Addis Ababa, November 19, 2025 (FMC) — Denmark’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Sune Krogstrup, reaffirmed his country’s strong support for Ethiopia’s agricultural transformation, pledging approximately US$79 million to the newly launched Agricultural Commercialization through Climate-Smart and Inclusive Innovations (ACCII) program.
Speaking at the official launch on Tuesday, Ambassador Krogstrup said Denmark is proud to be a “first mover and trusted partner” in supporting ACCII, which aims to transition smallholder farming toward a more commercial, competitive, and climate-smart agricultural sector.
Highlighting the progress made under the first phase of the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters initiative, the ambassador noted that Ethiopia has achieved significant gains in farmers’ productivity and incomes, a success recently recognized when the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) received the FAO 2025 Achievement Award. “Your dedication and hard work have yielded outstanding results,” he said, urging stakeholders to applaud the ATI team and its implementing partners.
Denmark’s support for ACCII, according to the ambassador, will focus on mainstreaming climate change initiatives, gender equality, and youth empowerment, while facilitating the transformation of farmers’ production clusters into fully established agricultural companies.
He also highlighted the program’s humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) approach, aimed at integrating over 300,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, enhancing their resilience to climate and socio-economic challenges.
“Building resilience among farmers is vital as we witness the increasing impacts of climate change, erratic rainfall, drought, and pest and disease outbreaks,” Ambassador Krogstrup said.
He emphasized the critical role of government actors, particularly in regions like Somali, in ensuring timely allocation of land and development of essential infrastructure—including roads, water points, schools, health facilities, and shelters—to support IDPs and refugees under ACCII.
The ambassador concluded by congratulating the ATI, the Ministry of Agriculture, and all stakeholders on the launch of ACCII, expressing confidence that the program will continue to deliver inclusive, resilient, and market-oriented agricultural transformation in Ethiopia.
By Mesafint Brlie