An EU- and TradeMark Africa-funded platform launched this week introduces electronic phytosanitary (ePhyto) certification to Ethiopia's export sector, a change expected to most strongly affect the country's horticulture industry, long plagued by compliance challenges.
The Integrated Export and Import Certification System (IEICS) – e-Phyto Project aims to cut certification times from several days to just a few hours, while introducing internal traceability across the system. Set to be rolled out nationwide within a month, the new compliance platform also seeks to eliminate costs tied to lost certificates, forgery, corruption, and the need for physical travel.
Over the past two years, Ethiopian flower exports to Europe have faced intensified inspections following concerns over the False Coddling Moth (FCM), a pest classified by the European Union as a quarantine threat. Tewodros Zewdie, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA), said phytosanitary compliance remains critical to maintaining export integrity, even as volumes grow. He recalled the bureaucratic hurdles exporters faced under the former paper-based system.
"A digital system saves both time and resources for the private sector," Tewodros told Shega. He emphasized that scaling up the ePhyto system will allow Ethiopia to fully leverage its agroecological advantages.
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