ACOS (PEDON GROUP) improves and values the production of pulses in Ethiopia

In 2013 agriculture in Ethiopia is still reliant on smallholder, rain-fed farming systems providing 45% of Ethiopia’s GDP and 85% employment. But in 2005 there were no bean seed companies based in Ethiopia, mainly smallholders at the time, and farmers continued to plant low quality seed.

Acos has been present in Ethiopia since 2005, when they first made contact with the Ethiopian Government about setting up a production plant near Addis Ababa, the country’s capital. Since October 2006 Acos Ethiopia has been running at full capacity. It is a modern plant which covers a surface area of over 3,000 m². .It has modern machinery for legume processing, a high-tech optical selector, conveyor belts for hand picking and 6 steel silos equipped with external stairways.
Through an agreement with the Agricultural Research Centre (EIAR), research was carried out aiming at studying the varieties of pulses best adapted to the Ethiopian pedo-climatic environment, leading to the definition of the best agronomic techniques. The institute also worked on the improvement of varieties and the preservation of seed purity.
 As to be transparent and fair towards their suppliers’ market and to train the farmers to good agricultural practices, Acos established long-term links to various NGOs. Mainly SFL (Sustainable Food Laboratory) and CRS (Catholic Relief Services), which had a strong presence in Ethiopia, but also Save the children, Oxfam and more recently IFRI (International Food research Institute).
 They all worked hand in hand to write training materials and disseminate them to farmers’ cooperatives.
To top off this cooperation, Acos is also committed in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility, and has undertaken to promote, along the entire production chain, respect for people, the prevention of discrimination of any kind, safety in the workplace, and protection and social development of the communities involved. Acos has also established a Primary School near to the plant.