Ethiopia: An interview with Haile Wako integrated farm

For years, Ethiopia has struggled with food insecurity, leaving millions of people in the country without enough to eat. One of the main contributing factors to this problem is the gap between the demand and supply of improved seeds. Unfortunately, only 3.5% of the country's land area is planted with these crucial seeds. To address this challenge directly, the Haile Wako Integrated Farm has emerged as a pioneering agricultural enterprise. Through the production of high-yield variety seeds and strategic collaborations with smallholder farmers via an out-grower scheme, the company not only supplies seeds but also offers essential technical support and promotes climate-smart agricultural practices to enhance productivity.

Haile Wako has been recognized for its innovative approach, having received awards such as the Youth Alliance for Leadership & Development in Africa's 2020 virtual summit pre-i-boot camp pitch competition. 

The Digital Agriculture Innovation Hubs in Ethiopia recently had the opportunity to interview, Adugna Haile Wako, the founder of Haile Wako Integrated Farm to gain insight into their operations, the impact they have made in the agriculture field, and their plans for the future. Through this interview, the Hubs aimed to broaden their understanding of innovative approaches to agricultural development and to further advance their efforts to promote sustainable agriculture practices in Ethiopia.

DAIH: Can you provide some background on the founding of Haile Wako Integrated Farm?

Adugna Haile Wako: Haile Wako Integrated Farm was founded by a group of passionate entrepreneurs, including myself, with a deep connection to the farming community. We saw the challenges faced by farmers and wanted to create an innovative agribusiness that could help them improve their livelihoods. Our focus is on seed production and supply, and we believe that by providing high-quality seeds to farmers, we can help them increase their yields and improve their incomes. Our goal is to create a sustainable business model that benefits both farmers and consumers. As the CEO of Haile Wako Integrated Farm, I am proud of the progress we have made and the impact we have had on our community.

DAIH: How can Haile Wako Integrated Farm utilize digitalization to address food security and inspire young people to pursue agriculture?

Adugna Haile Wako: At Haile Wako Integrated Farm, we believe that digitalization can be a powerful tool in addressing food security challenges and inspiring young people to pursue careers in agriculture. We have leveraged digital technology to streamline our seed production and supply chain, from seed testing and quality control to marketing and sales. We also use social media platforms to showcase our work and engage with the wider community, including young people who may be interested in pursuing a career in agriculture.

In addition, we have partnered with universities and research organizations to develop innovative agricultural technologies and practices. Through these partnerships, we have been able to leverage digital tools to improve our seed production and distribution, as well as provide training and support to smallholder farmers.

We also actively participate in pitch competitions and boot camps, both in-person and virtually, to showcase our work and inspire others to pursue agricultural innovations. By sharing our success stories and best practices, we hope to inspire more young people to pursue careers in agriculture and contribute to the development of the sector.

DAIH: What kind of services and products does your company offer to producers and consumers?

Adugna Haile Wako: Our agribusiness is involved in the production of climate-smart seeds and the corresponding supply system. We work with more than 2,000 smallholder farmers in Ethiopia to produce seeds. As Africa's population grows and becomes richer, the demand for food, especially for high-value crops and livestock products, will continue to increase. The rapidly increasing demand for food within Africa offers significant untapped potential for intra-African trade.

DAIH: Can you give us a concrete example of impact that has already borne fruit?

Adugna Haile Wako: We are a seed supply company registered on the UN procurement platform and we have been supplying seeds since 2017. Our annual turnover has now reached US$350 000 and our customers, who are farmers, will be 200 000 by 2022, compared to the 15 000 farmers we targeted in 2017. Our plan is to provide five million farmers with our quality seeds for East African markets by 2030. We have built a brand name called Haile Wako Integrated Farm and package our seeds in quality bags with our logo. The quality, purity and germination rate of our seed is higher than that of the seed on the market because of our packaging and storage facilities.

DAIH: What is the current scenario of digitalization and innovation in agriculture in Ethiopia and its contribution to food security?

Adugna Haile Wako: The current scenario of digitalization and innovation in agriculture to achieve food security is still at an early stage in Ethiopia. I think there is a need to revise policies at the national level to apply agricultural technologies and innovations such as climate-smart agriculture and precision agriculture at least at the farm level, e.g. using drones to apply fertilisers and chemicals, etc. Digitalisation should also take place in agriculture by expanding rural internet infrastructure and improving smallholder digital farming know-how.

DAIH: How do you see the future of digital agriculture in Ethiopia? What are the opportunities and challenges?

Adugna Haile Wako: Seed supply in Ethiopia is less than 3%, but we have around seventy-six million farmers who demand seeds annually. The total addressable market is US$344.7 billion, as a single farmer requires at least 50 kg of seed annually. The average selling price is US$180 per 100 kg. So if supply remains at 3%, the total addressable market is 10%, or US$34.47 billion. Therefore, in Ethiopia alone, there is an untapped seed market that could be met through the production of high-yielding varieties, fruits and vegetables. The projected data shows that we are still far from meeting the current seed demand of millions of smallholder farmers. The development of digital infrastructure should be accelerated along with the digital literacy of farmers so that they can use and benefit from the digital world, and farmers should not only consider agriculture as a subsistence economy, but commercialise it in a modern way by establishing modern agribusinesses.

Besides, the implementation of the AFCFTA agenda 2063 for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future is the most important topic for the continent. So we need to know what it means for each and every Ethiopian farmer when the ACFTA is fully implemented and operationalised, how we can add value to our agricultural products and export them for other African countries by strengthening the local economies of farmers. Let us make our agriculture a smart and attractive industry for our young people to enter and put into practice their respective visions.