General

Revolutionizing Banana Supply Chains: The Evolution to Efficiency with Cableway Transportation

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Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world, and they are grown in tropical and subtropical climates all over the globe. However, transporting bananas from the farms where they are grown to the markets where they are sold can be a challenge. This is especially true in developing countries, where roads and infrastructure may be limited.
One sustainable and efficient way to transport bananas is by cableway. Cableway systems use a network of cables and pulleys to move bananas from the farms to collection points or packinghouses. This method of transportation is much more efficient than using trucks or other vehicles, as it can carry more bananas at once and does not require roads or bridges.
Cableway systems are also much more sustainable than other methods of transportation, as they produce no emissions and require very little energy to operate. This makes them a good choice for banana producers who are looking to reduce their environmental impact.

Benefits of using cableway banana transportation

  • Sustainability: Cableway systems produce no emissions and require very little energy to operate. This makes them a good choice for banana producers who are looking to reduce their environmental impact.
  • Efficiency: Cableway systems can carry more bananas at once than trucks or other vehicles. This can save producers time and money on transportation costs.
  • Safety: Bananas are transported in specially designed trolleys that are suspended from the cables. This ensures that the bananas are not damaged during transport, and it also protects workers from injury.
  • Scalability: Cableway systems can be scaled up or down to meet the needs of any banana producer. This makes them a flexible and cost-effective solution for transporting bananas.

Traditionally, transporting bananas has been a manual and resource-intensive process, relying on vehicles that navigate uneven roads and uncertain weather conditions. But now, enter the cableway system—a modern marvel that utilizes a network of cables and pulleys to elegantly move bananas from their cultivation sites to designated collection points or packinghouses. This transition represents a leap into a new era, replacing the cumbersome and inefficient methods of the past with a streamlined and environmentally conscious approach.

FriEL Ethiopia is a leading company in the banana industry in Ethiopia. The company is committed to using sustainable farming practices and innovative technology to produce high-quality bananas that are safe for consumers. The cableway banana transportation technology is a major step forward for the company, and it will help FriEL Ethiopia to continue to grow and succeed in the years to come.

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Collaborating With Dassenech Wereda To Mitigate Drought

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The FriEL Ethiopia farm is located in Omorate, a town in southern Ethiopia near the Kenyan border. Situated in the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, this village has an elevation of 395 meters above sea level. Its location in the Omo Valley gives it a semi-arid climate, with low and erratic rainfall and warm temperatures. The town and its surroundings are inhabited by the Dassenech people, and the greater region is known as the Dassenech wereda. According to the Ethiopian Statistics Service, as of 2021, the estimated population in the woreda is about 70,000.

The Dassenech are a pastoralist tribe, and their livelihood is centered around the breeding of cattle and other herd animals like goats and sheep. These animals are not only used for meat, milk, and skins but also signify wealth and status. Apart from raising livestock, the Dassenech occasionally practice flood-recession agriculture along the banks of the Omo River.

While Ethiopia contains the largest livestock population in Africa with an estimated 80 million livestock, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists – such as the Dassenech – in tropical and subtropical drylands are among the most vulnerable groups to climate change. Since their livelihood is so reliant on livestock, any problems affecting their domestic animals directly impact the community. For the past several years, the Dassenech wereda has been affected by devastating droughts frequently experienced in the locality. They have also been the victims of floods owing to rain in the Central and South-Central Highlands, causing the overflow of the Omo River. This has caused many families to face hunger and severe economic struggles. A food security outlook shows that the area is categorized under an emergency zone, one step above a famine.

FriEL Ethiopia has been operating the farm in Omorate since 2007 and, in that time, has made several efforts towards helping the surrounding community. At the moment, the biggest problem that the wereda faces is a lack of pasture for livestock. Thus, we are working with the Dassenech wereda administration to help combat this problem. So far, 1,600 bales of hay have been delivered from Jinka and distributed among the pastoralists in the area. An additional 15,000 hay bales have been delivered recently from production made on 100 hectares of our own land. This is expected to help partially alleviate several families’ immediate concerns regarding their cattle.

In order to further build a more sustainable solution for the pasture scarcity issue, 100 hectares of land from our farm has now been allocated to growing grass for the cattle. Several thousand bales of hay are expected to be harvested from these fields. Once the dry season hits in the coming months and the community faces a scarcity of pasture, this will help supplement their need for livestock feed. This is among our greater agenda of improving the community’s livelihood.

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Food Security Support

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The initiative undertaken by FriEL Ethiopia Farming and Processing PLC in September 2018 reflects a commendable commitment to promoting food security at the district level. The company has taken concrete actions by planting maize crops spanning an extensive 51 hectares of land within its own command area. This strategic move not only contributes to local agricultural productivity but also addresses the crucial issue of food availability and accessibility in the region.

One notable aspect of this endeavor is the comprehensive support provided by FriEL Ethiopia Farming and Processing PLC throughout the entire agricultural process. The company covers the entire cost of production, encompassing expenses from the initial stages of planting to the final phase of harvesting. This financial investment by the company demonstrates a strong dedication to the success of the agricultural venture and ensures that economic barriers do not hinder the realization of the project’s objectives.

Moreover, the post-harvest distribution of the maize crop to the local community surrounding the Omorate farm underscores a commitment to community welfare. By sharing the harvest with the nearby residents, FriEL Ethiopia Farming and Processing PLC directly addresses local food needs. This approach aligns with the broader goals of enhancing food security, as the community gains access to a staple crop without incurring costs.

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