EXPO Milano, July 8^th, 2015 - The workshop ‘The Durum Wheat Value Chain in Ethiopia’,  is one of the most recent events organized at  EXPO Milano by the Directorate General for Development Cooperation (DGCS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI),  in collaboration with the Overseas Agronomic Institute (IAO) and with the support of UNIDO ITPO Italy.

Starting from the wheat supply chain of high quality pasta, the workshop has the objective to illustrate the market potential that currently exists in Ethiopia and to highlight the empowerment of  local small scale farmers, which have been making progress in technology, production, and trade.

During the event the development project “Agricultural Value Chains in Oromia” was presented as a successful story of collaboration between Italy and Ethiopia. The project was implemented in the framework of the "Growth and Transformation Plan 2010-2015”, oriented to the fast industrialization of Ethiopia, with the goal of fulfilling the growing demand of food products and the improvement of national balance of payment.

In support of the event, and to illustrate the UN activities, Mr. Dejene Tezera  the Unit Chief of Rural Entrepreneurship Development and Human Security of UNIDO,  participated at the occasion in the presence of  Mr. Mulugeta Alemseged, Ambassador of Ethiopia in Italy,  Mr. Cristiano Maggipinto, Director General for Development Cooperation,  Ms. Mariarosa Stevan,  Director General of IAO,  and Ms. Francesca Ronca of the International Pasta Organization (IPO). Among the many important political and economic figures that participated at the event were; Mr. Tibero Chiari, Technical Director IAO, Mr. Tafa Jobie Bedanie,  from the Agricultural Research Institute (Oari)  of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia, and a delegation of 30 Ethiopian entrepreneurs led by Mr. Abeba Tesfaye Meteku, Vice President of the Ethiopian Millers' Association (EMA).

The delegation had the opportunity to visit important leading companies in the field of pasta production, including suppliers of manufacturing technologies. Additionally, they held some business meetings with Italian entrepreneurs.