10/05/2026
We just completed the 2nd cohort of the TRADE Program, focused on agro-processing SMEs.
The first cohort was in the leather sector, and one thing is becoming very clear across both industries: many SMEs already have products, buyers, and production capacity. The biggest challenge is often not demand, but structure.
This cohort focused on export readiness and bankability.
We worked directly with SMEs on export documentation workflows, Ethiopia Electronic Single Window processes, ESG requirements, digitization, AI prompting for business operations, blockchain traceability, and transaction diagnostics. We also brought in specialists in compliance, finance, and digital systems to support the cohort with practical guidance tied to real export operations.
By the end of the program, 10 exporters joined our pilot initiative focused on improving export ex*****on and transaction visibility.
As we mapped operations and financing readiness, we identified more than ETB 1.3 billion in financing gaps across the participating SMEs.
In many cases, the issue was not production capability. It was incomplete documentation, weak financial packaging, fragmented records, and limited operational visibility.
We also started collecting sustainability and operational baseline data from exporters, as buyers, banks, and development partners are increasingly asking for this level of transparency, especially in agro-processing exports.
One major takeaway from this cohort:
Export growth requires more than production capacity. SMEs also need systems that help them become structured, compliant, digitized, and bankable.
