The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is pushing for stronger collaboration between governments and private businesses to help grow the leather industry and improve its global position.
Aurelia Calabro, who leads the Leather Initiative for Sustainable Employment Creation (LISEC) project at UNIDO, shared in an interview with Gazette Plus that the leather industry has a lot of potential. But the lack of cooperation between private companies and the government is slowing down progress.
She explained that the leather industry is still one of the Ethiopia’s important sectors. However, several challenges are holding it back. These include low use of hide and skin products, limited meat consumption, and global economic troubles.
UNIDO is working closely with the government, especially with the Ministry of Industry, to bring in more private companies to join national efforts. Calabro believes that private businesses should be more involved in national leather associations to help tanneries grow and compete internationally.
The organization is also helping the sector by introducing cleaner technologies and improving how tanneries treat waste.
They have set up plans and facilities to support small businesses, especially those run by women. This includes research and business planning, plus creating better links to markets.
“It has also provided facilities to small scale industries owned by women apart from designing master and business plans, research development center to build capacity and market linkages.”
Aurelia Calabro, Project Manager, UNIDO LISEC
She also praised the government’s continued support, saying that recent economic reforms have made it easier for importers to get the chemicals and materials they need for tanning.
Looking ahead, UNIDO wants to help set up leather industrial parks to boost the industry even further. Calabro said these parks will play a key role in making the leather sector more sustainable and globally competitive.
In short, the future of the leather industry looks promising if the public and private sectors come together to drive change.
Source – The Ethiopian Herald
