Textile and Garment Industry
Support Institute



Brief History

      The government of Ethiopia industrial development strategy focuses on export manufacturing, with priority given to the textile and garment industry, for the following reasons:
      The country has the necessary agro-climatic conditions to produce cotton required as raw material for the textile industry. Cotton is grown on rain- fed as well as irrigated farms. Current production ranges between 30 to 40 quintals per hectare (3-4 tones/ha.), and research results indicate that up to 50 quintals per hectare (5 tones/ha.) could be produced.
      The industry is a significant employer, and particularly in the garment industry has a large potential for expanding employment opportunities.The industry has strong vertical linkages that have the potential to increase the development of agriculture as well as other industries and services.
      The textile and garment industry has a vast potential to manufacture goods for export, thus earning badly needed foreign exchange.
      Despite its huge potential and strategic significance, the sector is still at embryonic stage of development and faces critical problems the performance of the sub- sector is very low even when compared to that of other developing countries, which are at a similar stage of development The main reasons behind these low performance figures of Ethiopian textile and garment industry could be:
  • Lack of specialized and experienced manpower
  • Lack of management and entrepreneurial skills
  • Inability to penetrate new markets and compete with imported products
      Aware of these facts, the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has charted a capacity building programme, which focuses on creating capacity to enable the industry to be competitive in both local and export markets.       It is long been recognized that the Textile and Garment sector in Ethiopia has had quality problem. This is as much a result of political and economic climate over the last decades. The reason for low quality manufactured goods and intermediaries are manifold, and extend vertically through the supply chain from inadequate raw materials to poor finishing.
      The program thus seeks to identify what should be offered the industry to increase overall increase in quality management, economic contribution and overall performance. It was therefore proposed and decided to establish industry-specific support institute under Bahir Dar University.
      The duration of the project for the establishment of the Textile and Garment Industry Support Institute is expected to be 3 years. It will be funded by the Ethiopian Government and long- term loan, and has the support of the 3 ministries, namely: Ministry of Capacity Building, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Trade and Industry.
      Currently the Textile and Garment Industry Support Institute is found at its study phase. Pre-feasibility study was conducted before three years and it was learned that to realize the envisaged institute consultancy input was required to conduct detail feasibility study and subsequent activities encompassing: a Business Plan, Implementation Schedule, Documents describing system and procedures, Domestics and International linkages, and strategy for international accreditation. In this regard the consultancy work is taken over by NITRA (Northern India Textile Research Association) as a principal consulting firm in association with PAF (Pearl Academy of Fashion India Ltd). The detail feasibility study is already finalized by January 2005.and is ready to be submitted to government for full fledged funding.

Objectives

      TTo establish and run a Textile and Garments Industry Support Institute (including well-equipped central laboratory) with having the necessary organization system, staff and facilities. The institute shall carry out training, research and development, technology imports and dissemination, testing and quality assurance and related consulting activities in the textile and garments sector

Education program

      The Institute has no formal education programs. It only conducts tailor made on job training programs targeted to industries personnel and business enterprises.
  • Undergraduate program
  • Distance and continuing education
  • Postgraduate programme

Academic staffs

      The Institute has project staff with the following qualification
Name Qualification
Ato Sium Tecleab M.Sc Industrial Engineering
Ato Nigatu Teshome B.A Management
W/z Haymanot Mekuryawo Diploma in Secretarial Science

Address of the Institute

  • Textile and Garment Industry Support Institute
  • P.O.Box: 26
  • Tel: 251-08 200610, 251-08 200612
  • Fax: 251-08-207243
  • Bahir Dar University
  • Bahir Dar
  • Ethiopia
  • E-mail: bpti@telecom.net.et




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