RICE MECHANIZATION IN ETHIOPIA: TRENDS, AND PROSPECTS

The domestic rice industry of Ethiopia is constrained by low productivity, poor quality, and old processing machines. production system done hand or with rudimentary tools, only 2% households have access to tractors. It takes 175 labor days weed 66% the total farm operations. Rice harvesting threshing are manually using a serrated sickle animal trembling respectively. Farmers responsible for most pre-milling operations store paddy household consumption in local stores. Challenges include fragmented holdings, marketing channels, lack awareness post-harvest utilization. prospects mechanization development improving research system, training entrepreneurs, providing repair maintenance services, promoting custom hiring centers, manufacturing implements, organizing agricultural cooperatives, landholding, land ownership structures, assessing foreign experience, linking importers service providers, encouraging investments rural infrastructure.