance strategic engagement, build partnerships, and create market linkages.
Together, CEHA and the COMESA EDF Institutional Capacity Building Programme are championing the unlocking of the horticulture sector for competitiveness, enhanced trade facilitation, regional integration, and global market linkages.