In a featured interview with Texfash, Mr. Tsegaye Abebe — Executive Director of the Ethiopian Cotton Association (ECA) — outlines how Ethiopia’s cotton sector is poised for transformation.
Ethiopia’s cotton industry, once a cornerstone of African textile production, is now being revitalised with new coordination between farmers, industry, and policy-makers. With only less than 3 % of its three-million-hectare cotton potential currently utilised, the country has enormous room for growth. The ECA is pushing ahead with mechanisation, traceability and certification to make Ethiopian cotton globally competitive.
Key focus areas include:
- Infrastructure and mechanisation to connect farmers, ginneries and textile value-chains.
- Climate resilience: adapting to erratic rainfall, heat spikes and pests through improved seed systems, agro-forestry and regenerative practices.
- Sustainability and transparency: partnering with organisations like GIZ International Ethiopia and International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to match global premium buyers seeking ethically-sourced cotton.
- Inclusive growth: ensuring community consent, labour standards and farmer participation in new investment models.
Looking ahead, Ethiopia envisions a cotton sector that’s self-sufficient, high-quality and export-ready, built on a traceable, regenerative brand of cotton recognised globally.
