False Codling Moth Identification and Management Support for Ethiopia’s Horticulture Sector
Implementation Partners
Ethiopian Agricultural Authority (EAA), Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA), and Ministry of Agriculture
Implementation Period
June 2025 - December 2027
Project Participants
EAA plant-quarantine experts, EHPEA trainers and technical officers, flower-farm managers, growers and technical staff, export inspectors and phytosanitary certification officers, and selected horticulture export companie
Funding Partner
European Union (EU)
Project Rationale
Ethiopia’s horticulture sector is an important source of export earnings and employment. In the 2023-24 financial year, the country earned approximately $525 million from horticulture exports, of which about $400 million came from cut flowers.1 The floriculture industry supports an estimated 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, with women comprising a substantial share of the workforce.2 Maintaining access to established flower markets is therefore important not only for export revenue, but also for the workers, farms and service providers whose livelihoods depend on the sector.
False Codling Moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) presents a significant phytosanitary risk to Ethiopia’s rose exports. The pest is classified by the EU as a quarantine pest, and imported rose consignments must comply with EU plant-health requirements intended to prevent its introduction and establishment.3 An interception can result in the rejection or treatment of an affected consignment, additional costs and increased regulatory scrutiny.
In 2024, the EU set the minimum frequency of identity and physical checks for cut roses imported from Ethiopia at 25%.4 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024-2004 subsequently introduced more specific import requirements for roses originating in countries where False Codling Moth is present. The regulation requires exporting countries to demonstrate that consignments meet prescribed pest-management conditions, including an approved systems approach or an effective post-harvest treatment.
The project therefore strengthened Ethiopia’s capacity to prevent, identify and manage FCM through improved farm-level practices, stronger surveillance, inspection and certification procedures, enhanced regulatory capacity and closer alignment with international and EU plant-health requirements. These measures are intended to reduce the risk of interceptions and help safeguard the continued access of Ethiopian rose exports to the EU market.
Priorities 2026-2027
- Continue farm-level follow-up to ensure consistent application of the Systems Approach and corrective actions across participating rose farms.
- Institutionalise the SOPs, audit tools and inspection protocols within EAA’s routine inspection and certification systems.
- Expand training and mentoring for EAA inspectors, EHPEA trainers, growers, packhouse staff and farm-level FCM focal persons.
- Strengthen documentation, traceability and rejected-consignment record-keeping at Bole International Airport and farm level.
- Continue tracking FCM interception data, destination-market notifications, farm audit findings and corrective-action closure rates.
- Support EAA, EHPEA and participating farms to use the strengthened tools to sustain compliance with EU phytosanitary requirements and protect market access.
1 The Reporter Ethiopia, “Horticulture Strategy Envisions Doubling Export Revenues”, 20 July 2024
2 International Association of Horticultural Producers, “How EHPEA Put Ethiopia’s Floriculture on the World Map”, 1 November 2022
3 European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, consolidated version.
4 European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/591.
5 European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2004 of 23 July 2024
Implementation Strategy
The intervention is being delivered through six complementary pillars:
- Systems Approach Strengthening Assessment of FCM management practices and implementation of systems-based controls at rose farms exporting to international markets.
- Capacity Building Training of EAA experts, EHPEA trainers and horticulture producers on FCM identification, monitoring and management.
- Standard Operating Procedures Review and strengthening of phytosanitary inspection and certification procedures for rose flower exports.
- Inspection Protocol Enhancement Development and alignment of inspection protocols with international standards and EU phytosanitary requirements.
- Stakeholder Engagement Collaboration and knowledge-sharing among regulators, industry associations, exporters and technical partners.
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Tracking implementation progress, documenting lessons learnt and supporting continuous improvement.
Emerging Results
Systems Strengthening
- A comprehensive False Codling Moth Management Protocol was developed and validated.
- A Systems Approach Audit Procedure was developed to support implementation and compliance monitoring.
- Four standard operating procedures were developed, validated and adopted for implementation.
Capacity Development
- A total of about 250 growers and experts were trained, including almost 230 farmers and growers from Bishoftu, Ziway, Koka, Sebeta, Holeta and Bahir Dar, and 40 EAA and EHPEA technical experts and trainers who received advanced Training of Trainers on FCM identification and management
Farm Assessments
- Rapid assessments were completed at 28 rose farms representing over 16 horticulture companies in Ethiopia’s principal flower-producing areas.
Regulatory Strengthening
- Inspection protocols were reviewed and strengthened.
- Export-inspection and phytosanitary certification procedures at Bole International Airport were enhanced.
Early Evidence of Change
- The management protocols and audit procedures supported the EAA’s preparedness for the European Union audit conducted in November 2025.
- According to internal programme monitoring data, reported False Codling Moth-related export interceptions declined from four in February 2025 to zero in February 2026. While this represents encouraging early progress, continued monitoring and consistent application of the strengthened controls will be necessary to sustain the result.
Funding Attribution
This project is financed by the EU under the Global Gateway strategy and Team Europe and Horn of Africa Initiatives, with funding delegated to AFD. It is implemented by TMA in partnership with national stakeholders and CAB
