Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture reported that Ethiopia and Japan signed a ¥360 million grant agreement on 30 September to support mechanisation in the rice sector. The ministry said the package is worth approximately ETB 375 million. Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide, Japan’s ambassador Shibata Hironori and JICA Ethiopia chief representative Hiroyuki Yakushi took part in the signing.

The planned equipment includes combine harvesters, tractors, rice mills and machinery for land preparation. The ministry said the support is intended to modernise production and processing and reduce post-harvest losses. The announcement does not give delivery dates, unit counts or a measured output target, so the grant’s eventual effect on yields and losses cannot yet be quantified.