The 14th Annual International Conference on Oilseeds and Pulses opened today, November 18, 2025, at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa under the theme โ€œStrengthening Value Chains: Expanding Global Markets.โ€

Delivering the keynote address, H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Board Chair of AGRA and TradeMark Africa, highlighted the rapidly increasing global demand for plant-based proteins and edible oils. He noted that the global pulses market is projected to grow from USD 82 billion in 2025 to USD 143 billion by 2035, while the oilseeds market is expected to rise from USD 270 billion to nearly USD 390 billion over the same period.

H.E. Hailemariam underscored AGRAโ€™s role in supporting Africaโ€™s pulses and oilseeds sector, emphasizing ongoing efforts to strengthen value chains, improve market access, and expand economic opportunities across the continent. In Ethiopia, AGRA is partnering with the Ethiopian Government and the Ethiopian Pulses, Oilseeds and Spices Processors-Exporters Association (EPOSPEA) to expand markets, raise farmer incomes, and increase domestic edible-oil production from 2 percent today to 50 percent by 2028.

H.E. called on stakeholders to work collectively to modernize production, upgrade processing capacity, and enhance quality standards to meet global market requirements. โ€œBy taking these steps, we can transition from being primarily raw material exporters to becoming value creators. We can move from being price-takers to value-makers,โ€ he emphasized.

The two-day event, organized by the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration and the Ethiopian Pulses, Oilseeds and Spices Processors-Exporters Association (EPOSPEA), brings together more than 800 delegates from 18 countries to explore strategies for strengthening Africaโ€™s competitiveness in the global pulses and oilseeds market.